<p>So from Cal Grants I got $9,7000 which is amazing considering I really didn't think I was going to get a lot from Cal Grants!</p>
<p>Anyways, so I was wondering, does anyone know if the cal grant awarded affects the amount of financial aid i get from a school? </p>
<p>I really would love to go to Santa Clara University and their financial aid from what I can tell from researching online isn't as good as other schools. </p>
<p>So I'm hoping this Cal Grant will allow me to go to Santa Clara.</p>
<p>Do colleges look at your cal grant award and subtract money off from your financial package?</p>
<p>The amount of Cal Grant is based on the college one is attending and the type of Cal Grant received. It’s not based on a sliding scale like Pell Grant is.</p>
<p>$9.7k is the amount given for tuition/fee assistance at private colleges. I’m guessing Santa Clara is listed on your CSAC (they only nab a few from your FAFSA and one has to update later with the exact college that will be attended) or another private for $9.7k to be showing.</p>
<p>Something you will want to keep an eye on is that the current proposal is to almost cut in half the amount allocated for tuition/fee assistance at eligible privates: <a href=“CSAC - Student Landing Home”>CSAC - Student Landing Home;
<p>How the amount will affect your FA package depends on Santa Clara. I have no personal experience with them, but it stands to logical reason that if they were going to give you $9.7k in need based money and you come in with that already, then they will not give you anything beyond that. However, it is something you will have to see for yourself since the privates are a whole different breed compared to the California publics and with the potential changes coming to Cal Grant for privates… who knows.</p>
<p>I can say that Cal Grant does often affect the aid one receives at a California public (example: at a UC, if you qualified for Blue&Gold but have Cal Grant, then Blue&Gold will not permit any extra money to be issued to you… Blue&Gold just guarantees all systemwide tuition/fees will be covered and that’s what Cal Grant already covers).</p>