Access VR- single mom on disability

[canadusa]

My daughter is a senior(IEP-Math disability).We are doing the college search.I attended an Access VR meetinglast year at my daughter’s school.I am on SSDI Disability w/Lyme after 27 years of teaching. After the meeting, I was told most if not all of my daughters expenses would be covered by Access VR if I could show my award letter.We are now making some very difficult colleges decisions as we would like to have everything wrapped up by Oct.1.I have send in my Access application and it’s very difficult to get answers with the financial piece
Looking at Buffalo State University.(COA ~26,000)
EFC~ About 4,500 Tap ~3500 Pell ~2500 Direct Loan~4,500
Looks like ~ 11,000 out of pocket

Wondering if there is anyone out here with AccessVR Experience that can tell me how much I can expect with financial support.
Is there a total I can expect after Tap/Pell.If I’m understanding what I read, Through
Access VR,I can expect a contribution of $8,000 towards my outstanding out of pocket expense.

I would appreciate any input/ clarification? How is the contribution reported w/FAFSA.
Thank you

Took out name
ED

[kelsmom]

I am not familiar with AccessVR, and I couldn’t really figure it out by looking at the website. There may be some here who can offer opinions. However, my suggestion is to email AccessVR with your question. They can definitely help you, and I am sure they will be happy to do so.

[austinmshauri]

This sounds like a NYS program. @sybbie719, do you know anything about it?

[canadusa]

Thank!! Great idea

[sybbie719]

Sorry for the long response; wanted to provide you with as much information as possible.

ACCES-VR has just recently started taking applications again for students who graduated in June. local offices are still working remotely and everything is being channeled through the albany office. They have requested that all of the information; application, IEP, Exit summary, vocational assessment, psychological (if done as part of the last iep) all be submitted together, preferably through the school. Your Counselor/transition coordinator will work with you and your D to get all of her paperwork together for submission

@canadusa

After the meeting, I was told most if not all of my daughters expenses would be covered by Access VR if I could show my award letter.We are now making some very difficult colleges decisions as we would like to have everything wrapped up by Oct.1.I

If your child is a rising senior, ACCES-VR is probably not even going to start working with your D until next spring (there will be no wrapping this up by October because the process is slow and your D will be attending quite a few appointments (Testing, Voc Assessments, feasibility, college plan must lead to employment) before ACCES- coordinates their monies with an award letter) In addition, all of your Daughters expenses will not be picked up. ACCES-VR will look at your demonstrated need. While you will most likely get your SUNY tuition covered, they give very little money for fees , room and board.

You will still be responsible for paying your EFC. If you have an EFC of $4500, it is highly unlikely that you will get $3500 in TAP.

@ACCES-VR

Note: All ACCES-VR yearly maximum contributions include the costs of all semesters, trimesters, summer sessions, intersessions, and mini-sessions.

Tuition: The current published tuition rate (or credit hour rate for part-time study) at a SUNY/CUNY or Community College is the maximum amount that ACCES-VR may contribute to the cost of tuition for any college or university. Note: ACCES-VR’s maximum contribution to the cost of graduate programs at private universities is the published SUNY graduate tuition rate for the program of study.

SUNY tuition $7270
between TAP, Excelsior and Access tuition will be covered ACCES-VR is a last payer so you must use all sources of financial aid before they kick in.

Required Fees: ACCES-VR may pay a maximum of $300 per semester, $200 per trimester or **$600 per academic year for required academic fees.

current UB fees is $3454- 600 (acces-vr) = $2854 /b

Required Textbooks and Materials: **ACCES-VR may pay a maximum of $1,000 per academic year for required textbooks and materials. **

Note: ACCES-VR will not pay for expendable supplies (i.e. items that cannot be reused) such as paper, pencils and notebooks, unless documentation is provided demonstrating specific requirements for a course and/or necessary to address a disability-related limitation.

Participants are expected to use cost-saving strategies, whenever possible, in the purchase of textbooks and materials such as purchasing used textbooks and selecting bookstores with the most competitive pricing.Note: When a participant is using ACCES-VR funding to purchase required books and materials from an online source, the most cost-effective shipping method must be used.Purchasing items with ACCES-VR funds that are not required books and materials is prohibited.

Should a participant use funds inappropriately and not follow these requirements, ACCES-VR will seek reimbursement for the costs of non-required books and materials and may re-evaluate future funding for College Training Services.

Required Computer and Software: ACCES-VR may purchase computer/tablet and software for participants attending college when the participant can provide documentation that:

The computer and software are required of all students by the college as a condition of attendance; or
The computer and software are required for all students in the participant’s matriculated course of study; or

The participant’s disability precludes use of campus or public computer resources.
Purchase of computers and software for college will be provided at the lowest possible cost with an ACCES-VR maximum of $800.00.

Purchase of software only, separate from a computer, is subject to the required textbooks and materials maximums (see Required Textbooks and Materials).Note: Only one purchase of a computer and software up to the maximum of $800.00 is allowable for the lifetime of a case.

Room and Board: ** ACCES-VR may contribute up to a maximum of $1,040 per semester, $693 per trimester, or $2,080 per academic year for room and board when:**.

**Current Room Charges : 8843 +5030(meals) = 13,873

13873- (2500 Pell + 2080 ACCES-VR) = $9273**

Travel to the college is more than a commutable distance as defined by the guidelines of the local ACCES-VR District Office; or
It is more cost-effective for ACCES-VR to contribute up to the maximum cap toward the cost of room and board; or
When determined appropriate based on the participant’s disability-related needs.

Note: ACCES-VR may only fund room and board while the student is enrolled and participating in the academic program. For example, room and board will not be funded during a non-academic portion of the year (e.g. summer when not engaged in the academic program).
http://www.acces.nysed.gov/vr/40500-college-and-university-training-services-policy#expenses

Direct cost for UB. ** 7270+3454+13873 = $24597

Financial aid + ACCES- VR = 12,450

EFC + $5500 student Loan = $10,000

Left on the table $2450**

If you have a $4500 EFC, you are most likely not financially Eligible for EOP. I would also recommend that you look at TRIO programs at Potsdam (as their Trio program takes students with IEPs- you may be able to get a few ore $$ from them.

All the best

S