Understanding EFC vs Net Price on college calculators - so confused about true FAFSA costs

The SAI (Student Aid Index) is simply a number that helps schools determine how much need-based aid your daughter qualifies for. It's not actually what you'll pay - that's a common misconception. Each school will use your SAI to calculate your financial aid package, but their actual costs and what they can offer varies widely. The net price is much more important - it's what you'll actually pay after all grants and scholarships are applied. So yes, at different schools, you could end up with very different actual costs despite having the same SAI. Regarding the $5,500 federal loan - that's correct for first-year dependent students, but remember that's a loan that needs to be repaid, not a reduction in what you owe upfront.

lol everyone gets confused by this! when i was applying i thought EFC/SAI was what we had to pay too. turns out each school gives totally different aid even with same SAI. my brother and me had like $15k difference between schools with identical SAI. its all about what each school wants to give u

Yes, it's just coincidence if the net price matches your SAI at one school. Each institution has their own financial aid formula and available resources. Some schools meet 100% of demonstrated need, others might only meet 70% or less. The SAI helps determine your eligibility for federal aid programs like Pell Grants and subsidized loans, but beyond that, schools have discretion in how they award their institutional aid. That's why you'll see such different net prices across schools with the same SAI. Focus on the final net price after all aid is applied - that's your actual out-of-pocket cost.

nope lol. none of them matched what we thought. we had SAI around 12k but ended up paying anywhere from 8k to 22k depending on the school. private schools sometimes gave wayyyy more aid than we expected

The confusion you're experiencing is extremely common. Let me clarify a few key points: 1. SAI (formerly EFC) is just a measuring tool for financial need, not what you'll actually pay 2. Cost of Attendance (COA) minus your SAI equals your official "financial need" 3. Schools aren't required to meet 100% of that need - some meet full need, many don't 4. Net price = COA minus grants/scholarships (not loans) 5. Your actual out-of-pocket cost is the net price minus any loans you accept When comparing schools, create a spreadsheet with these columns for each: - Total Cost of Attendance - Grants/Scholarships (free money) - Net Price (what's left) - Loans offered - Remaining out-of-pocket cost This will give you a clear picture of what each school will actually cost your family regardless of SAI calculations.

I went through this exact same confusion last year with my son! It's absolutely maddening how the system works. The SAI number is almost meaningless in practical terms - it's just a starting point for each school's own calculations. We ended up having to call each financial aid office individually to understand what we'd actually be paying. Some calls took HOURS to get through. I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to financial aid departments without the ridiculous wait times. They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once we could actually talk to real people, we got much clearer explanations of what we'd have to pay and why there were such huge differences between schools with identical information.

Everyone focuses on SAI but colleges can do whatever they want with that number!! My SAI was 14k but one school wanted us to pay 26k and another only wanted 11k lol. The whole system is just colleges making up whatever they think you'll pay to go there.

Yes, absolutely you can appeal! It's officially called a "professional judgment" or "special circumstances review." Appeals work best when: 1. Your financial situation has changed since you filed the FAFSA (job loss, medical expenses, etc.) 2. You have competing offers from similar institutions (leverage one school's better offer) 3. There are special circumstances not captured on the FAFSA Be specific, professional, and provide documentation. About 30% of appeals result in additional aid, with an average increase of $3,000-5,000. Don't be afraid to negotiate - especially if your student is strong academically and the school wants them to attend.

OMG don't get me started on this!!! I spent TWO MONTHS trying to figure out why School A wanted $5k more than School B when they both had the EXACT SAME TUITION AND FEES!!! Turns out School A only offered grants covering 60% of need while School B covered 85%. The financial aid offices act like this is all perfectly normal and we're supposed to just accept that identical schools can have wildly different prices FOR NO LOGICAL REASON!!!

one more thing - watch out for "front-loading" where they give u more aid freshman year then reduce it later! happened to my cousin and they had to transfer cuz they couldn't afford sophomore year

This thread has been so helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same confusion with my daughter's applications. One thing I learned from our school counselor that might help others - when you're comparing offers, make sure to look at whether the aid includes work-study as part of the package. Some schools count work-study earnings as "aid" which makes their net price look lower, but you still have to actually work those hours and earn that money throughout the year. It's not guaranteed income like grants and scholarships. Just another layer of complexity to navigate in this already confusing process!