Financial Aid Situation

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Los Angeles
1

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>This is regarding my brother's financial aid offer.</p>

<p>My brother was accepted into UCLA as an out-of-state student and his EFC was estimated to be 5500~. </p>

<p>I understand UCLA does not require CSS Profile; From my understanding, that means FAFSA is the only financial document they would have looked at.</p>

<p>After taking all the scholarship and grants (basically, all the aid they are willing to provide) into account, we have to pay $36,000~ out of pocket.</p>

<p>I fully understand UCLA is by no means supposed to be "cheap", but they're asking us to pay more than 6 times our EFC. Is that normal for UCLA's aid awards for out-of-state students?</p>

<p>Our total assets aren't even worth half of that amount. I'm in college as well and I know that FAFSA has already taken that into account.</p>

<p>So what I'm asking for is basically some advice. We are hoping to appeal the aid offer, and I'd like to know how successful students are in appealing for aid at UCLA. </p>

<p>Another factor to take into account is the fact that my father was laid off just a week ago. The last time he was laid off was last April (2013). Maybe my father's unsteady job situation might help us too.</p>

<p>Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. </p>

2

<p>Yeah, it’s pretty expensive for OOS students. I wouldn’t hold my breath for a financial aid appeal, but it wouldn’t hurt to try. </p>

3

<p>Thanks uclastudennnnt for your response. More advice would be greatly appreciated! </p>

4

<p>You can try, but UC schools (UCLA, UCSD, whatever) are accepting more and more out-of-state and foreign students for the precise purpose of gaining more monies for the budget troubles of the UC system. We have plenty of lower income/no asset, out of work students/parents right here in CA who need help. If you are from a unique state (not the more common or populous states), that might help to point out</p>

5

<p>Are you sure your EFC was $5,500? That is the maximum amount of a first year student loan, but your family contribution (EFC) will almost always by more than that. I think if you look further you will see your brother is expected to take out a $5,500 loan and your parents are supposed to pay for the rest.</p>

6

<p>@lynjobes - Well, my brother is graduating from a school in Alabama, if that helps. My brother also told me about how UCLA will try to take more money from out of state students. </p>

<p>But don’t you think that having to pay more than 6 times the EFC is a little over the top?</p>

<p>@Califilm - The “~” indicated $5500 approximately so it isn’t exactly $5500. </p>

<p>However, it is less than what I said it was. It is 005231, which is $5231. </p>

7

<p>I don’t know the numbers and EFC stuff esai23 but living in CAlif, I know that its public university system, both the UC system (such as UCLA, UCBerkeley) and the CSU system (San Jose State, San Francisco State, etc.) are both in bad budgetary situations (just like California itself), so while Alabama may be generous, California is not. Good luck…</p>

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<p>@lynjobes - Thank you for the response. I too don’t know how Alabama fares in comparison to California as far the educational budget standings are concerned. </p>

<p>However, let me add that although we are residents of Alabama, my brother is being denied need-based aid for the coming year, even with an EFC of 5231.</p>

<p>I’d also like to add this - When I was accepted to Emory a year ago, our EFC was ~16500. Even so, I was asked to pay ~$26,000 per year. </p>

<p>Now compare that number with the EFC of 5231, and the fact that even though EFC has reduced almost 3 times, we are being asked to pay even more than how much Emory asked me to pay…</p>

<p>Now I understand UCLA and Emory are two different schools. But this honestly just does not make sense to me.</p>

9

<p>Emory is a private school, UCLA is a state school. Most grants are reserved for in-state students. OOS student pay almost twice in-state students pay. </p>

<p>According to UCLA’s COA for OOS (see here: <a href=“https://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/budget.htm”>https://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/budget.htm&lt;/a&gt;)
tuition is $56,000. So $36,000 is UCLA offering about $20K which seems to be what they pay for in-state students, give or take. </p>

<p>The OOS fees that the UC’s charge OOS and International students is needed to help keep the schools flush with cash in these economic times.</p>

<p>It is a lot of money! Good luck with your brothers decision!</p>

10

<p>@liveonboca - Thank you for your response! Yes, it is indeed a lot of money.</p>

<p>But if someone were to think through this logically, it’s almost as if they don’t want OOS students to join.</p>

<p>Which person coming from a situation such as my brother’s situation, would be willing to pay more than 6 times their EFC? </p>

<p>Anyway, another reason why we’re happy is because now his chances of getting into other schools which are ranked similarly such as USC, Emory, etc. are good. (Yes, I know he could very well be rejected from these schools, but I like to think positively!)</p>

11

<p>When my son was accepted 4 years ago, at orientation, the financial aid counselor said that the only aid that UCLA will give is up to the in-state price, and that this is pretty much what happens to California students when they go places like UT, etc… </p>

12

<p>Keep in mind that despite your EFC, as an OOS, your brother would still pay ~full price. The most the school would offer is loans.</p>

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<p>Thank you guys. But wow, that just stinks huh?</p>

<p>It’s not like UCLA is the top of my brother’s dream school list, but it’s kind of sad to hear that there are OOS students who won’t attend such a nice school because of a lack of aid.</p>

<p>@tx5athome - So it doesn’t matter if you come from a family who earns less than $30,000 or if you come from a family that earns more than $100,000 - The maximum UCLA will give for both students is in-state price. Wow. </p>

14

<p>@esai23
“It’s not like UCLA is the top of my brother’s dream school list, but it’s kind of sad to hear that there are OOS students who won’t attend such a nice school because of a lack of aid.”</p>

<p>Wow! That statement really stings! What’s really sad is when well-rounded in-state students with stellar stats are waitlisted (such as my son) or outright rejected (as were most of his friends) whose lifelong dream has been to attend UCLA but they were denied admission to make room for apparently ungrateful OOS and international students! That’s what’s sad!</p>

15

<p>^preach! You should be grateful you got admission in the first place. I don’t think you realize just how much CA residents pay in taxes each year! We get lower tuition because the state already drained our pockets haha. If you think it’s too expensive, then that’s too bad and I’m sure you’ll have a good time elsewhere. There’s no need to be so snappy, especially when people on this board spend their free time trying to guide students. Try to be more grateful!</p>

16

<p>OP:
So your brother who’s from Alabama and your parents don’t pay California taxes, yet he will pay as much as (give or take few K) my daughter to attend UCLA. Yet we pay about 10K a year in CA taxes. </p>

17

<p>Simmer down folks. I’m not trying to be snappy or ungrateful. How you guys arrive at that conclusion is beyond me.</p>

<p>@LMmomof2 - I’m sorry that my statement stings when I certainly didn’t mean to hurt anyone. And I’m sorry that your son has been wait-listed. But schools don’t accept students only based on how much they want to go there or for how long they’ve dreamed of going there.</p>

<p>Please don’t assume that we are ungrateful because we’re certainly not. I was delighted when my brother was accepted. Yet, I was upset when I learnt how much aid we would receive. That has nothing - absolutely nothing - to do with how grateful I am/we are. I’m disappointed; I’m not complaining.</p>

<p>Your usage of exclamation marks in every sentence tells me that you’re excited and worked up.
Please calm down, and understand that just because some don’t have the money to attend UCLA does not mean they are ungrateful. By the way, it’s nothing new to hear that kids with stellar stats get rejected while kids who don’t shine as much stat-wise compared to those with stellar stats get accepted. It’s quite amusing how you categorize OOS and International students as “apparently ungrateful”. </p>

<p>@uclastudennnnt - I am grateful. Good God, why do you think I’m not grateful?</p>

<p>And no, I don’t realize how much CA residents pay in taxes. I’m sure it’s a lot but that’s irrelevant to my point. My point - How can a college expect a family to pay more than 6 times a student’s EFC?</p>

<p>My friend, I come to CC for advice and guidance, and I too spend my free time trying to assist others as well. Why do you think I’m ungrateful? That part just doesn’t make sense to me. Why do you think I’m snappy also? I’ve tried my best to be as polite and as kind as possible. </p>

<p>If you make out something completely different from what I’m trying to infer, that’s not my problem honestly. Yes, I stand by my point - It really is sad that there are students who won’t be able to attend such a nice school due to a lack of aid. I have no idea what makes that sentence “snappy” or how that makes me ungrateful. If anything, that statement shows how much I pity those that come from a financially not-so-well off family such as my brother. </p>

<p>@2018dad - Wonderful. Please explain to me what it is you’re trying to tell me. I’m not trying to be rude, but how much you pay is completely irrelevant to me. It’s how much you pay based on your financial situation that matters which is why I asked this question in the first place. </p>

<p>Are you the only breadwinner in the family like my dad? Are you laid off at this point in time like my dad? Do you have to pay for another kid in college like my dad has to pay $12,000 a year for me? Is your daughter’s EFC less than 5500, like my brother’s EFC of 5231? If so, would you still be ready to pay $36,000 per year?</p>

<p>My brother’s EFC is 5231. Yes, I know that doesn’t mean we are expected to pay only $5231. I’m in college and I’m asked to pay more than double my EFC which is fine.</p>

<p>UCLA is asking my brother to pay more than 6 times his EFC. </p>

18

<p>

</p>

<p>How can a Porsche dealer expect someone to pay twice their income for a new Porsche? The answer is that the Porsche dealer does not expect that – instead, he just offers you the opportunity to buy if you want to pay the price. Similarly, UCLA offers you the opportunity to attend if you want to pay the price. UCLA has no more obligation to made its education affordable to you than the Porsche dealer has to make its car affordable to you.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>It makes me sad that I can’t buy such a nice car due to a lack of income.</p>

19

<p>@soCalDad2 - Hate to break it to you, but that example doesn’t work.</p>

<p>The Porsche dealer does not claim to meet 100% demonstrated need.
UCLA does: <a href=“http://www.fao.ucla.edu/faqs_general.htm”>http://www.fao.ucla.edu/faqs_general.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>The Porsche dealer does not look into my EFC; UCLA does.
The Porsche dealer does not even offer financial aid in the first place; UCLA does.</p>

<p>It makes me sad that I can’t buy such a nice car or attend such a nice school due to a lack of income too. </p>

<p>EDIT: </p>

<p>By the way, I’m not too sure if you’ve heard of appealing your aid offer. It’s a really interesting system where the school will actually reconsider the amount of aid they have given you. This is something the Porsche dealers don’t have, but could consider! (Not exaggerating at all) :)) </p>

20

<p>OP:
I agree that what my daughter will pay is irrelevant, but I just want to point out the logic (or lack thereof) of what you are trying to “demand”. I know you were asking questions but instead of requesting it, it came off as you were “demanding” it and had an “entitlement” attitude (at least to me). Look, I know you’re a nice kid and I apologize if I came off rude to you. In the end we all want the same thing from UCLA: a good quality education from a prestigious university. Your brother can appeal. The worst thing that UCLA will say is NO. FWIW, I grew up poor in a third world country, so I can relate. Good luck to your brother.</p>

<p>PS:<br>

</a>
Can you tell me where exactly UCLA states that they meet 100% of “need”?</p>

<p>Another PS:
One piece of advice. Tone it down a little bit. Being nice goes a long way.</p>