You have other members of your family in college at the same time . Here too, if circumstances make it harder for your family to pay, financial aid often helps make up the difference. For most families, putting two family members through college simultaneously without more financial aid would be much harder. You come from a large family . You pay above average state or local taxes.
Some places have higher taxes than others do.
This too is taken into account when awarding aid. You have little accumulated wealth or savings . The financial aid system assumes that some of your savings ought to be used to pay for college. You have unusual expenses, such as medical bills . The financial aid system will take into account your increased need for aid if you have been faced with unusually large medical bills.