<p>So, having just checked my financial aid awards, it reads:</p>
<p>Your academic year budget: 22250 Enrollment: Fall 2008 and Spring 2009
Expected Graduation Date: May , 2010 Award information as of 04/30/2008
*Estimated awards or private loans will not be accepted or paid until award is finalized or funds have been received.</p>
<p>AWARDS OFFERED ACCEPTED PAID
BERKELEY UG SCHOLARSHIP 6050.50 12101.00 N/A
FED.DIR.LOAN-UNSUB1 FL 4829.00 N/A N/A
UNIVERSITY FEE GRT1 FL 245.00 245.00 N/A</p>
<p>It says the same thing for each semester, totaling 12101 + 245 + Loans</p>
<p>But no grants. Is this different than grants? Is anyone else getting something like this?</p>
<p>why is the academic budget only 22250? Isn't that a bit low.</p>
<p>thats how much aid u got... budget is actually 26,400... it says when u view ur financial aid offer letter</p>
<p>wow, how are we supposed to make up the difference? Private loans?</p>
<p>missnancy427: that -is- my financial aid offer letter... I wonder why my budget is lower. c'est la vie.</p>
<p>fijeeboi: I'm going to take a low stress job somewhere. A couple days a week running food at a restaurant, I should be able to easily make the difference. I've worked as a waiter in fine dining for years. Moving into food running is going to be a breeze.</p>
<p>Still, that's kind of crappy. No other UC made me take out private loans.</p>
<p>Does it cost more to live on campus or off? Seems like they're giving me less $$ for living off campus. Budget indicate 22k, but awarding half of that</p>
<p>fijeeboi, they're offering federal loans for the balance. Besides, I've got a word for kids that don't work their way through school: spoiled. Actually I'm just being a dick, I wouldn't work either if I had the choice. Still, if I didn't have to work, I'd have a 4.0+.</p>
<p>Yea, they have you guys listed off campus. I think you have to get on campus housing before they adjust your budget. I think.</p>
<p>Humorous that they think that off-campus housing will be cheaper than dorms.</p>
<p>You can get off campus housing for quite a bit cheaper. UCB has the most expensive on campus housing in the country.</p>
<p>fijeeboi: how much? A one bedroom in Berkeley costs at least 900 dollars with a significant bike-ride to campus. Housing near campus will run you 1200+ for a studio.</p>
<p>I'm just saying that if you're really interested in cutting costs, you could live off campus, share an apartment, things like that. I heard of people getting a decent studio for $800.</p>
<p>I've lived in Berkeley. Housing is expensive. I used to stay in a tiny one-bedroom basement apartment for 1300$. Near Shattuck and Ashby, which (in case you're wondering) isn't that close to campus. You can get cheap housing, but it's terrible or terribly far from school.</p>
<p>Well im sure you know more about it than I do. I'm just repeating what ive heard from other people.</p>