There are a lot of considerations…starting with whether the school meets full need, or not.
FAFSA is used to qualify for federal financial aid. That’s it…pell grant, student loans, federal work study, etc. EFC is really a misnomer, an unfortunate one that creates much confusion.
Most schools that do not meet full need only require the FAFSA…and they generally don’t come close to one’s EFC…because they don’t have the resources to do that for every student. Some FAFSA only schools will meet full need for a proportion of students who they really want to attend.
Virtually all schools that meet full need require CSS Profile and they use the info from that to calculate a family’s expected contribution. CSS Profile requires much more financial information than FAFSA, and in the case of divorced parents, non-custodial parent financials as well.
Many families are faced with an FA gap every year. That’s why applying to an affordable safety is a must.
Families with a gap can have the student attend a less expensive college, including community college, or fund the gap in a myriad of ways…by increasing income such as getting a second (or third) job, parents taking out loans, or reallocating current expenditures, for example not contributing to parents’ retirement funds. Every family’s situation is unique so it’s difficult for posters to make recommendations.
Does your student have an affordable option?