Could someone explain Cal Grant A to me?

<p>I am mystified by the Cal Grant and its ramifications on other aid. Added to the mystery is the fact that it might be cut if Jerry Brown's budget gets passed. At what point will we know the final amount?</p>

<p>I am really confused because, after talking to one of my son's schools, the basic premise was, by governmental law, he can never get more money in grant aid than our EFC says we should pay, and this due to the Cal Grant part of his aid.</p>

<p>If anyone intimately familiar with Cal Grant would like to PM me, I would love to show you this particular package and try to understand it in terms of bringing in outside scholarships as well as a possible full tuition scholarship by said college.</p>

<p>Lastly, are all private California colleges required to include a Cal Grant in their aid if a student qualifies? The other California school on my son's list doesn't list a Cal Grant.</p>

<p>Thanks for any help!</p>

<p>I thought I would ask again. If there’s anyone who is familiar with Cal Grant, and could take a look at a f. aid package, I would love a PM. Thanks!!</p>

<p>Also, does anyone know when it will be determined what the Cal Grant A amount for private schools will be this year? I have heard we can assume it won’t be the $9,800; rather, it will be apx. $5400, which would work in my son’s favor due to outside scholarships reducing loan amount rather than Cal Grant.</p>

<p>sorry, I don’t have any answers for you. Who knows if/when the legislature will actually consider the governor’s proposal? one budget committee already rejected it, but
apparently it is still out there.
Do private schools HAVE to take Cal Grant? and if you have a lot of outside
scholarships, would the cal grant just be reduced? or would you get the full
cal grant, and those other scholarships could be used for room/board, etc? I think
a call to the financial aid office at your school is in order - you just may have to
be insistent to ask to speak with an officer, not the assistants.</p>

<p>That’s a good idea, jbourne. I spoke twice with f. aid but it was an assistant, I am sure, and I didn’t feel like it clarified things at all. She was nice but didn’t seem to know too much. I hope this isn’t indicative of the whole office.</p>