<p>Well after a long rough winter it turns out I don't have to wait 2 years/till the end of Spring to file the Academic Renewal of Awesomeness with SBCC. I sent it in 2 weeks ago yesterday, so once they file it my GPA will shoot up to 3.4-ish. Trouble is they aren't going to process it for another 2-4 weeks... I couldn't file much sooner because they JUST changed this recently. This is all well and good except I have to file the Cal Grant GPA verification still. With some research</p>
<p>I've found I can appeal the Cal Grant decision which would let me appeal my ~3.03 GPA with the corrected ~3.4 GPA. Here's the issue I'm worried about... will I still be able to get my Blue & Gold grants? Mom's EFC is going to be 0, she's on workers comp for a neck injury and awaiting surgery so tax-wise she only made about $1100 last year, I qualify. My concern is just that will appealing the Cal Grant somehow negate my Blue & Gold?</p>
<p>This is probably a dumb question but I'm just really paranoid at this point... the last 3 weeks have been absolutely nuts for me finance-wise. I wouldn't put anything past the system. Any help would be appreciated, thanks guys!</p>
<p>All Blue&Gold is is a guarantee that systemwide fees will be covered in some combination of grants and scholarships. If there is a shortfall, then there will be a UC Fee Grant applied to make up the difference.</p>
<p>Cal Grant tuition/fee assistance only covers the systemwide fees ($10,302). Since that is all Blue&Gold promises to cover, there is no additional assistance the program will give you. It considers Cal Grant to be a part of its guarantee program. Neither program promises to cover the individual fees (around $2k-$3k depending on the UC) that each UC adds on top of the systemwide fees.</p>
<p>So really, you would not be negating your Blue&Gold qualification, but rather meeting it with only one grant aid source.</p>
<p>I thought the systemwide fees thing was a minimum and could theoretically be higher @@ that’s confusing. Since the B&G has to be applied to via the Cal Grant you would think they would work in tandem somehow instead of against each other… if I theoretically had both.</p>
<p>I’m not really sure what’s confusing. I know that the information on Blue&Gold is rather vague (and, truth be told, it’s my belief this is on purpose), but it has always been clear that it was to cover only fees (I finally found an official publication myself that specified it was only systemwide fees).</p>
<p>You cannot receive more money than the systemwide fees if that is what the money is earmarked for just as you cannot receive scholarship or grant money in excess of COA. And it’s not that “Blue&Gold has to be applied via Cal Grant,” but simply that that is one form of grant money that fully satisfies the Blue&Gold promise. It could also be composed of individual UC grant money, scholarships (from various sources), federal grant money, etc.</p>
<p>They are not working against each other. Blue&Gold is just a promise that all of your systemwide fees will be met with a combination of grant and scholarship money if you meet certain requirements. If you qualify for Cal Grant then your qualification for the Blue&Gold promise will also be met.</p>
<p>I’ve read somewhere systemwide fees were “the minimum” that’s the part that was confusing. So I thought “ohh my EFC is 0 so if systemwide fees are the minimum I’m going to get that + x?” Possibly because I may have misread a Fin Aid calculator on the UCLA website as being given 26k in aid because of the EFC. Well, that makes things a tad more complicated doesn’t it? XD</p>
<p>It sounds like you misread. I’ve never read anything about “minimum covered” in regards to Cal Grant or Blue&Gold giving anymore than systemwide fees. Perhaps what was said was that there was possibility for more grant aid from other sources on top of those programs? That would definitely not be a part of the Blue&Gold promise.</p>
<p>I guarantee you, Blue&Gold promise only promises/guarantees you that systemwide fees will be covered with all grant and/or scholarship money and one of the places I found that mentioned more clearly than the Blue&Gold website was UCLA’s website :). That said, the UCs seem to often be generous with low-income students.</p>
<p>With that much grant aid, be prepared you might have some significant taxes to pay in upcoming tax seasons since it is in excess of qualified expenses. Cal Grant (and the Blue&Gold promise for that matter) being earmarked for tuition/fees messes up any chance of using loans you might have for those expenses so you can lower the taxes owed. I speak from painful experience and many hours trying to figure out what I could claim that wasn’t already on my 1098-T </3</p>
<p>Blue & Gold pledges to cover fees, but you will most likely qualify for additional financial aid that will cover other parts of your expenses (room & board, etc.) if you qualify for Blue & Gold (meaning you are most likely low income). That is the part that confuses everyone. </p>
<p>Here’s a short breakdown of how the student budget works and the fine/invisible print of Blue & Gold:</p>
<p>Each UC campus estimates a “total cost of attendance” that includes fees, housing, meals, books, travel expenses (to go home, take the bus, etc.), and miscellaneous expenses (toilet paper). The amount is generally a little inflated because it’s a reasonable “maximum” amount you can expect to pay. A super thrifty student can probably shave a couple thousand dollars off the projected student budget (I did, albeit back in the 90’s).</p>
<p>Being a low income student means you can qualify for a wide variety of financial aid (namely federal, state, and UC grants). In order for the UCs to be fair to everyone, Blue & Gold is established to ensure ALL low income students have at least their fees paid (by federal, state, or UC grants). That’s not to say you won’t get any more money beyond the fees; it just means that is the absolute minimum you can expect to get. Most likely you will get more aid and that will go to cover your housing, meals, books, etc. But UCs want to make sure you understand that they are NOT making any promises beyond the fees.</p>
<p>That makes sense, I’ma deal with the cal grant GPA verification in the morning. I’ve been getting over a cold and some pseudo-relationship drama on top of the b.s from financial aid themselves so I haven’t been well since wednesday. Thanks for the suggestions guys</p>
<p>Good luck with the GPA verification! I had to do mine manually and my college isn’t giving my form back until March 1st Such a close call! lol.</p>
<p>It’s true that the grants can cover a lot - but if your EFC is 0 I think the grant aid maxes out around $15-16000. On the plus side, that may leave you a small chunk of change to pay for housing/food but really not much. On the even more vibrant side, your student loans won’t get insanely huge! :)</p>
<p>wwlink: There really is no set “maximum grant aid” (beyond COA, of course). I received more this year than the amount you mention. My only loan is a subsidized federal loan.</p>
<p>You guys too (good luck I mean) lol. I love that I have to submit an appeal for the 3.4… then another appeal later for UCLA. I’m Appealman-man-man-man…</p>
Such a close call! lol.</p>