<p>Can Anyone tell me what I can expect my financial aid package to be, with an EFC zero, for California Baptist University? Any info would be great. Also I'm an independent by law, and need to live OFF Campus. Information about on campus living would be good as well though.</p>
<p>You need to call California Baptist’s financial aid office and see if THEY can give you a projection. The school doesn’t meet full need…so your EFC of $0 is not particularly meaningful. They could give you a lot of money or just the federally funded aid (which will not cover their costs of attendance). It sounds like you are eligible for the max Pell grant (about $5200) and the max Stafford loan ($5500 for freshman) and would likely get a work study amount too. I don’t know if this school does SEOG. You might be offered a Perkins loan too.</p>
<p>I don’t know whether any of the CA grants are available for use at private schools (are you a resident of CA?).</p>
<p>Thumper is right.</p>
<p>Having an EFC 0 doesn’t necessary mean that you’ll get much aid from a school that doesn’t meet need. It may just mean that you’ll get $5550 in Pell, about $9500 in a student loan, and maybe some Cal Grant money if you qualify (Are you a Cal resident who went to Cal high schools?). How old are you?</p>
<p>Are you an incoming freshman with high test scores and GPA? Does the school give merit scholarships?</p>
<p>When will you be going to Cal Baptist? If you are applying for Fall 2011, then you may need to consider applying to more affordable schools.</p>
<p>If you’ll be going to school this fall, how come you don’t have your package yet?</p>
<p>@mom2- </p>
<p>Could you clarify how the OP could get $9500 in student loans? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>The OP says that he/she is an independent. Therefore, as a freshman he can get the regular $5500 Stafford loans plus another $4000.</p>
<p>^Oh thanks! I missed that in the OP.</p>
<p>Thanks Mom2, thump, and Roman. I’m 24 and I can still go to a state school. I’m trying to see if I could survive financially.</p>
<p>I’m going this fall 2010 btw to cal baptist. I still could get into a couple of state schools though thanks to them allowing me extended time to commit.</p>
<p>Also, I’m a senior dropping down to junior for the transfer (Long story, but I have a decent gpa - [3.6] so its okay).</p>
<p>You’re going for this fall and you still don’t know the money situation? Well the amounts written above are all federal funds-- so you would get those at almost every accredited college in the US. (The exceptions-- military college, schools that don’t participate in financial aid-- are very few.) </p>
<p>Other free $ sources are: 1- state (I don’t know how Cal Grants work but that’s what they are), 2- schools (It is up to the school whether or not they will give you more $ and how much.) and 3- outside scholarships </p>
<p>Since you are 24yo, I assume you have some work experience. Have you thought of applying for a job on a college campus that might give you some tuition benefits? It’s up to you but it may be a good way to hold down loan amounts.</p>
<p>You are going this fall and don’t know your FA package yet? That’s a bit scary. Were you a late applicant or something? That can negatively impact your FA package sometimes as some limited funds may already be gone. You will get your FA offer before you start I hope? Please do not make a final decision until you know the financial situation and please be prepared to not go there if the aid will put you into a lot of debt. Do not start without knowing what the financial situation is.</p>
<p>Having a 0 EFC does not always mean a good aid package. There is a thread here from another 0 EFC student who was about to start at a $50k private school in CA and it just dawned on him that his wonderful full aid award includes $25,000 a year in loans. At least his epiphany came before he took out the loans, not 4 years and $100k of debt down the road.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the advice. I am prepared to go to a safety school if my aid doesn’t pan out. I was just admitted and my information is being processed. $25000 in loans is way to much. Luckily the school under 25000 for the year. I’m still worried, and I expect answers tomorrow</p>
<p>What is your safety school and how much is that?</p>
<p>What aid will you get there?</p>
<p>*$25000 in loans is way to much. *</p>
<p>Do you mean “per year” or for 4 years total?</p>
<p>California Baptist has an endowment of $12 million. That’s a very, very precarious position for any private school. By comparison, Chapman University, a private school of similar size in the same region, has an endowment that has been described by the media as “modest” at $135 million. Economic and reputational hits that to other schools might be bumps in the road would have the potential to close CBU down. I wouldn’t count on generous aid despite the $0 EFC.</p>
<p>My safety school is Cal State Dominguez Hills which is in (LA). Since I had a couple of back surgeries recently I have to stay close to home but I applied for the online program at Dominguez so I can be at home, which sounds perfect. Also they honor my father’s veteran dependents waiver which will not expire until I’m 26 yrs. That waiver means at PUBLIC state schools and universities My tuition is covered. Even with a 3.6 and a million extra curriculars (work, student government, tons of clubs, ect) I didn’t somehow get into UCLA which worries me for next year when I re-apply. Once my back got really bad I had to pass up acceptance USC this year, but I will try to transfer next year. With the topic of Dominguez Hill, My dilemma with them is that I found out that they may need me to take ONE class on campus, which would be a heck of a drive, and also I found that If I use my veterans benefit wavier, then I can’t get the cal grant. If the Cal grant is more than tuition I believe that’s Aid left over for personal use, something the wavier doesn’t provide. I may actually somehow get MORE AID from having a Zero EFC than from the tuition waiver (Some will be loans, but it will help me survive and not have to work while my back heals). In addition to this I have gotten the run-around about the online program (again Dominguez) because I found out that With that specific program California Grants aren’t provided. I have to meet with a counselor to be sure of what is the deal. I’m worried then my veteran’s wavier will not be accepted for the online portion, which was the whole point of me going to Dominguez. Which leads me to Cal Baptist, since they’re close to home, small classes (where I could talk to the teachers about special arrangements if needed) and I could get involved once my back is better, and further buff up my resume for USC next year, assuming I’ll get in again. Next year if I DON’T get into USC I may go to Santa Barbara, of UCLA since the Waiver will cover them on tuition and I have it for 3 more years. Again this is all assuming my back is 100 percent again (I’m normally a very athletic guy so I’ll be back soon hopefully). Also I have to see if the Cal grant will cover more than the tuition with my zero EFC so I will have aid left over (which would again be better than the waiver). With the private schools like Cal Baptist and more importantly USC I’m okay with loans, just not 100000 dollar loans from a small school (Cal Baptist). My friends at USC have a Zero EFC as well, and are getting a REALLY GOOD rate on their Aid (Aside from loans). I REALLY need to make sure I could survive with the loans while living off campus. This semester I plan on doing serious rehab for my back and taking 12 units since I have plenty already. Looks like if Cal Baptist can give me a decent package I will be okay for the next year. PLEASE ANY more advice is appreciated. I am pretty foreign to financial Aid, and more parents are struggling really bad financially. Thanks Gadad for the warning as well as Mom. Tomorrow I will be at both schools asking questions. Any questions you would recommended or does it seem like i have it covered?</p>
<p>Just out of interest, did you apply to UC-Riverside?</p>
<p>*Looks like if Cal Baptist can give me a decent package I will be okay for the next year. PLEASE ANY more advice is appreciated. *</p>
<p>If Cal Baptist endowment is only $12M, and you’re a transfer student, I don’t see how you’d get anything from them other than Pell and loans.</p>
<p>Since you have the vet benefit, you really need to take advantage of that since you’d also get Pell on top of that.</p>
<p>You’d have an easier time transferring to UCLA and the other UCs from a California Community College. Much moreso than from a CSU or a private. If UCLA is still a major goal, I strongly suggest community college. I know many many many students who started at CCC and ended up at UCLA, CAL, Davis, the other UCs, etc.</p>