@compiler, Nobody here cares about your personal business. Without certain details we can’t do much to help you. Some of us work, or have worked, at colleges. At least one of the people trying to help you is someone with substantial experience in a college financial aid office. You can ignore the advice and assume that what you believe is the way things work, but I don’t think it’s going to get you very far.
Colleges don’t like it when people play games. Applying as full pay then submitting a request for financial aid late in the year and making them scramble to get a package together for you won’t endear you to them. Most of the money has likely been given out by now. What hasn’t is getting sucked up by the daily losses created by covid.
Colleges won’t give grants to cover family EFCs. That’s the point of the expected family contribution…the family helps pay for school
Colleges won’t give grants so the student doesn’t have to borrow either. They can’t afford it, and students are expected to contribute to their own education.
You can ask for more money, but be prepared not to get it. It’s too bad you couldn’t trust the people here enough to tell us your kid’s stats and your budget. The people here are really good at finding affordable options for people.
Good luck with the school. Let us know what happens.