The new provision in the FAFSA about not counting multiple kids makes it really challenging for families with HHI of 200,000 to 250,000. I feel like the rules of the game changed. When we ran numbers of saving for college we always counted that it was a total cost of college by number of kids in college. We have kids one year apart and the oldest is young for his grade. We have always planned for a gap year. Both our kids will be in college at the same time.

So even for public our expected contribution is around $45000. So maybe doable with one child but not with two kids. We didn't used to make so much money and because housing is so expensive we weren't able to save any money for college. If we are expected to pay $90,000 a year it makes more sense for my spouse who makes 95,000 to not work for the years the kids are in college.

we are at just under 350, and FAFSA is only showing eligibility for a 6K federal loan per year.

We have friends who are roughly at 250K and my friend told me their FAFSA was the same (which seems not right but what do I know).

That said - I really took to heart the Buyers vs sellers school idea. AND, my kid is an average B student. No hooks; decent activities, though no leadership; no test scores; clearly in the ADHD program at school. She was accepted into 2 50-100 schools - one offered merit ($6K) and the other didn't, and then 4 over 100 ranked schools. The two state schools offered 8K per year. The private SLAC (both ranked below 150, but schools you've heard of) offered 25K and 32K per year.

I say this because this board made me think my b-average kid, with a bunch of Cs, mgiht not get in anyplace and certainly wouldn't get merit.

Other than merit and/or talent money, we are only being offered the federal unsubsidized loan. I think our hhi is just under $200k

Anonymous wrote:No not even with two in college at the same time...but we did save for college which may have not been a god idea.

On the contrary, it was a good idea. FA is mostly about HHI.

https://www.savingforcollege.com/intro-to-529s/does-a-529-plan-affect-financial-aid

Assets, including those in a parent-owned 529 plan, play much less of a role than a parent's income in determining a student's eligibility for aid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zero. from FAFSA. I think the previous posters are lying. From FAFSA at 250K HHI I think the D of Ed will say you should fund at 100 percent, which is what happened to us

CSS will give you a lot more, especially if you have multiple kids

Not our experience. Nothing from FAFSA or CSS, even with multiple kids.

Anyone running an NPC can see that you are lying

I ran the NPC at a CSS school for a salary of 450k with two kids in private colleges. It came up with about 10K/year in grants but this was assuming a small amount of assets.

This thread is about people at just over half that HHI - $250k.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zero. from FAFSA. I think the previous posters are lying. From FAFSA at 250K HHI I think the D of Ed will say you should fund at 100 percent, which is what happened to us

CSS will give you a lot more, especially if you have multiple kids

Not our experience. Nothing from FAFSA or CSS, even with multiple kids.

Anyone running an NPC can see that you are lying

I ran the NPC at a CSS school for a salary of 450k with two kids in private colleges. It came up with about 10K/year in grants but this was assuming a small amount of assets.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why? That’s not a small income.

-Only just got to this income recently
-Prior student loans just finally paid off
-Prior car loans (not fancy cars but still)
-All of above meant behind in retirement and trying to catch up
-High cost of living area (did ok for awhile by living cheaply in a high crime area but had to go more expensive when we couldn't take the gunshot sounds anymore)
-Essentially in the "donut hole"

Unfortunately they really don't take that into account. We are similar - just out of residency and they take into account your income from one year (which is prior prior year), not that fact that you made diddly squat leading up to that point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zero. from FAFSA. I think the previous posters are lying. From FAFSA at 250K HHI I think the D of Ed will say you should fund at 100 percent, which is what happened to us

CSS will give you a lot more, especially if you have multiple kids

Not our experience. Nothing from FAFSA or CSS, even with multiple kids.

Anyone running an NPC can see that you are lying

The "aid" we were granted was $4500 in work study on $80K colleges. Enough to say - yes - you qualify but not actually be helpful. YMMV.

Anonymous wrote:What is the difference between merit and financial aid?

One is based on academics (GPA, test scores...merit) the other is based on finances (your parent's income and assets...financial).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zero. from FAFSA. I think the previous posters are lying. From FAFSA at 250K HHI I think the D of Ed will say you should fund at 100 percent, which is what happened to us

CSS will give you a lot more, especially if you have multiple kids

Not our experience. Nothing from FAFSA or CSS, even with multiple kids.

Anyone running an NPC can see that you are lying

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zero. from FAFSA. I think the previous posters are lying. From FAFSA at 250K HHI I think the D of Ed will say you should fund at 100 percent, which is what happened to us

CSS will give you a lot more, especially if you have multiple kids

Not our experience. Nothing from FAFSA or CSS, even with multiple kids.

No not even with two in college at the same time...but we did save for college which may have not been a god idea.

What is the difference between merit and financial aid?

Anonymous wrote:Zero. from FAFSA. I think the previous posters are lying. From FAFSA at 250K HHI I think the D of Ed will say you should fund at 100 percent, which is what happened to us

In 1994 parents made $100k and FAFSA said they could pay 100% for private university $25k a year as well as in state with a third child in public school. Just because you live in a HCOL area doesn't mean you get a full ride. $250k in Alabama is rich.

Anonymous wrote:Zero. from FAFSA. I think the previous posters are lying. From FAFSA at 250K HHI I think the D of Ed will say you should fund at 100 percent, which is what happened to us

CSS will give you a lot more, especially if you have multiple kids