If you plan to send your kid to college, your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is THE most important financial number in your life. Colleges use the financial information that you give them on the FAFSA®(financial aid application) to calculate your EFC to determine how much tuition you can afford to pay before they offer any grants and scholarships.

Many colleges even use your EFC to qualify your student for admissions and merit scholarships. Your EFC can literally be the difference between getting accepted, put on a waitlist, or outright rejected.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER complete the FAFSA® (financial aid application) before you know what your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number is.