<p>Is the amount I receive in federal grants supposed to be the same for every college? USC's estimated federal pell grant to me is 1,700 while Notre Dame's is 2,900. The ACG and the SEOG aid is also higher at ND. Is it the college that decides how much federal money I get?? :0</p>
<p>I would expect the Pell and ACG to be the same everywhere. The Pell is based on your FAFSA EFC and you would generally get whatever the EFC makes you eligible for. The Pell maximum went up by almost $1000 for the upcoming year so I am wondering if one of the schools is using the old tables. The ACG freshman maximum is $750 (I don’t know if there are funding limitations that may make it less - I don’t think there are) and requires Pell eligibility and some academic criteria which is fairly time consuming for the schools to verify. Many schools award it later in the year after they have checked your final HS transcript, so if you have not been awarded it at some schools this may be why. My daughter was not awarded it until right before the beginning of the semester her freshman year and it replaced some loans.</p>
<p>The SEOG will vary from school. It is a campus based grant meaning each school is given a very limited amount of SEOG funds and they decide their own eligibility criteria and their own maximums. For instance at my son’s school they award a maximum of $200 SEOG, while at my daughter’s school the maximum is $2000. At both their schools only students with 0 EFCs are eligible for SEOG. This is a fairly common eligibility criteria but not universal.</p>
<p>“and requires Pell eligibility and some academic criteria which is fairly time consuming for the schools to verify.” Ah, swimcatsmom, you are now ready to be a financial aid officer! 
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<p>ACG is adjusted only if there is so much grant/scholarship money that it must be (ACG doesn’t get to exceed COA the way Pell can). Otherwise, I don’t understand the difference in ACG awards by school - unless you are a transfer student & ND is awarding you a Year 2 award while USC has you listed as a freshman with a Year 1 award. </p>
<p>I suspect your info was verified by ND & items on your FAFSA were adjusted based on the info you provided. Even the most careful students/parents make unintentional mistakes that affect their EFC. ND may have more SEOG money or fewer SEOG-eligible students to spread it around to - that would explain the higher SEOG award.</p>