<p>Thanks all for posting.</p>
<p>I am the parent. My daughter is entering her junior year at Emory. </p>
<p>I had called the financial aid office before starting this thread. At that time, I didn’t realize the school makes changes to EFC based on their review, so I didn’t know to ask her what changes they made, but I will do so. </p>
<p>BobWallace – the “Emory meets full need” is a carefully worded statement that leaves out the important part – they meet full need as it is perceived by Emory. My adjusted EFC = $5136. Does that mean I am getting loans, grants or aid to bridge the difference between the EFC and COA? No – far from it. The 2013-2014 award was for 2 loans and work study which total $10K. The past 2 years, my daughter applied for several work study jobs and couldn’t get one. So if that continues this year, the actual “aid” is $7500 worth of loans.</p>
<p>We had received the same package for years 1 & 2 but my income had declined so much in 2012, I thought we would now be eligible for some aid. </p>
<p>I am self-employed, which I have learned really hurts when it comes to fin aid because the school adds back items in their income calculation. The fin aid person I talked to said they think my income is > $100,000, when my AGI was $22K. I don’t lie on my tax returns, but I do expense a car, gas, phone (I don’t think I’m alone in this). I don’t understand how these expenses can look like $80k of income to Emory. We don’t own any other real estate, and my husband who is 62 is also self-employed, but he showed a loss last year. I haven’t been able to contribute to a IRA and we don’t have a 401k, so there are no add backs there. </p>
<p>Emory also states on their website that if a family makes less than $100,000, they have “Emory Advantage” which caps student loan debt. I asked if I was eligible for that; she said no, not because of the income, but because they determine eligibility for that program based on cash flow analysis. I asked her for the methodology; she said it was private.</p>
<p>We have assets, but they’re dwindling as we pay for tuition. The Pell Grant would have helped.</p>