<p>I am currently a senior high school student. I've been working ever since I became 16... at Subway, Baskin Robbins, and now at a Japanese fast food place here in California. I absolutely hate working but my mom only makes $17,000 per year, so I had to help her. </p>
<p>I really want to get a second job because I am always broke. I am paying the phone bill for the whole family, the internet / wifi, and my car insurance. I spend almost half of my money on gas due to the fact I bought a cheap car that eats gas a lot. I barely have enough money saved up for things I want to do as a senior, like prom or homecoming.</p>
<p>I have all AP classes at the moment, but I hold good grades with them. I am thinking of working somewhere that isn't minimum wage but for fewer hours. </p>
<p>I've already made around $6000 this year, but I don't even have any of it right now. I literally work pay check to pay check. I don't have any money for a laptop and other dorm essentials. I am applying to a lot of schools, which means that I've been using up all my fee wavers to send my SAT scores in and paying the application fees on my own. </p>
<p>I am scared, however, that if I start to make more money, that I will get less financial aid. My mom cannot pay for my college tuition on her own. How does it work? I am getting a lot of mixed answers on financial aid. can Someone clarify? I am planning to do scholarships as well, but I'm heavily relying on my financial status for grants and loans. </p>
<p>GPA is 3.5 unweighted / 3.7 weighted and SAT score is 1560 last time I took it, without studying. I took classes in the summer and studied for the October test so I’m planning to improve. </p>
<p>Take a look at the requirements are for an automatic zero EFC. Your mother’s income is below that threshhold amount, so if she is eligible to file the shorter tax forms and if anyone in your family is on some assistance program (ie; lunch program) you probably qualify, but check it out carefully. If that’s the case, your income, asset, and your mother’s assets don’t matter a whit. You are auto zero even if you make a million dollars or more. </p>
<p>However, you do need to run some NPCs for those schools that use more than just FAFSA, say PROFILE, to determine financial aid and play around with the numbers and see what making more money at various points would do to the financial aid from such schools. If you are applying to PROFILE schools, that can be an issue, and those schools make their own rules in this regard. They also tend to be the more generous schools with their own financial aid. </p>
<p>A zero EFC only guarantees you PELL and the subsidy of part of the Direct loan. The rest is up to the school and in many cases the state in which you live and go to college.</p>
<p>Yes, your mom’s income may be low enough to qualify for Auto Zero…and then your income won’t count.
However, if you have savings, put the savings in your MOM’S name so that it won’t hurt you on the day your file FAFSA. </p>
<p>@cptofthehouse I am only applying to Cal States here in California, but will try some private schools. I do qualify for free lunch at school and I’ve utilized every fee waver I can get my hands on. </p>
<p>Using the financial aid calculator for CSU’s, this one is for San Fran State. </p>
<p>Estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) for 9-month academic year $23818
a. Estimated tuition and fees $6440
b. Estimated books and supplies $1789
c. Estimated room and board $12756
d. Estimated other expenses
(Personal expenses, transportation, etc.) $2833
Estimated total grant aid: $11117
Estimated net price: (Cost of Attendance minus grant aid) $12701
Total estimated financial assistance:
Estimated Federal Pell Grant Eligibility $5645
Estimated Cal Grant Eligibility $0
Estimated State University Grant Eligibility $5472
Estimated Eligibility for Need-Based Student Loan $3500</p>
<p>I am planning to dorm the cheapest way possible (residence hall and 10 meal plan) to bring down the cost. I have a friend at SFSU that is currently majoring the same major I am interested in, and they offered to give me their books. </p>
<p>I probably will have an issue with transportation, because I am bring my car up there. My parents want me to have the car just in case I need to go home in an emergency. </p>
<p>My net price is at $12701. Let’s say, I don’t qualify for an scholarships during my high school year. Is it my parents responsibility to pay whatever is left over? One of my friends said she that your financial aid is distributed from time to time… and she would always have about $2000 extra for herself… so she was able to pay for a laptop and other college essentials. I do want to add that she was commuting and did not stay on campus. So what would happen in my case? </p>
<p>@mom2collegekids No, she receive 0 benefits at all. </p>
<p>If you qualify for SAT fee waiver, you should get some application fee waivers also, through the collegeboard SAT account online or contact schools directly before applying.</p>
<p>Why do you qualify for almost full Pell and not a Cal grant?</p>
<p>@mommdc I was just researching Cal Grants. How do I know I’m eligible? My friend told me her sister was nearly getting 17,000 per year… I know my gpa is above 3.0. Do you get more money for a better gpa?</p>
<p>You do not get more Cal-Grant money if your GPA is higher. The amount of the Cal-Grant is determined by the type of school you attend. It is a set price for UC’s/CSU’s, and private schools respectively. There are two types of Cal Grant, CAL A and CAL B. Cal A requires a 3.0 GPA and has a higher income and assets threshold. Cal B has a lower GPA requirement (don’t know it off the top of my head) and a lower income threshold. </p>
<p>I would have thought the NPC would have asked some questions to determine Calgrant eligibility and included an estimated grant. First you said your mom only makes $17k but in a later post you referred to your parents. Are they divorced and did you answer the NPC questions correctly as far as income and so forth?</p>
<p>@annoyingdad sorry I just refer to my parents income based on my mom. My dad is unemployed. I’m about to do the NPC again with my mom today. Thank you for the link btw</p>