<p>I am an independent student (25 years old, no help from parents), a California resident and attending a California Community College. It is my second year of community college. My first year was a while ago in 2006-2007, so I am a non-traditonal student. I am not on academic probation or anything negative like that. I am applying for the FAFSA today Feb. 20th, before the March 1st deadline of my school for "priority consideration", so I will fall under that priority category I guess. </p>
<p>Personal Income:
I made $7,000 last year (2011) from two different part time jobs. That was my total income for the entire year of 2011. I wonder where this places me in the "financial need" category. Both were temporary seasonal jobs and I am unemployed in 2012 and have no money. </p>
<p>I am wondering if the $7,000 I made last year will hurt my chances of recieving a loan/the full loan amount for Fall 2012. Obviously I had to pay for rent and food in 2011 so that $7,000 is completely gone. I recieved no additional funds from my family or anything. I wonder if the FAFSA people understand this, or if they just look at the income number and assign you to an "income" level with a ceiling, like if you made over $6,000 your in this income bracket, or under $6,000 your in this other income bracket. </p>
<p>Bottom Line:
I have read on my Community College's website that an independent second year student can recieve a maximum of $10,500 for a Stafford Loan. I really need this money. I am living in my friend's garage across the street from Orange Coast College. Yes I'm looking for work. Yes I know you get the money in installments and only after the school takes what it needs. and then gives you rest. I want to know how I can recieve this loan in it's entirety. The college costs less than this obviously, but I could really use the extra money to purchase books and handle other necesarry expenses.</p>
<p>Yes…as an independent student with soph standing, you can borrow that much…6500 + 4000…as long at the total amount doesn’t exceed COA with any other aid. </p>
<p>What is your EFC? Are you getting Pell or any state aid as well?</p>
<p>What is the COA of your school? COA should include tuition, books, fees, and living expenses (housing, food, etc)…however sometimes CCss have odd COAs.</p>
<p>My EFC is zero. I don’t have any family. My mom passed away when I was 12 and my dad dissapeared years ago. </p>
<p>Orange Coast College is pretty inexpensive if your a California resident like myself. $46 per unit so $1100 for 24 units for the year. Texbooks range from $70-$150 each or more so for eight 3 unit classes per year maybe $700?. </p>
<p>Rent around here is expensive since it’s Orange County. A room can be rented for anywhere between $400-$700 per month depending on ammenities. </p>
<p>So units ($1,100) plus books ($600-$700) plus administration fees ($100) about $2,000.
A cheap room plus utilities ($430?) plus $150/mo for food would be about $600 per month so $7000 for a year. </p>
<p>So roughly $9,000 total. </p>
<p>I recieve no state aid. Not that it matters, but I do have a friend who recieves food stamps and she said that it did not affect her FAFSA/Stafford Loan. Is this true? I would like to get food stamps if I can, but I do not want them to adversely effect the loan. </p>
<p>I have not applied for a pell grant yet. I don’t have a preference for grants versus loans I just want to get the most financial aid. I don’t care if I need to pay more back later. If a pell grant won’t adversely affect the loan amount then thats fine, but I don’t want them to say “oh you got a pell grant so here’s only a $1000 loan instead of a larger one”. Perhaps this is an unfounded concern. </p>
<p>I’m just worried that one thing or another will throw me into some generic category that will lower the loan amount, even though I need the money.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for responding to my thread. I can get no concrete answers from the school’s financial aid department it’s always “we don’t know” which I find hard to believe because how many people exactly like me have gone through this before? No income + No EFC + 25 years old. Each case can’t be that extremely unique that that can’t provide some sort of estimate. I mean you work in a financial aid office at a school you think you would know at least a ballpark number considering you do this 40+ hours a week. Sorry I’m venting. </p>
<p>Thank you again very much for taking the time to respond.</p>
<p>Go fill out a Fafsa form and see what you are elegable for. It seems to me that you should be able to get full financial aid…</p>