<p>So I got around $700 in refund checks per quarter last year, which I primarily used for transportation back home and food. Then just yesterday I checked my sisweb and it says I’ll be receiving $1100 for my first refund check this quarter. That’s a major decrease in aid, when my financial situation did not even change (probably even worse). I got $700 as a freshman, while even factoring expensive DC meal plans and the pricey stay at the dorms which was around 3k. I’m living off campus now, and I’m not sure how I can pay for rent, textbooks, and transportation for the next 3-4 months on $1100. I have one theory though…since I am enrolled in Chem 118a, bis2a, classics 10, that all adds up to around 11 units. I checked on the financial aid site and it says I only receive 50% of my aid if I take 6+ units (less than 12 though). I was also waitlisted for phy7a and stats 100. I guess waitlist units do not count. However, I don’t think it’s fair to pull all my aid away because I wanted to waitlist some classes that I needed for my major. I decided to drop those waitlisted classes for the time being today and enrolled in a random class to fufill the 12 unit requirement for 100% aid disbursement. Anyone else with this problem? You think they will increase my aid? I even tried calling the financial aid office ~100 times (not even joking) and it kept saying all lines are busy and it automatically hangs up on me even though it says I will be put on hold for about 10 minutes. Jeeeeez gimme a break!</p>
<p>I don’t really know what to say.</p>
<p>Last year my financial aid was about $600 leftover for disbursement to my checking account. This year it was about $1100 (this doesn’t include subsidized loans which would give me almost $3000 leftover). </p>
<p>If you applied for this year’s financial aid really late, that could have been one of the causes why you didn’t get as much as you expected. </p>
<p>You should be able increase the amount of loan money given to you in the financial aid reward package website though.</p>
<p>Also, definitely go to the financial aid office in person and tell them your issue. From my personal experience, its much better than trying to deal with it over the phone. I could be wrong, but I think in person, the office is open the day school starts though.</p>
<p>Wish you the best of luck!</p>
<p>I’ve seen it several places that you must be enrolled in at least 12 units and waitlists don’t count. You can always keep the wailisted class and drop the other one if you get in. If you can go in person, they are open 10-2, but the p hone hours are longer - 9-5 maybe. I’m sure they are swamped with phone calls right now, so all you can do is keep trying. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>Couldn’t you just add some random classes on sisweb to get the full financial aid, then drop them once you find out about the waitlisted classes?</p>
<p>Yes, you must be registered for 12 units minimum to be considered full-time. Waitlisted classes do not count.</p>
<p>Thanks for the messages. I resolved the issue without really doing anything except it cost me a lot of worries. They upped my financial aid to 100% this morning. For anyone else in the same situation, give it around 2 days to finalize (that is if you are “changing” from part-time status to full time status, or in other words, getting over the 12 units minimum).</p>