Cal Grant A v. Cal Grant B

Paying for College
1

<p>So I just received a letter today concerning Cal Grant B, and realize that I have to choose between one or the other (since I qualify for both A & B)</p>

<p>**The question is (yes, I have been looking through as many threads as possible) which one do I choose?</p>

<p>**Right now, I'm getting (in scholarships/grants):</p>

<p>Academic Competitiveness Grant for First Year $750.00
CAL A FLIP $7,788.00
Federal Pell Grant (01) $5,350.00
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant $500.00
UC Irvine Grant $2,390.00 </p>

<p>Rest covered by federal work study + loans</p>

<p>**If I choose Grant A, does that mean this is exactly the financial package I'm getting for now?</p>

<p>**If I choose Grant B, then how is my overall package affected? Does it affect any of the loans or work study parts, or even the ACG/Pell/Education Opp/Irvine Grant?</p>

<p>**I've been hearing that Grant B is better in the long run, but how does that work? Wouldn't Grant B be only giving me $6,200 over the course of 4 years, while Grant A $31,152?</p>

<p>**Since the financial aid office determined Grant A would be more beneficial for me in the long run, and if I choose to go with Grant A, then what do I do with the Cal Grant report for B that I received? Do I not take action on it, do I report it, do I tell them I don't want to use Grant B?</p>

<p>Help please and thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>If you choose cal grant A then that amount you will receive every year. If you choose B then the first year you’ll receive $1,551 but the following year it will cover all your tuition and books and so on for the rest of the 4 years. This is what I was told when I asked about them.</p>

3

<p>I see - so what does Grant B exactly cover from this:
Books and Supplies $1,645.00
Room and Board $10,655.00
Personal $1,592.00
Transportation $1,445.00
Fees $9,480.50
Rounding Adjustment * $113.00
Cost of Attendance $24,930.50 </p>

<p>If it covers books and supplies (1645) and fees (9480.50) for three years + 1551 the first year, then wouldn’t I be getting $34927.50 in total? Much more than Grant A? Then why would they give me Grant A instead of B?</p>

<p>Then again, would it be detrimental to have significantly less aid my first year (about 6000) than have a steady package over the course of four? And plus I’ll be constantly looking for scholarships…</p>

4

<p>Well it’s suppose to be for your books and “spending money.” If you know your EFC is going to increase by a lot next year then it would be better to go with Cal grant A. You should talk to a Financial Aid advisor to make sure and he/she will tell you what is the best thing to do in YOUR case.</p>

5

<p>Yeah, I’m definitely planning to speak with them for my own case.</p>

<p>Does anybody know if this is true:</p>

<p>CAL Grant A:
7126 x 4 = 28504</p>

<p>CAL Grant B:
4(1551)+3(7788) = 29568</p>

<p>Am I going to get 7788 more for the last three years and Cal Grant A is actually only ‘giving’ me part of the full 7788?</p>

<p>Where did that $7788 come from for Grant B?</p>