FAFSA shock - $17k per semester out-of-pocket with minimal loans - what did we miss?

Sadly this is normal. FAFSA isn't about making college affordable - it's about determining your "ability to pay" based on their formula. Those formulas assume you can use a big chunk of your income and savings for college, even when that's totally unrealistic for most families.

There are several things that might be happening here: 1) The school might not be meeting 100% of demonstrated need. Many schools don't. 2) Your assets might be affecting your SAI more than you realize - things like home equity, retirement savings that aren't in protected accounts, etc. 3) You may qualify for additional aid beyond what's listed in this initial package. I would recommend: - Call the financial aid office directly to review your package - Ask about additional institutional scholarships - Inquire about their appeals process if you have special circumstances - Look into Parent PLUS loans as an option for the gap

the system is TOTALLY RIGGED against middle class families!!! my family makes $110k and we got basically NO help for my son. the rich get scholarships for academics and the poor get grants and us in the middle GET NOTHING. start looking at cheaper schools NOW trust me

What type of school are we talking about? Private universities often have their own institutional aid that isn't reflected in your federal aid package. Did you complete the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA? Many private schools require both and offer significant non-federal aid through the CSS application.

have u checked if ur eligible for parent plus loan? thats what my parents did when we had a big gap. interest rates arent great but better than private loans and u can borrow up to the full cost of attendance minus any other aid

Based on your follow-up comments, I strongly recommend scheduling a one-on-one appointment with that specific school's financial aid office. Not just a phone call, but a meeting where you can review everything in detail. Some things to discuss: 1. Ask them to walk through exactly how they calculated your expected contribution 2. Inquire about merit scholarships your daughter might qualify for 3. Ask if they have institutional grants not showing on this initial letter 4. Find out their specific appeal process and what documentation you'd need Keep in mind that the first offer is often not the final offer. Many families successfully negotiate better packages, especially if you can show offers from competing institutions.

Honestly this is why so many families are going bankrupt from college costs. The FAFSA formula is wildly out of touch with real family budgets. They assume you can spend a huge chunk of your income on college with no consideration for other expenses like mortgage, healthcare, etc.

One factor that might be affecting your aid package is the specific school's financial aid policies. Schools have widely varying approaches to meeting demonstrated need: - Some schools meet 100% of demonstrated need (rare, mostly elite institutions) - Some meet a percentage of need (maybe 60-80%) - Some primarily offer loans rather than grants - Some focus aid on lower-income brackets and expect middle-income families to pay more I would suggest researching your daughter's other college options and comparing aid packages once they all arrive. You might find dramatically different offers even with the same FAFSA information.

We went through this last year with my son. What helped us was submitting an appeal letter with specific documentation about expenses FAFSA doesn't consider - like elder care costs for my mom, some medical bills not covered by insurance, and major home repairs we had to do. The school ended up giving us an additional $5k per year in institutional grants after the appeal. Definitely worth trying!

u might wanna check scholarships too my sister got like 5k from local organizations and her dads work had a scholarship for employees kids. every bit helps when ur looking at that much money