Help! My Financial Aid Package doesn't cover the Cost of Attendance

Paying for College
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<p><a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid;

<p>here are scholarships for cancer survivors. I typed “scholarships for cancer survivor” into google and that’s the first hit. </p>

<p>or how about <a href=“https://ups.managehr.com/opportunities/main.html[/url]”>https://ups.managehr.com/opportunities/main.html&lt;/a&gt; I’m pretty sure they provide tuition reimbursement <a href=“https://ups.managehr.com/benefits/earn.html[/url]”>https://ups.managehr.com/benefits/earn.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>For part-time management employees, the benefits are increased to $4,000 per calendar year with a lifetime maximum of $20,000.</p>

<p>In addition to tuition assistance, part-time employees are eligible for forgivable student loans of $2,000 per calendar year with an $8,000 lifetime maximum.</p>

<p>Students are eligible for Earn and Learn the day they are hired and benefits are pro-rated accordingly if a student is hired mid-semester.</p>

<p>Okay, at the risk of your wrath, I will say that you need to do a little searching on your own. There isn’t a secret phone # or website that gives you the free money that we don’t want to tell you about. If it were only so easy!</p>

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<p>jerzgirl,</p>

<p>You’re absolutely right. I didn’t think that all schools meet all need, but when I figured this out before making the leap this year, I took that in account. I actually went down to the FA office and told them my EFC, and they told me what I’d be looking at this year. Unfortunately, between that time and the time I got my actual aid letter, they said I’d get perkins and a little FSEOG money, and the letter didn’t have it. I’d bet they ran out. </p>

<p>This year will be tough, but I’m committed to seeing it through. Next year, according to the office, will be better. I guess, according to some people on here and many of my student friends in college now, that first year is the most difficult, because you have to break into the aid system for awhile before it adjusts to your real circumstances. </p>

<p>But THANK YOU for understanding that I can only work so much before my financial aid awards get lessened. AND I will definitely take your suggestions to heart to help me get through the next year, and see if I can’t use them to adjust the situation a bit in the short term with my FA officer.</p>

<p>BTW, I’m trying for a private loan still - that may solve the situation, but if it doesn’t, or I don’t get it, I’m still committed to this year one way or another. I appreciate the advice. I’ll find a way to pay for this one way or another…short of prostitution, that is. ;)</p>

<p>Em,</p>

<p>Yes, Boeing must be an exception then. I’m not sure why they would just offer money to employees to take any class they wanted, especially a massage program. I think if you brought that to the attention of a VP of human resources, your friend would no longer be able to be in that program. That really makes no sense for the company, unless they just have money to give away without expecting anything in return. Anyway, look on the web - you’ll see that most descriptions of tuition reimbursement programs closely follow my description. </p>

<p>As for getting into a company that will further my education, you’re right, I’d love to do that. But how to you propose a way for me to work enough to qualify for the reimbursement program, but NOT enough to start to reduce my financial aid? And also still make enough money to live? </p>

<p>On a separate note, I have noticed something: </p>

<p>I sense a division between some parents who feel their kids should do it on their own, and some who feel its their responsibility to give them a good start in adulthood. I wonder whether a lot of this has to do with whether a parent themselves went to college, and/or whether or not they had to do it themselves.</p>

<p>I get the feeling that the reason the financial aid system in this country doesn’t work is because there are parents who don’t understand or agree that they are expected to contribute towards college. Not that they can’t contribute, but they just WON’T. They feel “well, no one helped me, so why should I help you?” This is your child you’re talking about. That may not be tough-love you’re offering, but instead might be resentment. </p>

<p>Regardless, though, until you’re 23 and whether you like it or not, the financial aid system expects that you will contribute towards college for your children. Your children are penalized against other children whose families will contribute. If you’re just shoving your kids out of the nest at 17 or 18 and expecting them to sink or swim, you’re really not doing them any favors. </p>

<p>Right out of high school, you’re asking them to come up with about 20,000 to 30,000 per year or more without any help from you? That’s a tall order for a child just starting out. Even with financial aid, how much does that leave for them to come up with without your help? Can some kids do it? Sure. But I think you’d be surprised at the vast numbers who fail or never even try because it seems impossible. Don’t you think there is a reason the government expects the family to contribute? Because even they know that most KIDS CAN’T DO IT ALONE. </p>

<p>The world has changed drastically since some of you chose to or were forced to go out on your own. All you’re really doing is handicapping your kids future in the face of a system they had nothing to do with. I looked at some of these posts on here; kids with deadbeat parents who won’t help even fill out the FAFSA and some parents who just refused to help their child out at all, for whatever petty reasons that had nothing to do with money. </p>

<p>Those kids? They had no choice to do it alone. This is your child you’re talking about, not some bum on the street. “No one helped me at that age and I took care of myself, so he or she can too”. Doesn’t that sound a little selfish?</p>

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<p>Thanks Sue, I appreciate that. I’ll look into the UPS opportunity, if the pay I get from them won’t affect my financial aid downwards. Again, that’s what the trick is to working while in college. Any money I make affects my aid downwards. </p>

<p>As for the cancer scholarship, I’ll look into that too, thanks.</p>

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<p>iamjbo,
Regarding your medical situation, you may be able to get some financial help from local sources - not sure of specifics to point you to, but you might try searching and calling around - there are often groups that try to help out depending on % of income (which I assume to be relatively low at the time). Even if you already paid your bills, you might get some reimbursement $ that you can put towards college. </p>

<p>I’m assuming you mentioned your medical situation to your FA officer as well. If not, do so immediately and if this situation occured before last yr, mention that as well, especially if you had bills/loans to pay back. Do you have medical insurance now? If not, please try to get some - there are programs for low income and programs for students, maybe even through your school. If you need it and don’t have it, maybe the school will add it to your COA and cover that for you. If you’re paying for it, you should mention that to your FA officer, as it’s a necessary expense for you and probably expensive due to your cancer.</p>

<p>So glad to hear that you will qualify for more fed funds next yr. Just make sure to get your FAFSA submitted in early Jan. You can always make changes to it if needed but get it done early. Look into scholarships for next yr as well for “older students returning to school” and for cancer survivers - use any “hook” that helps you.</p>

<p>Oh, just to clarify, from what I’ve read on CC, you can earn up to $3000 in addition to your Work Study job, before it affects your FA - then for every $1 earned, they want $.50.</p>

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<p>according to my fafsa paperwork, for an unmarried independent student, without dependents (you don’t have any of those, right :-), your income protection allowance is 6050 (for the filing season that has ended). Your asset protection for 2007 was 3100 if you were 28 years old at the end of 2006</p>

<p>You can make $6050 in 2008 and none of it will count against you when it comes to the EFC calculation for the following year (2009). Since you already made over that this year (so you will still have some of that against your EFC for next year), you should use your work study money in the fall semester and then earn the reportable money starting in 2008.</p>

<p>File the fafsa as soon as you can, it’s first come first served with Federal money. </p>

<p>Can we ask what college you are going to and what you are studying (no it’s none of my business, but sometimes scholarships are available for certain majors)</p>

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<p>jerzgrlmom, I think the 3000 asset protection is for dependent students, it’s different for independent and different again if you have a spouse or children.</p>

<p>as far as health insurance, many schools let you buy into their group plan, but I have no idea about pre-existing conditions. </p>

<p>Also, you will get one of the tax credits when you file your federal taxes, check out IRS publication 970. You can do taxes online for free and I highly recommend that route for you.</p>

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<p>sue, thanks for the info. Sounds like an even better deal for imajbo.</p>

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<p>

That’s the point - my son has not taken any money from me since he was 20. </p>

<p>I understand that you have had a rough time, but you will not get anywhere blaming your parents or life circumstances. I understand what you are saying about the financial aid system and those who are under age 23 – my son experienced that and I really think that the system has been intentionally designed to try to force young people into the military. But that’s not your problem – you are age 29, well into adulthood. Adults pay their own way, and things don’t always come easy. </p>

<p>I’m sorry that you have been ill, but the answer still is the same: you will have to work to earn money to fill the gap. It sucks that if you earn too much it cuts into financial aid, but there is always a net benefit no matter how slim. That is, if you earn $100 and you lose $70 worth of aid, you are still ahead by $30. </p>

<p>I suggested some concrete ways for you to reduce living expenses. I know many students working their way through school who have found rent-free housing in exchange for services, usually related in some way to the premises they are occupying. From what I can see you have most of your tuition covered via grants & loans, you are just coming up empty when it comes to living expenses. Also, that kind of exchange generally won’t result in reportable income to you. </p>

<p>Finally: is the college with the $12K annual tuition your only option? My son has been attending an in-state public where annual tuition is about $3500 --it is not his top choice school, but he chose based on what he could afford, and he has done very well there. </p>

<p>I also think you misunderstood things when I mentioned that my son had $10K in savings when he started – he didn’t just happen to have that money. That is what he had after working for three years – he had intended to work for one year, but deferred college entry twice, all the time living as frugally as possible with the intent of saving up for college. In the meantime, he really did build employment skills that have in turn led to better paying work.</p>

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<p>calmom,
Instate tuition costs really vary according to where you live. Here in NJ, our state university costs almost $11,000 per year (tuition and fees only). With R& B, it’s over $20,000/yr. I’m not sure what out of state students pay. Our only low cost options are community colleges.</p>

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<p>Rutgers is expensive. <a href=“http://admissions.rutgers.edu/0401.asp[/url]”>http://admissions.rutgers.edu/0401.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>My son was accepted there and it would have been at least 29000 for oos.. they gave him 8K scholarship and the Perkins and stafford loans. My out of pocket would have been not much less than what it is costing me to send him to NYU. His friend is going to Rutgers and her mother is going to move to NJ to establish residency so she can get instate tuition in the future.</p>

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<p>Pitt and Penn State are the two largest universities in western PA area and for instate they are both are around $12,000 tuition and $7000 for r&b.
I agree with trying to reduce living expenses. If you are in Pittsburgh I think it would be cheaper to live off campus than on, unless you were an RA and got free housing. Don’t buy a meal plan or eat out, cook for yourself, many college kids have lived on Ramen and PB&J for a few years.
Also even though they may tell you it will be better next year don’t count on that, unless you have something signed in writing. College costs will go up, funding will go down, new freshman will be coming in needing aid and you will be an upperclassman who they are not trying to convince to stay. You should however get more in the stafford loan as that amount goes up each year.</p>

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<p>In California, there is a 2-tiered system of universities - the UC’s are at the top & cost about twice as much in tuition as the next level, the CSU’s. My son was a National Merit finalist & had a 4.0 unweighted academic GPA in high school, 4.3 weighted. He is at a CSU. </p>

<p>After reading post #31, I decided to go online and check out Pennsylvania, since I know Pitt & Penn State are highly regarded. I wanted to find out if, like California, there were more affordable options for students who are willing to take a cut in prestige. I found that indeed there are a number of public universities where in-state tuition is about $6000 - $7000 a year: Bloomsburg U, California University of Pennsylvania, Cheyney U, Clarion, East Stroudsberg,
Edinboro, Indiana U. of PA, Kutztown, Lincoln, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, West Chester. </p>

<p>OK, its not as cheap as the Cal States and I’ve never heard of most of those colleges… but it is about half the cost of attending Penn State or Pitt, and if I were a nontraditional returning student hard up for cash, I’d take a serious look at that option. </p>

<p>I found the same thing when I searched New Jersey --Rutgers is pricey, but I could find public colleges which charge about $7000/year in tuition like Montclair State or Ramapo.</p>

<p>Yeah, I know, these schools probably aren’t considered to be all that great. But my son reports that his teachers are capable and very dedicated to teaching; and his fellow students are serious about learning. The classes are easier than he would like, but I always ask him what’s stopping him from reading further on his own. (He says he’s “too busy”… LOL) The fact that my son seems to be one of the more capable students at his school doesn’t hurt either - the school offers some fantastic opportunities to a select few, and he is in a position to take advantage of those opportunities.</p>

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<p>The one state school my son applied to was West Chester. It was our safety school for financial reasons. Total COA would have been under 14K. Many(probably all I just didn’t research them completely) of those PA state schools Calmom listed are very good schools. I would have sent my son to West Chester in a heartbeat if it was our only option when it came to financing.</p>

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<p>Rutgers is pricey by public school standards, about 20K with R&B.</p>

<p>But Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers was a financially viable choice for our son (instate) as compared to the private conservatories he was accepted to (30-47k/year).</p>

<p>Good choice for him (and us).</p>

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<p>I’m sure you’ve gotten this answer already…but the reason is simple. Your university does not meet full need. Most don’t. That leaves you with a gap in the amount you have and the amount you need. </p>

<p>Many students (non-traditional…my husband was one) go to college part time and work full time. It takes longer to do this but the end result is the same…a college degree. My husband (who was 30 a the time) actually found a university with a co-op program. He went to the community college for the first two years, then transfered to the university with the coop program. It took him 3 years to finish the last two years of schooling but that was because he alternated semesters working full time and attending school full time for those last three years. He had no debt in the end and the added bonus was that the company offered him a well paying job upon his graduation. </p>

<p>I know this is not an option that fits into your current plans, but it is an option…just a thought.</p>

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<p>Don’t plus loans have to start being paid back right away vs deferring payment until after graduation.</p>

<p>if so, only his parents (who may be approaching retirement age) can say if this is a good idea or not.</p>

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<p>PLUS loans begin to be paid back as soon as final amount is sent to school- I believe you can get a hardship waiver for the loan until student isn’t in school- but interest has to be paid back before that.
Also PLUS is only for parents of dependent students.
For independent students- loans are

</p>

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<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>I appreciate your responses to my post. As it turns out, Swimcat and many of you were correct to recommend marching my heiny down to the financial aid office. I have a contact there and the outcome was very good.</p>

<p>It turns out that, this year, the only reason I didn’t get Perkins or FSEOG money was due to a late FAFSA turn in (as compared to other students). Because I’m older, and non-traditional, it took a little more time to get admitted. Next year, I’m told, I’ll be receiving the aid package that was outlined to me. This year, though, the funds just ran out. I was told if I get my FAFSA in with my Special Conditions form as soon as possible, I should have the aid package I need to live and attend. So that was good news for the future.</p>

<p>The best news was, once I went in to see her and explained my situation, a solution was immediately found. I was offered a need-based institutional loan to make up the difference. In addition, my college of study approved me for a minor supplemental aid grant for the semester, and I’m waiting to hear about a special state grant that I may get because of my field of study. The end result is that, with the loan, the workstudy, and the possibility of that grant, I’ll make it through this year. Just about all of my need is met. </p>

<p>So this year is a go, and next year will be even better. Thankfully, with that out of the way, I can now focus my efforts where they belong: study. </p>

<p>Thanks for those who offered tidbits of advice and info, as well as ways to get through the school year. Even though i’m in a better financial position, I’m going to take some of the advice to heart to really make the year even better. And if I’ve been a little harsh with some, I hope there are no hard feelings. I stand by what I said, especially about older students and the aid system, but I think it’s important to know that we’re really all just here to communicate what we know. :)</p>

<p>J</p>

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<p>I’M SO GLAD TO SEE THINGS WORKED OUT FOR YOU! WAY TO GO!!</p>

<p>I didn’t know about the whole aid lowering if you work too much thing. I understand where you’re coming from iamjbo. I just turned 24 in August and I was supposed to attending school in August but due to a lack of funds, I wasn’t able to. I’ve been to college before. I attended the Art Institute and after about nine months, I realized it wasn’t what I wanted. I went to a CC for Japanese 1 and 2 and now I’m taking a full load at a CC with just GE’s while also working full time. My predicament is that the school I applied to is Temple University, Japan Campus. It’s a branch school of Temple University in Philly but it’s located in Tokyo so I can spend my whole fours years in Tokyo earning my degree. The school is fully accredited in the US and Japan. I looked all over the web for aid and although there’s a lot I qualify for (I’m a low-income black female), the school has to be located in the States for me to receive the money and that’s my only pitfall. The school itself doesn’t qualify. Not even for the Perkins loan or FEOSG. I was over $16,000 short. I’ve contacted family and no one can help. I don’t have very good credit but I’m working on it and I actually don’t have ALOT of debt, just enough to be denied everything. It was my own stupid fault for trusting my sister back when I was 18 and she’s 12 years older than me! She messed up my credit before I had a chance to do anything with it. That’s a long story though and most of it I didn’t even know about until it was too late. Anyway, I’m trying again for the spring but the deadline for everything is Oct. 1st and I don’t think I’ll make it with the difficulty I’m having in finding funds. If this just utterly fails, I’m going to try for Middlebury for fall 08 which is renowned for its fantastic language programs. But, to be fair, you it had a bit rougher than me. I don’t have the best habits when it comes to money and I’m definitely due for a reality check with that despite the numerous ones life has thrown at me. Either way, even if I change my habits, that still won’t provide me enough aid for a whole year. I’m required to have at least $20,000 to get a visa and that covers my expenses for the whole school year. I live in LA so I can’t just go visit the school whenever I have a problem. I called the aid office about my situation and they said they couldn’t do anything for me. Also, study abroad aid isn’t really an option either because it’s always for students who attend school here but go abroad for a semester or year and come back home. I’d actually be obtaining my degree over in Japan the entire time.</p>

<p>Anyway, enough rambling though. Beside the obvious advice (change spending habits, save more, because I’m working on it) if anyone knows of grants, scholarships, etc, for someone like me, it’d be greatly appreciated. I’ve been looking all over and always come up short due to school location despite the fact that the money goes through the main school which is in Philly.</p>

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<p>Hi Empress,</p>

<p>You know, Swimcat recommended that I walk my butt down to financial aid. Have you tried that yet? Telling them how much you’re short and saying “well, is there anything we can do about that?” might help! It helped in my case. </p>

<p>What are your grades like, if you don’t mind me asking?</p>

<p>J</p>