<p>I qualify for the academic competitiveness grant. My mother has called my school several times to find out about it and they keep telling her they have not deceided how it will be disbursed.</p>
<p>Well, I just graduated and would be eligible for 750.00. How long to schools have to do this? Would it help to call the deparment of education to find out more about ite?</p>
<p>I need the money.</p>
<p>Kyra,
we're in the same boat - we're still waiting to hear from the school my son is attending. But I'm sure the money will come. One just has to be patient. We figure, if my son doesn't get the money the first term, it will be there for the second term. I know its hard as those students eligible for the ACG as the students that really need the money. But for us it wasn't included in my son's original financial aid offer so we hadn't planned on it from the beginning. Sorry I can't be more helpful. If you really don't have the money for the first term..maybe you can talk to the schools finaid office and see what they can offer..maybe a loan or a grant to take the place of the ACG until its disbursed?</p>
<p>Still waiting for UCLA to finalize this, as well. They expect to have it done by the time school starts in a couple weeks.</p>
<p>So long as you've updated FAFSA with the qualifying info, and touched bases with your school, not much else you can do but wait.</p>
<p>The DoE doesn't have any more info than the schools do. Congress passed a law without any real guidelines or direction. </p>
<p>Your best bet is to call your congressman (if you don't know who that is <a href="http://www.house.gov-%5B/url%5D">www.house.gov-</a> type in your zip code) and ask him/her to actually write a law that make sense and has some clarification next time.</p>
<p>Kyra, some shools have "emergency" loans available. Perhaps you could borrow a couple/few hundred dollars to get you through until the funds come through. If your schools offers an emerg. loan, put on the application that you're waiting for the grant money and would pay back as soon as funded. Then do so.</p>
<p>Lop-</p>
<p>The guidelines and direction are here:</p>
<p>and </p>
<p>In addition, Congress allowed each State to define what additional programs they determined to be "rigorous secondary school programs of study" and the States have their guidlines here:</p>
<p>What's happening now is that the Colleges are verifying the eligibility of those who have applied. They have the info they need, as does the Dept of Ed. Students and parents that want guidelines can get it from the Dept of Ed web site.</p>
<p>Writing your Congressman won't be particularly helpful.</p>
<p>is the ACG need based?</p>
<p>Yeah-- read the link:</p>
<p>"General eligibility requirements: to qualify, students must be (1) eligible for Federal Pell Grants; (2) United States citizens; and (3) full-time students."</p>
<p>Pell Grants are need-based.</p>
<p>right now, I have everything covered for. I got my ACG grant already...in addition to my pell grant. but the financial aid office said that because all my need is met, they will take away the ACG grant...</p>
<p>I'm assuming the ACG grant is merit-based more...</p>
<p>Has any one had an ACG experience where their child qualifys per the federal requirements, but the school puts their own requirements on top of that?</p>
<p>Any examples would be great. We are awaiting a review as my D who appears to qualify on all categories has not been offered it, they have not yet determined why it was not offered to her, might be a computer glitch, but I'd like to know if any one has experienced not receiving it when you think you should qualify.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I've actual begun to wonder what has happened with it as we have heard nothing..my son qualifys per the federal requirements but we still haven't seen a revised financial aid statement. His school is just in its second week so I'm hoping they just haven't gotten to them. I'm curious what other people's experience has been so far with the ACCG grant too.</p>
<p>ucla had them disbursed on the September 18-20.</p>
<p>I still haven't received mine yet.</p>
<p>Ok, my school reviewed the situation and it was an oversight, so if you have not gotten yours yet, you might want to contact fin aid and ask them to double check.</p>
<p>now I am really confused. My mom called my school today and was told that My FASFA was filed too late(Jan 27th) and that the ACG funds is all gone?</p>
<p>Does this sound right? What should I do now?</p>
<p>Kyra,
that doesn't sound right to me. But I'm not sure what your next step should be. I wonder if you or your mom need to call the finaid office at your school again and this time ask to speak to the financial aid director.</p>
<p>Kyra:
ACG funds come from the federal govt, the FAFSA date for most schools (last date possible) is usually June/July, priority dates can be earlier, but this program is brand new and all of us had to update our FAFSA over the summer- did you do that? The ACG $ CANNOT be gone, they do not come from the school, they come from the Feds. If the UCs just did them in Sept and if my D was just added, it follows to reason that the schools will submit the list of qualifiers for reimbursement from the feds, doesn't it? I cannot see where, even if later there is a priority date, there would not be flexibility in this, the 1st year. Better have your mom call, don't get mad or emotional, just help them see how they need to find a way for your name to be on the list.</p>
<p>In our case, the helper read me all the 1st year qualifiers and told me why my D did not qualify, but my D is 2nd year! So, it just needed clarification.</p>
<p>Just found out about acceptance for ACG at D's school. Guess they may have been waiting for the spring bill to add it? Hopefully other qualifieds will hear soon. It's a nice surprise :)</p>