What is a good/bad EFC?

[pass36]

SCK thanks for sharing the pain!  Although I am guessing a lot of the younger folks might think we shouldn't complain about having good jobs and a decent quality of life! 

What I am worried about is if I go to law school starting in 2006 and sell the house to come up with the EFC I will be fine for 2006 - 2007.  But then when I do a FAFSA next year, I will still have made 65% or so if this year's income, since I won't leave my job until August 2006, so presumably they will then expect me to come up with 65% of 17K for 2007-2008 and I will be truly screwed, drop out of school, live on the street and start smoking crack with these people who think people's rent/mortgage/car/utility/gas expenses are only 1/2 of their take home pay .... Anyone had experience with this situation??  Wisdom to share??

[01100110011]

Even so, I think most schools will assume you're getting some level of support from your parents. I don't know why they assume this, but that's what they seem to do.

I don't know what the cutoff may be, but when I saw my EFC, I knew I wasn't getting any need-based aid. And my family is pretty much middle-class.

Can this really be true?  I haven't been claimed as a dependent for over 15 years, I've been married for six years and I am a parent myself.  My wife and I make much more money than my parents do.  Why in the world would they assume my parents are going to contribute to my education?

In this situation, your parents will not be considered.  They look at how often in the last 3-6 years you've been a dependent.  If you haven't been claimed, you're in the clear.

[chrisfield]

What would be an EFC where you would likely qualify for some money from the school?

$5000? Or even less than that?

[upNdown]

Same with me. Mine's like 13K.

As I said to my mom this weekend: "What kind of crack were they smoking when they thought that formula up? Do they expect me not to eat?" It's almost half of my take-home pay, after insurance and withholdings. Because my rent + utilities is almost equal to that much, nevermind my car insurance and gas and such.

And really, I'm not sinking money into a house until I know where I'm going to be living.

You people need to buy a house and have some kids.  My EFC was about $250. 

Does anybody know, with an EFC that low, are you certain to get some free need-based money from your school? 

[maka nani]

heh id rather have my 10k EFC than kids 

[thescreed]

heh id rather have my 10k EFC than kids 

I would have said the same thing until my daughter was born. Now I can't remember what it was like to not want a nice tax deduction my little angel.

[upNdown]

heh id rather have my 10k EFC than kids 

I would have said the same thing until my daughter was born. Now I can't remember what it was like to not want a nice tax deduction my little angel.

Ha.  Try having a second one.  Then that 10K EFC will sound a lot better to you . . .

[thescreed]

Ha.  Try having a second one.  Then that 10K EFC will sound a lot better to you . . .

I am so uninterested in a second one that I've made arrangements with our local zoo next week to have an elephant step on my balls . . .

[maka nani]

  !