<p>I'm an incoming freshman student. I just received an email about Berkeley negotiating more tuition increases. Is it possible that these increases could come this year? I'm stressing out right now. I'm paying my entire way through college myself and with my current summer job and not spending anything I can barely get through my first year. Another 3k on tuition would kill me. I know I'm just panicking right now but I don't know what to do.</p>
<p>“Is it possible that these increases could come this year?”</p>
<p>I would be very surprised if they didn’t, actually, considering the cuts. And it will only increase more as further cuts take place, given the state of the CA economy (current and future).</p>
<p>Is your financial aid package/loans insufficient to cover school? Presumably they will adjust your package with fee increases.</p>
<p>My goal obviously to take out the least amount of loans possible. I’m taken out a loan for $3,500 already and hoping my summer job will cover the rest of the cost (I received gift aid as well) I am a Blue and Gold Scholar. Do you think they might raise my gift aid? Or is that just wishful thinking at this point?</p>
<p>It would be counterproductive and foolish to raise gift aid when cuts are being made for the express purpose of saving money.</p>
<p>I highly doubt they will make up the increase completely through gift aid, my guess would be that they will maintain the ratio of gift aid vs loans, which is what I understand to have been their course of action in previous fee increases (I heard this from my roommate who receives finaid, so I could be wrong, but I think it sounds logical).</p>
<p>You can also work during the school year though (work study), that could also go towards paying for school?</p>
<p>if you’re blue and gold, your tuition is waived.</p>
<p>So if you have an EFC of 0, does that mean that the increase will not affect you?</p>
<p>if you’re an independent student or your parents earn less than $80k combined, then you qualify for the blue and gold plan. The plan in of itself is free tuition in a nutshell. EFC’s determine how much of the calculated cost u would have to contribute.</p>
<p>what is the blue and gold plan?</p>
<p>I really hate this. It’s so expensive.</p>
<p>i don’t receive fin aid, but i don’t see how $80K is the threshold for FA for FREE TUITION. really? it starting to sound like budget cuts is one side of the coin, and the other side is the terrible decisions from the FA dept. shouldn’t we be trying to COLLECT money, not let people come here for free, especially when they are making a sizable income? </p>
<p>feel free to educate me, as i am not familiar with FA, but that just sounds absurd. what is the income of the “average” household receiving Cal finAid anyway? if the decision were up to me, i’d make the threshold just over the current average.</p>
<p>It doesn’t end up being free tuition. My parents make less then 30k a year, my EFC was 0, and I was still supposed to pay 10k. Thanks for all the responses so far.</p>
<p>It’s $80k Combined, but you also have to meet every requirement. Also note that the CALCULATED cost is not the same as tuition and fees. You also have to realize you and your parents are all income or potential income earners. $10k for a year means you got a gift aid of $16k, which should mean your tuition is covered.</p>
<p>Swattie, your tuition is essentially covered if your net cost is 10k. You probably received 21k in gift aid. Tuition and fees only cost 12k so your gift aid covers tuition and fees like the previous poster stated.</p>
<p>UC Berkeley is not expensive.</p>