<p>I got about 16,000 in aid from Cal Grant A and some small additional merit scholarships.</p>
<p>You actually got a very good pkg. UCLA doesn’t give all grants; you probably also got loans and work study, which is normal for a UC.</p>
<p>Whatever little savings you get going elsewhere, you’d end up paying in airfare, shuttles, travel costs, etc. </p>
<p>R&B at UCLA and Cal has been running about $15k per year. $18k seems high ($12k was too low of an expectation). Why is it $18k? Are you choosing a pricey meal plan? How much is the dorm alone? Can you get a triple? If you request a triple, you may get it because there are kids who have triples that don’t want them.</p>