<p>Perhaps i’m dumb, but i dont understand how the books and the personal expenses fit into the financial aid budget.</p>
<p>They say it’s just a guideline; but then they meet that amount with grants. Is it true that they give you a “grant” for it but then your parents have to pay for it? It just doesn’t make any sense to me…</p>
<p>You must have your award by now........there are costs/expenses and there are grants/loans/ws. Grants are not something you pay back. Loans you pay back. Work Study is a job you get for cash in your pocket.....or convert to a loan and of course///////pay back.</p>
<p>
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**books and the personal expenses fit into the financial aid budget.
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** These numbers are a fixed amount of aid against unknown amount of expense......a guess, judgement of what is anticipated. Does that help?</p>
<p>How do you get the money that goes towards books and personal expenses money? I got a grant component that covers most of the tuition, and then I have the family component of X amount. </p>
<p>How much would I then pay the college? (x-(the cost of books + personal expenses)? Or X?</p>
<p>Get your Penn Card set up with a bank account you can do it all online. You will have $1000. credit at the bookstore which covers MOST of your books. Your campus bill will then reflect the bookstore charges and tuition and housing and insurance and phone+food plan. Your loans/grants will be credited to your billing........does that help?
You won't need to really get the money for your books......spending is on you or you will get a payout of the loan over expenses. Your first billing will hit end of July as I recall. Insurance bill hits much later........maybe a couple of months. </p>
<p>You may need the ability to buy books from an independent for some minor class but unlikely unless you are Classics Major.
<a href="http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/penncard/card/obtaining.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/penncard/card/obtaining.html</a></p>
<p>thanks for the help so far.</p>
<p>so let's say my efc is 5,000. would my parents then pay the college (5,000 - personal expenses and trvel) and they would give the personal expense money to me?</p>
<p>also, i think work study money that you earn is used for books/personal expenses.</p>