<p>All the various “calculators” for Est. Family Contributions put our need at about $20,000. My son’s ED school put it at 0. We were shocked. Any thoughts on the best way to ask for some money from his college of choice. (Really, his only college, since ED - we are kind of stuck…)</p>
<p>I think your best bet is to print out papers from the “calculators” which put your need at $20,000 and then send it to the college along with an explanation. Showing the calculator as well as your explanation will be two ways to back up your financial need. The worst thing that can happen is the college will deny you money so it is definitely worth a try to write a letter.</p>
<p>Did you use a FAFSA calculator? </p>
<p>If you used a FAFSA calculator, but the school uses CSS Profile, then their formula will be different because CSS considers other things.</p>
<p>As for being “stuck”…you’re not stuck. You have every right to decline an ED (binding) school if their FA package isn’t satisfactory. In this case, it’s obviously not because you got nothing. </p>
<p>Did your son apply elsewhere (I hope he didn’t already pull his other apps).</p>
<p>How much can you afford to pay?</p>
<p>If the financial aid calculators indicate you have $20 k need, yet the college gave you nothing, that should be an acceptable reason to back out of ED. Usually the only acceptable reasons are not having financial need met or having a family emergency such as being ill or having an ill parent.</p>
<p>The majority of colleges in the country aren’t able to meet the full documented financial need of all of their students. Just because you need $20 k doesn’t mean the college has the money to provide that.</p>
<p>Your S is not stuck with going to the ED college. More than likely, there are in-state school still taking applications. Typically, for people with low income, the most affordable options are living at home and going to one’s local four-year or community college.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, yours is a good example of why if finances are a concern, it’s not a good idea to apply ED.</p>
<p>My husband and I have both been unemployed for over a year. We are “older” and in fields with very, very little job activity so we see a bleak job future. But we do have some stock investments and home equity from many years ago.
To our surprise, our son received NO grant money from the highly-endowed, need-based college that he was accepted at ED.</p>
<p>I see from another thread, that you wrote the above.</p>
<p>You do need to contact the school and discuss the fact that you’re unemployed.</p>
<p>however, it also looks like you may have used a FAFSA calculator instead of an institutional calculator. Is that possible?</p>