<p>I was wondering in anyone knew about the likelihood of appealing to get a Cal Grant.</p>
<p>I received an email late February informing me that I had been disqualified for the Cal Grants with the claim that my family income was too high/above the cut off. However, my family's financial situation from last year was a bit complicated. My mom, a single mother, started the year with a relatively high paying job($80,000/yr) then was laid off and here current position pays almost half the amount(~$50,000/yr). She still has the lower paying job and is supporting 5 children including an infant. </p>
<p>How likely would it be for me to be able to appeal considering our current income and family size puts us well below the cut offs? How would I go about doing this? </p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any help! :)</p>
<p>[Cal</a> Grant appeals form](<a href=“http://www.csac.ca.gov/pubs/forms/grnt_frm/G-18_calgrantappealsform.pdf]Cal”>http://www.csac.ca.gov/pubs/forms/grnt_frm/G-18_calgrantappealsform.pdf)</p>
<p>You have up to one year after you graduate from high school to apply for a Cal Grant, which means that even if you didn’t qualify this year, and your appeal is unsuccessful, you still have one more chance to apply next year - so long as you file before the March deadline.</p>
<p>Thank you for the form and the information dogersmom.</p>
<p>Another thing I just notice after looking at the website again: on the “award details” page it states “ENTL - Not CA Res at the time of HS Grad” meaning that I will not be a CA resident by the time I graduate high school. However, this is not true. I have lived in the state for over a year and my mom has taken the steps to become a resident; got a new driver’s licence, got new licence plates, registered to vote and voted in the last election, etc. I don’t understand why they would say I am not a resident?? Should I include a statement about this in my appeal?</p>
<p>Residency is complicated. Before you appeal, you need to understand the rules.</p>
<p>Take a look at this current thread - from post #14 on down to the bottom, there’s a bunch of information about California residency, as well as a link:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1475380-affording-uc.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1475380-affording-uc.html</a></p>
<p>I read the thread but I still don’t really understand why I wouldn’t be considered a resident? My mother has filed/paid CA taxes for the last 2 years and we have done all the other steps to establish residence that were mentioned (register to vote, CA drivers license, etc.). I don’t see why we wouldn’t be considered residents. Do you know anything more about residency for this type of situation? I know that I should qualify for instate tuition (that’s what my counselor told me). My family moved to CA in December 2011 if that helps any.</p>
<p>Residency is NOT my area of expertise. You should talk to your counselor and see if he (or she) can figure out why you were denied.</p>
<p>I’d also suggest sending a private message to the CC’er named “Kender,” who seems to know quite a bit about the CA residency rules.</p>