A ray of hope?

Huh.  I just submitted my financial aid application for next year (yes, I know I'm terribly late), and on the confirmation page they showed my Estimated Family Contribution as *gasp* less money than my parents actually make--in fact less than my living expenses alone.  I know this doesn't sound like it ought to be a big deal, but in previous years it hasn't been the case.  I'm not sure what's changed, but does this mean I might actually be eligible for grants as well as loans this year?

*crosses fingers*

Oh, and I seem to have a job.  It's independent contract work, so I'm not sure how many hours I'll actually end up working, but with luck it'll be enough to supplement out the financial aid income.  The per-hour rate is good, so I won't need to work many hours a week, and I can be flexible as hell with scheduling. 

*tentative "w00t"*