<p>For a student who is already accepted for Fall 2014 and awarded his Merit $$, already submitted FAFSA with Real 2013 Tax info, when UA will send him the final FA numbers which will include need based and Merit $$ combined so the Student knows what exactly he is getting from UA as FA.</p>
<p>Hope the OP doesn’t mind if I ask a FAFSA question too: Does Alabama require a freshman to fill out a FAFSA? We filled it out with our older 2 but feel it probably would be a waste of time with our youngest since he has a Presidential Scholarship (we don’t expect any additional aid.) Our oldest school required it each year or they wouldn’t award the merit scholarship. Do we have to submit one to Alabama?</p>
<p>I am not sure if Alabama require FAFSA or not, but since I finish my FAFSA I did add UA as one of the recipient. I am sure it wont hurt it. </p>
<p>Kjcphmom…No, you do NOT have to fill out FAFSA. many people never fill it out. It’s not needed for merit awards.</p>
<p>“when UA will send him the final FA numbers which will include need based and Merit $$ combined so the Student knows what exactly he is getting from UA as FA.”</p>
<p>@Dadfor2014…</p>
<p>Probably within a month or so. </p>
<p>Do you know what your EFC is? When you subtract your EFC from COA and get your “need”, is that “need” met by the merit awards (Is your son a NMF or presidential? Is he in eng’g?).</p>
<p>For instance…</p>
<p>If COA is $45k
EFC is $18k
then your need would be $27k (however, keep in mind that bama’s COA is padded for the Super Suites)</p>
<p>If your child has the full tuition scholarship then most need has been met. If he also has the eng’g scholarship, then nearly all need would be met. A $5500 student loan would be given.</p>
<p>If your child has the NMF scholarship and your EFC is $18k, then all need would be met.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that if your child is a NMF, then although the housing scholarship WILL cover the Super Suites (about $9,000), it gets recorded as about $5500, so it may look like you have more “need” than you really do if your EFC is more modest. </p>
<p>If you want your child to take out a fed student loan, then you can do so.</p>
<p>How does a student take out a Fed Student loan? Is that the same thing as subsided and unsubized federal loans from FAFSA? or is it a different procedure? </p>
<p>@mom2collegekids Yes S is a presidential merit, in Chemical Engineering (+2.5K) + Dad is UA alumni (+1K even though I havent applied for it yet, forget in the initial app ) . In Honors College also.
My EFC is ~17K according to 2014-2015 FAFSA. Son thinking of applying for Stafford Loan $5500 to meet the Living Expenses if needed, after that it will be Parents PLUS loans to cover whatever left. OOS student.</p>
<p>Get the Alumni thing going. That extra $1k is nice extra.</p>
<p>Ok…so he’ll get about $23k for tuition, $1k for Alumni, and $2500 from eng’g. When you add that to your EFC of 17k, you’re around $43k…A fed student loan will then meet need. I think student loan has a lower rate than Plus, so take the max student loan first, and then do Plus.</p>
<p>But, hey have your son work during the summer for books and some costs. And he can work a little bit during the school year for day to day spending. After all, kids on work study work about 10 hours a week without it hurting grades. If you’re having a hard time coming up with EFC, there’s ways to reduce that. </p>
<p>Have your son look into tutoring at the Tutoring Center. The hours are pretty good…no weekends! 
My kids worked there and loved it. They were allowed to study/do homework when no one showed up for appts. </p>
<p>BTW… I know that you went to Bama awhile ago. Have you been back recently? You’d hardly recognize it except for the Quad area.</p>
<p>“How does a student take out a Fed Student loan? Is that the same thing as subsided and unsubized federal loans from FAFSA? or is it a different procedure?”</p>
<p>same thing. Submit FAFSA. If there’s unmet need, then unsub and sub loans given up to $5500 for Direct Loans. Sometimes some Perkins is given as well. </p>
<p>^^ Haven’t back recently, But from pics I can imagine LOT has changed in a good way.
Ferguson Center is still their, I am sure my old EE building must have gone (Houser Hall if I recall infront of Ferguson center). Quad look same with presidential house and the Stadium… Its a beautiful Campus. </p>
<p>I’m on the presidential, yet when I punched in my numbers into their financial aid calculator, it said I could expect 5000 a year in federal grants. Is this wrong, or are we just in a lower income bracket than most people (dad is a teacher)? </p>
<p>^^ Does it mention Pell or Stafford Direct Loans. Pell depends upon your Parents EFC and Income.</p>
<p>Yeah, it was a Pell Grant. So I’ll get that even with the bama schollies?</p>
<p>Yes its a Grant and you dont need to pay it back. Its on top of Merit $$.</p>
<p>What was your EFC?<br>
If it’s a Pell Grant, you get that regardless…it’s an entitlement. </p>
<p>Have you submitted FAFSA? If so, what was your EFC?</p>
<p>We’re currently working on getting all of our paperwork done to submit FAFSA. The goal is to send it in on Friday. </p>
<p>Once you have an actual EFC, then you’ll know what size Pell Grant (if any) you’ll be awarded. do you have a sibling in college? Does your mom work?</p>
<p>Another sibling in college, and my parents are separated and my dad is unmarried. </p>
<p>Ok…so your EFC got split because your sibling is in college. The sibling will ALSO get a Pell Grant. </p>