The total cost of attendance includes books, personal expenses, transportation, AND tuition, fees, room and board.
There aren’t that many schools where the billable costs of tuition, fees, room and board exceed $75,000 a year…which this student has if they add $5500 to the $70,000 in free money this college gave them.
If the student takes the $5500 Direct Loan, they aren’t short $10,000, they are short $4500.
Plus as noted above…if this school is that wonderful, it might be worth taking out loans.
Has the OP even returned to the thread? What major, what college? What CAN parents contribute? Does she have a job? Did I miss the answers to those questions?