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Hola,

In the past my EFC has been zero every year throughout my undergrad experience. I made maybe 1000 more than I have in previous years and my mother made around what she always makes. We both made under 20,000 each. Yet I filed my FAFSA for school next year and my EFC as a Independent is 4,500!(I did include my moms information on my fafsa since I figured most schools would request it eventually for need based aid consideration)


Did anyone else experience such a jump! I dont have 5 cents lets alone 5,000 for school and I really would like to see that EFC of zero again.

They werent much help when I called them but Im wondering if taking off my mothers income would make a difference.

If anyone else saw a significant increase in their EFC and has any advice I would so appreciate it.

Is this a high EFC? Would I be eligible for around the same aid I could get if it was zero?

If schools are requesting your mother's info for anything financial aid, you're not an independent - sorry.

esq wrote:If schools are requesting your mother's info for anything financial aid, you're not an independent - sorry.

Incorrect. I had to apply through need access and submit both my parents' information. I live with neither since 2005. have not been a dependent to neither (for tax purposes) since 2003. I am over 24 (age when FAFSA does not require parents information). I am independent, but schools still want my parents' info

memoryl0ss wrote: Incorrect. I had to apply through need access and submit both my parents' information. I live with neither since 2005. have not been a dependent to neither (for tax purposes) since 2003. I am over 24 (age when FAFSA does not require parents information). I am independent, but schools still want my parents' info

I've never had to do this as an independent. Why in the world would they want your parents financial information if you are considered independent from them, thus your finances are independent? They should be considering your earnings independent of theirs for need access aid if you are in fact an independent.

esq wrote:

memoryl0ss wrote: Incorrect. I had to apply through need access and submit both my parents' information. I live with neither since 2005. have not been a dependent to neither (for tax purposes) since 2003. I am over 24 (age when FAFSA does not require parents information). I am independent, but schools still want my parents' info

I've never had to do this as an independent. Why in the world would they want your parents financial information if you are considered independent from them, thus your finances are independent? They should be considering your earnings independent of theirs for need access aid if you are in fact an independent.

Yeah needaccess sucks man

thecilent wrote:

esq wrote:

memoryl0ss wrote: Incorrect. I had to apply through need access and submit both my parents' information. I live with neither since 2005. have not been a dependent to neither (for tax purposes) since 2003. I am over 24 (age when FAFSA does not require parents information). I am independent, but schools still want my parents' info

I've never had to do this as an independent. Why in the world would they want your parents financial information if you are considered independent from them, thus your finances are independent? They should be considering your earnings independent of theirs for need access aid if you are in fact an independent.

Yeah needaccess sucks man

Bummer.

esq wrote:I've never had to do this as an independent. Why in the world would they want your parents financial information if you are considered independent from them, thus your finances are independent? They should be considering your earnings independent of theirs for need access aid if you are in fact an independent.

Law school seems to be a completely different beast. Not a fun time. From my understanding, if you are 40 and your parents are still living, you have to give their information

thecilent wrote:Yeah needaccess sucks man

Four hours and several phone calls later, finally finishes.

Some of my favorite questions:

How much $$ have your parents given you since you started college? (Well, there was $5 for lunch my first day of class, $200 for the hooker on my 21st birthday)

How much money do you plan to make in 2011 ($1 billion. Know a job that can do that for me?

People often freak out about the EFC. I think it is meaningless. My EFC is something like $63,000, and I still got subsidized Stafford loans. Schools will do their own calculations when figuring out your expected student contribution and whether you qualify for need-based aid.

if a school requires you to put your parents on FAFSA, but you qualify as an independent, your parents' income does not contribute to the EFC. I imagine you saw a jump because they see your income as for 1 person, whereas before (before you were independent) it counted toward yourself, your mom and whoever else is in the pot. That's my best guess, anyway.

memoryl0ss wrote:

thecilent wrote:Yeah needaccess sucks man

Four hours and several phone calls later, finally finishes.

Some of my favorite questions:

How much $$ have your parents given you since you started college? (Well, there was $5 for lunch my first day of class, $200 for the hooker on my 21st birthday)

How much money do you plan to make in 2011 ($1 billion. Know a job that can do that for me?

lol

I felt like they worded those questions so as to call me a liar later on when some school demanded all its money back: "We talked with your parents and your mom clearly remembers spotting you $20 for gas when you were a sophomore. We're going to need all of the need-based aid we provided you back. GTFO."