EFC=0 Forum

[sconnielaw13]

...

[wreckem]

Once you graduate undergrad or turn 25, the Dept of Ed/Fafsa only take into account your personal income and not your parents. Some top private schools require you to file a form with them listing your parents income(some up to your 30th b-day), but most law/graduate schools do not take into account parents income.

My EFC is $5100 and I only made $22,000 last year.

[im_blue]

Unlike undergrad, grants in law are almost entirely merit-based based, which you would need impressive numbers to get.

[swc65]

Once you graduate undergrad or turn 25, the Dept of Ed/Fafsa only take into account your personal income and not your parents. Some top private schools require you to file a form with them listing your parents income(some up to your 30th b-day), but most law[strike]/graduate[/strike] schools do[strike]not[/strike] take into account parents income.

[swc65]

Unlike undergrad, grants in law are almost entirely merit-based based, which you would need impressive numbers to get.

This is not entirely true, especially for the poorest students. Some law schools are quite generous with need-based aid for the lowest income families (including students and parents).

[swc65]

After completing my FAFSA my EFC ended up being zero (this was after including all my parents information). With this being said, do I stand a decent chance of being awarded at least some need based aid (grants) at schools like the U of Iowa, UW-Madison, Bloomington, and U of Maryland Baltimore?

To help answer this question I will tell you that the combined income for my parents was less than 58k and for me less than 6k. I also have a sister who is a freshman in college.

Also your EFC was probably 0 because FAFSA only takes into account your info even if you put your parents' info on their once you check the graduate school box. They still allow you to put your parents' info in there for convenience or in case your schools want the info on there.

[Vincent Vega]

Don't expect to get need-based aid unless you're super-poor. I also have an EFC of 0 and I'm not expecting jack.

[im_blue]

Unlike undergrad, grants in law are almost entirely merit-based based, which you would need impressive numbers to get.

This is not entirely true, especially for the poorest students. Some law schools are quite generous with need-based aid for the lowest income families (including students and parents).

Would you care to name some?

[Renzo]

Unlike undergrad, grants in law are almost entirely merit-based based, which you would need impressive numbers to get.

This is not entirely true, especially for the poorest students. Some law schools are quite generous with need-based aid for the lowest income families (including students and parents).

Would you care to name some?

Harvard and Stanford. But beyond that...

[RudeDudewithAttitude]

I had an EFC of $4000 and received $0. My EFC was later amended to $0 and I just received more loans.

[swc65]

Unlike undergrad, grants in law are almost entirely merit-based based, which you would need impressive numbers to get.

This is not entirely true, especially for the poorest students. Some law schools are quite generous with need-based aid for the lowest income families (including students and parents).

Would you care to name some?

Columbia Law School awards grant assistance primarily on the basis of demonstrated financial need. i have not really looked into other schools, but from conversations with advisors at my UG need aid for very low income families is not as uncommon as the eternally pessimistic TLSers would have you believe. I am NOT saying that every student with low income is getting a free ride or that every law school is generous with need aid. I am just saying it is not true that only Harvard offers need aid. Also there have been posters on here and current students at Columbia that attest to the school's generosity.

With that said, we will see how this works out when I get my aid package

[swc65]

oh and here's the link if you do not want to take my word for it. http://www.law.columbia.edu/current_stu ... ancial_aid

[Georgiana]

Unlike undergrad, grants in law are almost entirely merit-based based, which you would need impressive numbers to get.

This is not entirely true, especially for the poorest students. Some law schools are quite generous with need-based aid for the lowest income families (including students and parents).

Would you care to name some?

Penn gives need based grants. I have no idea how common it is or what the cut off is for what your parents make.