CUNY Tap/Pell question

Got an email regarding the award package today, but I’m confused about a couple things.

According to my Financial Aid, the budget breakdown is as follows

Books and Supplies: $652.00
Activity Fees $45.00
Consolidated Fees $15.00
Technology Fee $100.00
Food (at home) $1,010.00
Housing $5,193.00
Lunch $574.00
Loan Fees $29.00
Medical Expenses $854.00
Personal Expenses $1,199.00
Transportation $510.00
Tuition $2,250.00
Term Total $12,431.00
Total Cost of Attendance $12,431.00

My “awarded aid” is as follows

Federal Pell Grant Spring: $1,590.00

Estimated Tap Spring: $1,513.00

What exactly does that $3,103(Tap and pell amount) cover?

Also, is this per semester or per academic year?

My EFC is $0, Btw.

Forgot to add a few things

When I first filled out the FAFSA info, I put down $0 income for the year of 2013.

I was then emailed this award package

Total Grants and Scholarships $ 4,378.00
Federal Pell Grant $2,865.00
Grants from your state $1,513.00

My Expected Family Contribution was $0.00

When I went back in & put down my income for 2013, I was emailed this

Federal Pell Grant Spring: $1,590.00

Estimated Tap Spring: $1,513.00

And my EFC Jumped to $1,420.00

Any reason why my EFC would jump to that if I had zero income for 2014? Or is it all based on your last tax return regardless of how many years that goes back?

This is difficult to answer because noy all information was given. I will try.

Are you a dependent student or an independent student? I don’t know if the income used is yours only or your parents and yours.

But to answer your first question, the Tap and Pell can cover any part of the COA. Usually the school will apply it to tuition and fees first, then if any is left, it is ‘refunded’ to you to use for books etc.

Income for 2013 is used for aid for fall 2014/spring 2015

Income for 2014 is used for aid for fall 2015/spring 2016

So you should fill out the 2014/15 fafsa with your 2013 income. And don’t correct it, fill out the 2015/16 fafsa with your 2014 income. In your posts you only refer to 2013 income until the last couple lines, so your meaning isn’t clear.

Usually 0 EFC should get the full Pell amount of 5,730 split between 2 semesters.

Sorry for not being clear.

I am listed as an independent student.

So to be clear, my income from 2013 is used to determine my aid for Fall 2014/Spring 2015 & my income for 2014 is used to determine my aid for Fall 2015/Spring 2016?

Yes, that is right. And there are different fafsa forms for each year, be sure you filled out the right ones from the pull down menu.

Yes

Ok, got it. You were a much bigger help than the financial aid office was!

Last question…do you guys advise against loans?

Looks like I am eligable for up to $9500 from a Direct Stafford loan

I forgot to add that this looks like per semester costs and aid. First, it says ‘term total’ and the Pell is marked Spring. Did you incorrectly revise you income so this lower Pell amount? Otherwise you should get the original amount which is one semester worth of the full pell available for 0 efc students.

Re loans, it depends on your situation. Are you a first time freshman? Planning a 4year degree program? Your package implies living with parents, but how can you then be independent? How are you able to pay for your expenses if you don’t borrow? But usually you want to borrow as little as possible, but there are exceptions.

On my fafsa, i am listed as an independent student although I do live with my mother

I live rent free & she provides food…would that make me dependent?

My Pell was higher on the original FAFSA because I didn’t add my income for 2013.

Once I revised it, my EFC became 002554 & my pell went from $2865 to $1590

No that doesn’t make you dependent for FAFSA.

OK, I see that Pell is the right one, you are saying.

The deal is that loans have to be paid back. So you will be sorry later to have to do so, that is guaranteed. So if you need some for your books and school related, take some from the subsidized portion. What do you think you need? Just take enough. And be aware that money earned from work/study doesn’t count against your EFC. I see your award didn’t give you any though. Earnings and savings will count against your efc.

No See “Dependency Status Questions on the 2015–16 FAFSA” https://studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa/filling-out/dependency#dependent-or-independent