<p>When I filed the FAFSA for Happykid this year, I also put the same numbers into the EFC calculators at [College</a> Calculators - savings calculators - college costs, loans](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>Calculate Your Cost – BigFuture | College Board) and at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) The Collegeboard FAFSA calculator gave me the exact figure, and the finaid FAFSA calculator produced a figure that was about 1k greater. Your Expected Family Contribution is what the colleges and universities will expect your family to be able to pay. In many cases, these institutions expect your family to be able to pay significantly more than that.</p>
<p>You are smart to be thinking about this now, and I hope that your parents realize what a gem of a kid they have! All too often even parents who have been saving are struck by sticker shock.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>