<p>A FA counselor told us that ACG eligibility is determined by answers to certain questions on the FAFSA regarding whether a student's high school program was rigorous. (Our program was indeed rigorous.) I don't remember seeing any questions like this on the FAFSA online form. </p>
<p>Then I found this on the FAFSA website:<br>
"'Calculate EFC' must be selected to determine if the student is eligible to answer the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) questions. If you select 'Submit' instead of 'Calculate EFC', the system will not check ACG eligibility." </p>
<p>I'm guessing that this could be what happened; either that or we misread/misunderstood a question somewhere and gave an incorrect answer. So, what can we do now? Anything?</p>
<p>You need to be eligible for a Pell Grant in order to qualify for an ACG-- that means your EFC needs to be $4041 or under.</p>
<p>It may be that your EFC was too high. I do recall filling out those "rigorous" high school coursework questions last year when our EFC was Pell-eligible, though, but I don't recall having to click 'calculate' instead of 'submit'.</p>
<p>This document seems to imply that it's the FAA (Financial Aid Administrator) that inputs the rigorous info on the student's behalf in ACG eligible cases, using FAFSA or FAFSA renewal. It also indicates that the 'rigorous' fields aren't correctable via FAFSA correction.</p>
<p>Last year, after correcting FAFSA, got a prompt on ACG. Called and quick interview to find out she qualified. Evidently something the first time around didn't pull it but on correction, it did. She ended up with federal and state money.</p>
<p>I'd touch bases with your selected college's financial aid department and make sure that you've jumped through all the hoops they require. I'm assuming that the financial aid counselor you talked with was the HS counselor.</p>
<p>Since you're Pell eligible and completed the rigorous coursework (and assuming you're a US czn), sounds like you're eligible.</p>
<p>We are homeschoolers, so that makes me (mom) the high school guidance counselor. : ) The FA counselor was with the college my ds will be attending. I've contacted her and am waiting to hear what to do about the ACG eligibility questions. It's my understanding that the decision about awarding the grant is ultimately up to the FA office, so even though there was a FAFSA mistake (our fault, apparently) and since we're definitely eligible, maybe she'll decide in our favor.</p>
<p>Our experience was that the ACG's are awarded very late (I think our College awarded them after the school year started). So I suspect you and they have plenty of time to get on the same page.</p>
<p>Does everyone who is eligible for this grant actually get the grant? Or is it like a contest where only a selected few who have the most rigorious courses get the grant?</p>
<p>I think every one gets it, like the Pell, but it could be that some one coming into the process late does not get it- some one on this board said their school ran out of money, but I have not personally seen that be a problem, because I do not think it is the school's money, the school is administering it for the govt</p>
<p>How do you know if you're eligible for the ACG? When I answered the questions, it asks for which rigorous NJ program I attended but I didn't go to a single one from the list.
When would you be notified of your ACG amount if you're eligible for it? Does it come with the initial FA package? If so, what is it listed as...just ACG?</p>
<p>Thanks somemom. I know that I'm definitely eligible..but my FA package from Rutgers didn't list ACG anywhere.
I got the Federal Pell grant..an NJ Tution Aid Grant and an Federal/Institutional Grant... Do these include the ACG?</p>
<p>My daughter got the ACG last year but it was very late - almost as school started I think. This is because your answers on FAFSA indicate you are eligible but the college has to check that you do meet the criteria before awarding the ACG. (grades, rigorous program etc). My daughters was not on her original financial aid offer but was added later and replaced some loans.</p>
<p>Don't be afraid to ask/tell the finaid officer that you think you qualify, my DD did not receive it in her initial package and it was because of the unit limits, they were confused about her AP units and being a freshman, etc.</p>
<p>I think as it is pretty new and has a great deal of little specific requirements, it is a bit tougher to administer.</p>
<p>Agree with somemom^^ When we had still not seen the ACG on our D's financial aid page soon before school was starting we did contact them about it just to make sure. I think it was literally the 1st week of school it finally appeared.</p>
<p>Make sure you read your SAR comments. That's where it should state that you're ACG eligible or give further instructions about entering eligibility info. The school makes the final determination by reviewing the high school transcript which is why it doesn't always show up on your initial FA offer! Per kelsmom, they do this because alot of people think they meet the criteria but actually don't.</p>
<p>AGC on the 2010 form - It keeps asking what year H.S. was completed. 2010
is not completed??? AP courses are not completed so how can I get by this
question. It won’t let me skip it. Other means graduated prior to 2005???</p>
<p>Schools are not required to identify students who “might” be eligible. You need to self identify … that alerts the school to process your file when looking at students who might meet the eligibility for ACG (including looking at your high school coursework). Because graduating prior to a specific date automatically disqualifies a student, the date is important.</p>