Cal Grant A vs Cal Grant B

Paying for College
1

<p>I am from a very low income family, and my dad is currently unemployed so our minimum wage income is going even lower. I was accepted to UC Santa Cruz, and i accepted the offer of admission, but I recently got the financial aid package and it left me a little confused...</p>

<p>Estimated Cal Grant B - Access</p>

<p>1,551.00</p>

<p>Federal Pell Grant</p>

<p>5,550.00</p>

<p>UC Santa Cruz Grant
Grant
14,142.00</p>

<p>UC Tuition Grant
Grant
822.00</p>

<p>Federal Perkins Loan
Loan
1,200.00</p>

<p>Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
Loan
3,500.00</p>

<p>Federal Direct Unsubsidized Ln
Loan
2,000.00</p>

<p>Federal Work-Study Option
Work/Study
1,500.00</p>

<p>Parent Loan Option-ApplyOnline
Loan
1,700.00</p>

<p>Aid Year Totals</p>

<p>31,965.00</p>

<p>I know I qualify for A, and the financial aid officer I talked to on the phone told me that If I accept A, part of the UC Santa Cruz Grant would be taken away. She wasn't really that clear on what benefits B has.</p>

<p>I would end up owing 40k in loans by the end of my college career, and an even bigger debt waiting after graduate school. </p>

<p>Tl;dr: Which should I accept, Cal grant A or B. Cal Grant A takes money out of the UC Santa Cruz Grant, B does not.</p>

2

<p>does bumping work here?</p>

3

<p>Cal grant B is better - it gives you the extra $1551. After the freshman year, it
will also pay the tuition/systemwide fees. During freshman year, the tuition/
systemwide fees are covered in the UCSC grant. Next year, it will show up
under Cal Grant B instead of in the UC grant.</p>

<p>If you pick Cal grant A, you would not get the extra $1551.</p>

4

<p>so after freshman year, it would be paying for tuition and Room & Board? Could you elaborate on what systemwide fees are? I’ll love you forever.</p>

5

<p>Systemwide fees are the fees that are universal through the UC system. These are just over $11k for this coming year. The additional $2k-3k that you see on top of that are campus fees. Cal Grant (nor the Blue&Gold promise) does not cover campus fees.</p>

<p>If you asked them to switch you to Cal Grant A, you would lose the $1,551 in “living expenses” money and your UCSC Grant would be reduced. It is currently that high because it is meeting the shortfall that happens with freshman Cal Grant B awards.</p>

<p>Cal Grant does not cover room and board. Only systemwide fees. The “living expenses” amount can be used however you like and is paid directly to you (even if you still have a balance that it could cover). Remember that if it is used for non-qualified expenses that it becomes taxable. I personally use mine for books and supplies required for my classes (qualified expenses).</p>

<p>Keep Cal Grant B. It is worth more than Cal Grant A even though it seems right now like it is not.</p>

6

<p>To try to really spell it out for you, if you switch to Cal Grant A, they will TAKE away part of your UCSC grant and replace it with Cal Grant. The Cal Grant A + UCSC Grant will add up to $14,142 and you will not get the $1,551. If you switch to Cal Grant A, you will get $1,551 less this year, and each of the following 3 years.</p>

<p>Keep your Cal Grant B. It is B E T T E R by $6,204 over four years.</p>

7

<p>If you have a 0 EFC and qualify for Blue and Gold, CAL Grant B > A.</p>

8

<p>chaospaladin:
Having a 0 EFC has nothing to do with qualifying for Cal Grant. Cal Grant is based on income and asset ceilings, not EFC. And no one who qualifies for Cal Grant B would not qualify for Blue&Gold promise.</p>

9

<p>Does this mean that we can properly conclude CAL Grant B > CAL Grant A 100% of the time at a UC? Are there any cases where at a UC CAL Grant A > CAL Grant B?</p>

10

<p>No, there are zero cases where Cal Grant A is better than Cal Grant B at a UC. You’ve asked this before and I’ve given you the same answer.</p>

<p>Only CSUs are questionable because there is no written policy (EDIT: that I have seen, at least) to point to like there is at the UCs, but I have yet to see any CSU package that does not act in a similar capacity as a UC package in making up the Cal Grant B freshman year shortfall for tuition/fee assistance.</p>

11

<p>Thank you madam</p>

12

<p>Oh I see. Gotcha. Thanks, Kender. :)</p>

13

<p>I’m confused with the fact that Cal Grant B is better than Cal Grant A. </p>

<p>My daughter just got Cal Grant A with a value of $12,100 and it’s renewable for 4 years. My husband and I have read your statements in this thread and nothing makes sense. Cal Grant B that my daughter didn’t get is only worth $1551. What am I missing because last I did the math, A is more money than B.</p>

<p>Or is it that you shouldn’t use Cal Grant A at a UC school? The grant has to be claimed because there’s no way to hide that it’s been awarded. </p>

<p>So please give me some answers to clear up my confusion.</p>

14

<p>CWilkinson - as a freshmen, the cal grant B just shows $1551, BUT the tuition would
be covered by the Blue & Gold plan, so essentially you get a bonus $1551. The next 3
years, the fin aid will actually say Cal grant B - 1551, Cal grant B - xxxxxx (tution).
Cal Grant A covers the tuition only all 4 years. (note that when I say ‘tuition’ , it
is the ‘tuition and systemwide fees’. Some campuses have additional fees that these
do not cover. Those campuses may give you additional grants to help cover them.</p>

15

<p>i will also receive cal grant b this fall for cal poly pomona. although im qualified for cal grant a, i am getting cal grant b. do you guys know if csus have the blue and gold plan as well?</p>