<p>I'm not really getting straight answers from my financial aid officer and after several lengthy emails leading no where, I was wondering if anyone could clear some things up for me.</p>
<p>-How come Pell Grant amounts on my FAFSA account sometimes don't match up with what my school gives me?</p>
<p>Last year my Pell eligibility was $4,700 but I only received $3,900 from my school whereas this year my Pell eligibility was $4,100 and I received exactly $4,100 to my account.</p>
<p>-Does the CSS Profile give you a EFC? </p>
<p>Last year I received a SEOG of $2000 and my FAFSA EFC was 891. This year I did not receive an EFC because "in order to be eligible for SEOG, a student must be both Pell Grant eligible and neither Expected Family Contribution (EFC) may be higher than 4,000. The EFC from your CSS Profile is above 4,000 and so you are ineligible for the SEOG." My FAFSA EFC is 1470 this year and Ive read that CSS doesn't issue an EFC. Or does it...? </p>
<p>Thanks in advance for the help.</p>
<p>Only your school financial aid director can answer these questions. For your first issue, it is possible that upon verification, your parents’ tax information did not exactly correlate to what you used on the FAFSA, which could change your EFC, and correspondingly your PELL award. That happens a lot. </p>
<p>As for SEOG, each school makes its own determination as to how it distributes those limited funds. The term EFC is an official term for FAFSA and not for PROFILE, but, yes the CSS PROFILE does calculate a number that is what it expects your family to contribute, and that number is usually different from the FAFSA EFC. </p>
<p>A school could use that CSS PROFILE number as their “cut factor” for who gets SEOG funds as long as it is superimposed and does not fall under minimum laws for SEOG eligibility. </p>
<p>However, you need to get the exact reasons from your financial aid director so that you understand what is happening with your aid package. I am just guessing here, with possibilities.</p>
<p>I don’t think the CSS Profile generates any numbers for family contribution. The Profile simply gathers the information, and then schools come up with their own number. Even though schools use the same Profile information, their expectations for your family contribution will differ.</p>
<p>Last year my Pell eligibility was $4,700 but I only received $3,900 from my school whereas this year my Pell eligibility was $4,100 and I received exactly $4,100 to my account</p>
<p>that probably means that some corrections were made to your FAFSA that year resulting in a higher EFC and a lower Pell award. Or maybe one semester you didn’t go full-time</p>
<p>This is something only your FA office at your school can answer. I know its a pain, but keep trying. I’ve found some workers are more helpful than others.</p>
<p>I would have to agree that your FAFSA must have had corrections as both my kids always received the Pell amount listed on the final FAFSA report each year.</p>