@grey_syntactics: to clarify, what does your "7000 efc" mean? is that after the loans (about 5.5k or more) they put in every package, or is that money they expect you to pay out of pocket (in addition to the loans)?
in my case, they put 5.5k of loans in my package, PLUS I HAVE TO PAY THE 4.5k EFC out of pocket that they think i can pay.....im also a zero efc, very low income student according to fafsa, and live in single mother household w/no asset/house/etc...i mean, they do meet 100% of need; the thing is, THEY DETERMINE OUR NEED
(and sometimes, theyre just WAY OFF)
whats the blue and gold plan? in my Berkeley finan aid package, i STILL HAD 5.5K in loans with zero efc., resulting in 24k debt. (vs 40k or most likely more of debt at usc)