The schools that you list on your FAFSA form use several pieces of information to calculate how much you will receive in aid
What is the easiest way of explaining what the basic eligibility criteria for federal student aid is, and who decides how much I receive?
I can answer that for you in a very short manner, if that 's ok with you
What does the term cost of attendance (COA) mean?
COA is that cost incurred for you to attend school. Most colleges will calculate your COA which will show all costs involved in attending that school for the academic year
Are you/will you be attending school at least for half of the academic year?
Yes, I will
In this case, your COA is calculated and estimated on a number of different factors
What role does the EFC play along with my COA when deciding how much I receive in federal student aid?
Your EFC is subtracted from your COA which then determines the amount of your financial need. This is then used to determine how much need-based financial aid you will recieve
Is there a long answer for my earlier question regarding me meeting the eligibility criteria for federal student aid and who then decides how much federal aid I receive?