FAFSA only covered $14k of $43k tuition at NH school - what am I missing?

The $14,000 you mentioned is likely just the federal aid portion (direct loans, possible Pell Grant). Most families face this same gap! You need to look at three additional sources: 1) School-specific scholarships and grants (check with the financial aid office) 2) Outside scholarships (your son should apply to at least 10-15) 3) Parent PLUS loans to cover the remaining gap Definitely call the financial aid office to discuss your options. With your SAI of 18500, you might qualify for institutional aid that isn't showing up yet. Ask specifically about merit scholarships for engineering students.

had same issue with my daughter last yr. the "financial aid package" is mostly just loans!! its not real aid tbh. weve had to take out massive parent plus loans + she works 25 hrs a week. colleges r such a scam nowadays

You need to look at the breakdown of that $14,000. Is it grants or loans? Big difference! Also, many private schools require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA - did you complete that? NH has some good schools but they're expensive and don't always offer the best aid packages. My daughter got into a similar situation and we ultimately chose her second choice school which offered $29,000 in institutional grants versus her first choice which only gave federal loans.

43k a year for undergrad is crazy unless its an ivy league!! tell ur son to do 2 years community college then transfer. save ur $$$

You should definitely appeal the financial aid decision. With an SAI of 18500 and a total family income of $95k with multiple dependents, you have a decent case. Here's what to do: 1. Call the financial aid office ASAP and request a Professional Judgment review (sometimes called a Special Circumstances appeal) 2. Prepare documentation of any circumstances not reflected in your FAFSA: medical expenses, job changes, support of extended family, etc. 3. Get competing offers from other schools in writing - the NH school might match better offers 4. Be specific about what you need financially to make attendance possible Most schools reserve some aid for appeals, but you need to act quickly.

I've been trying to reach the financial aid office for WEEKS to appeal my daughter's package and can't get through!!! The FAFSA phone line is even worse - 3+ hour wait times and then they hang up on you. This system is BROKEN. How are we supposed to make life-changing decisions when we can't even talk to a real person?!?!

To address your follow-up question about Parent PLUS loans - technically there's no specific limit except for the total cost of attendance minus other aid received. So in your case, you could potentially borrow up to $29,000 per year through Parent PLUS. However, I would strongly caution against borrowing the full amount for all four years. That would be $116,000 in parent loans plus whatever student loans your son takes. A common recommendation is that students shouldn't borrow more than their expected first-year salary after graduation. For engineering, that might be $70-80k depending on specialty. Consider a hybrid approach: some Parent PLUS loans + payment plan + outside scholarships + possibly asking your son to consider his second choice if the aid gap can't be closed.

Regarding the CSS Profile - unfortunately, most schools had a priority deadline of February 1st for the CSS Profile. However, it's always worth calling the financial aid office to ask if they'll still accept it. Some schools have rolling CSS submission policies or will make exceptions if you explain you didn't understand you needed to submit it. But even if they won't accept a late CSS Profile, definitely pursue the Professional Judgment appeal that others have mentioned. That's your best path forward at this point.

has ur son applied 4 any private scholarships??? my daughters roomate got like 8k from random scholarships... rotary club, her dads work, some science thing, etc. every bit helps!!

For your appeal, it's best to be specific about what you need financially. Look at what you can realistically afford monthly, calculate that annual amount, and then specify the gap you need filled. For example: "We can manage $X per year, leaving a gap of $Y that we're requesting in additional grant/scholarship aid." This approach shows you've done the math and are being reasonable. Also mention competing offers from other schools - "School B offered us $22,000 in institutional grants, making it $7,000 per year more affordable than your current offer." Documenting those medical expenses could be very significant for your appeal. Make sure to quantify the impact on your finances.

nobody talks about this but u can negotiate with colleges!!! they have wiggle room in their budgets. my son got an extra 8k just by showing them better offers from competing schools. be confident when u call them!!!