<p>I have an EFC of 0 but from everything I have read it only would help me in cases for pell grants. I still have to compete for other scholarships and grants so I really see no point in the whole EFC system. Do I become more of a candidate for grants/scholarships? I dunno why its such a big deal if I'm still scrappin for stuff like everyone else.</p>
<p>if you are an attractive enough candidate to the better privates and some states, with an EFC of 0, you have the opportunity to attend college for a very reasonable cost. In fact, if you are accepted at some colleges you can go basically for free. Of course, if you are not a very attractive candidate your choices will be extremely limited. The question is, “How attractive a candidate are you?”</p>
<p>And how much financial aid is the college willing to give? Some of these colleges these days are getting poorer and shabbier :/</p>
<p>Here’s the highlights of what I got:
-GPA: 3.7/4.0
-CR+Math SAT= 1360; only 520 for writing(GRR!)
-“governors academy for engineering studies” High School in VA
-Taking APs
-Varsity Tennis captain last year
-Scouting
-Pres of church youth</p>
<p>you’re borderline for the privates and unlikely to get a no loan package. Your best bets would be instate publics VA or WandM if you can get in, but I think I remember from another thread that you’re interested in some sort of specific engineering career? How good is your tennis game? A possible recruit. Not much of a hook.</p>
<p>I’m impressed speedo. Yeah, nuclear engineering.
There’s no way I’m a tennis recruit though. I like to think I’m good but Im positive a college won’t specifically look at me and say “wow, we have got to have him”. </p>
<p>So once again I’m back to the question. An EFC of 0 doesn’t provide any benefits and is more so a negative. Right?</p>
<p>An EFC of 0 indicates that your family has no money to spend on college, that’s certainly not an advantage. Your stats are good enough to create some opportunities for you but your choice of a very specific major reduces your choice of schools. I think on the other thread people pointed out some options for that particular major. You may want also to look at options that allow you to graduate college in a related major with less financial stress. UVA and WandM would seem to allow you to do that financially. I believe they both have no loan policies for instate students. I don’t know if your stats are good enough to get in - perhaps ED. There may also be other options in VA, I don’t know. With 0 EFC it is best to apply to schools that offer to meet full need with, if possible, no loans. Those kinds of schools are your best financial options and with no money, you may want to focus on what is financially doable rather than on a specific major. So again I would say at your stat level 0 EFC is not a benefit to you.</p>
<p>try NYU-Poly…I think we (yes, it’s my school lol) recruit decent but not many so-brilliant-it-hurts athletes. it also gives awesome financial AID if you’re smart. if you’re poor-ish, it’s okay. and it does nuclear engineering, as of very recently. i’ma check it out myself.</p>
<p>well, the lower your EFC, the more a college OUGHT to give you. hence, I don’t think it can hurt. unless, well, you think colleges will reject you on the basis that you can’t afford an education at their school? not likely, b/c if the price tag is that huge, the financial aid normally correlates in a huge way. i think lots of people want a lower calculated EFC.</p>
<p>nsf does give s-stem full funded grants through the colleges. Financial need is one of the factors they look at. So there your EFC may be an advantage. Whether there is a college that offers that funding in your specific field I don’t know, you’d have to check that out through the NSF. Sorry if that was also mentioned on the other thread</p>
<p>“well, the lower your EFC, the more a college OUGHT to give you”</p>
<p>Now thats the key. Doesn’t always happen…</p>
<p>youre lucky your in VA, at least you have a couple of state options. In Pa or NJ, you’d probably be just another kid commuting to a cc. You have a decent hand, play the cards you have been dealt and stop wishing for a full house!</p>
<p>you kidding me? Pa has penn state, u of penn, and u of pitt. Those are ALL top notch schools. And thats just off the top of my head. </p>
<p>Jersey don’t have much… I’ll admit that. </p>
<p>VA has some nice schools too. I’m not denying that. We got Va tech, UVA, U of Richmond, and W and M. Problem is none of them offer my major… beggining to think I should change my major. I don’t think I will but it is certainly a thought. </p>
<p>but just for the record. I’m not complaing… on this thread. :)<br>
This thread is about what is the point of EFC if they don’t help much.</p>
<p>True, PA has PennState, Pitt and U of PA. But you are not getting into Penn. At 0 EFC you can’t afford PSU or Pitt (they give lousy aid) so if you lived in PA you would be out of luck. Yes, given your financial situation, it might be a very good idea to have some flexibility in your choice of major - you don’t have the money to be picky.</p>
<p>“well, the lower your EFC, the more a college OUGHT to give you”</p>
<p>In truth…most colleges don’t have anything to give. Most colleges have very small endowments. That’s why F/A typically includes “aid” from sources that have nothing or little to do with the college itself… gov’t grants for low income students, federally subsidized student loans, unsubsidized student loans, and work study.</p>
<p>If you truly can’t afford to attend a four year college to start, then go go CC first. Get the basics out of the way and then transfer. The aid system is not set up so everyone can attend whatever college they want. It is set up to allow someone to attend A college.</p>
<p>Penn State costs $25k with room and board, and offers very little financial aid for in state students. </p>
<p>Holding all else equal, it is better to have parents who can’t pay, versus won’t pay. However, very rarely is “all else” equal. </p>
<p>Low income students have the opportunity to apply to the Questbridge program, and are eligible for federal work study and pell grants. </p>
<p>[Project</a> on Student Debt: What’s the Bottom Line?](<a href=“http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/ncoa_chart.php]Project”>http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/ncoa_chart.php) lists schools who do their best to be affordable to low income students.</p>
<p>Have you thought about the service academies for nuclear engineering?</p>
<p>A $0 EFC qualifies you for the maximum Pell Grant and FSEOG if you apply early enough. There are some other grant programs that you might qualify for - some require a certain major, gpa and class standing: TEACH, ACG and SMART grant.
You also may be able to get a grant from Va but I honestly don’t know how their state grant program works.
Of course you will also qualify for federal student loans as well.</p>
<p>Old Dominion has a Nuclear Engineering Technology major.
What is your math SAT? Have you thought of joining the Navy?</p>
<p>The disadvantage to having a 0 EFC is that too many schools either can’t meet need at all…or they can’t meet need without lots of student loans. </p>
<p>IF a student borrows around $12k per year, and ends up with a debt of $50k, his monthly repayments are going to be about $600 a month for 10 years. That’s like 2 extra car payments ( in addition to a person’s own car payment) for 10 years. How many young workers can afford to pay for 3 car payments all by themselves?</p>
<p>It might not be so bad to have a 0 EFC if a student can live with his family and commute to a state school with low tuition, or can get accepted to a top ranked school that meets 100% of need without loans.</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t like low income kids taking out student loans because -</p>
<p>1) they are at most risk for needing to drop out before they get their degrees (making repayment often impossible.</p>
<p>2) their families can’t help with repayment of student loans</p>
<p>3) their families can’t often help them with unexpected expenses during their college - a pricey car repair or some other pricey expense - which can also lead to dropping out of school early.</p>
<p>What are your stats? Looking for merit money might also be a solution.</p>
<p>The direct answer to your original question is that for the vast majority, a zero EFC means very little college choice. To read on CC it’s a great thing, and it is if you can get into the top 20 or so colleges with great aid, but that’s not the reality for most.</p>
<p>You need to study the list of schools that meet 100% of need for all students and then sort for those where your stats fit and that have your major. </p>
<p>[Schools</a> That Say They Meet Full Need - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/paying-for-college/articles/2008/09/05/schools-that-say-they-meet-full-need.html]Schools”>http://www.usnews.com/education/paying-for-college/articles/2008/09/05/schools-that-say-they-meet-full-need.html)</p>
<p>I think the better way to look at it is, “financial aid tries to minimize the disadvantage of being low income.”</p>
<p>Also, this: <a href=“http://www.usnews.com/blogs/college-cash-101/2009/10/19/who-really-gets-the-most-college-financial-aid.html[/url]”>http://www.usnews.com/blogs/college-cash-101/2009/10/19/who-really-gets-the-most-college-financial-aid.html</a></p>