<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I seriously need your help with something. So this year was my first year of college and I kind of blew it when it came to work study because I did something stupid and ended up getting fired from it. I actually want to appeal to my school's financial aid but I don't know what to say if they ask about the work study thing. The thing is...the part that's tricky about workstudy is that you don't earn all of the amount they say you can because the tricky scheduling can make it hard for you to work all the required hours for a week. I was offered $2,800 in workstudy and I'm appealing for more aid (my parents have to pay about $6,500 and I have about $14,000 in debt) so I don't think workstudy would have helped out that much anyways. </p>
<p>What should I say when I talk to them on the phone and they mention workstudy? I still need more aid and I don't want them using that against me. </p>
<p>Thanks,
Sakura! <3</p>
<p>Not enough info. What is your basis for financial aid reconsideration? Has your parent income decreased substantially? Were there significant medical expenses? What is different NOW than when you applied for,your aid? </p>
<p>Yeah my parents’ income has decreased substantially cuz my dad hadto go to India to help out hisfamily after my grandpa passed away. I swear ever since he died, it’s been like a ■■■■■■■■ back there and my dad’s oldest brother doesn’t work at all sot here’s no one to support my poor old grandma so my dad has to go there and see what’s up every now and then cuz they’re having all these arguments over the will and stuff. Basically,since my dad had to leave for these familial obligations, he ended up not working for a total of 6 months in the past two years which really held us back! </p>
<p>Well…your financial aid application would have reflected your dad’s lesser income…right?</p>
<p>How much did he NOT work in 2013? That is what matters. Is he working now? What about your mom?</p>
<p>Plus…what matters is his income…not how many months over TWO years he wasn’t working. </p>
<p>my mom doesnt work and the lesser income is actually reflected on the 2013 tax forms instead of the ones last year…his total income this year was MUCH lower than in 2012 when I first applied for fin aid. He didnt work for 3 months this year, which is a really long time to not work. </p>
<p>Honestly, I think workstudy was a weird program in that if you didnt get to work for the allotted week…it was just that and they didnt give you a chance to make up the hours so then you’d have to forfeit the money. >.< I do have a stable job now so I’m happy about that but I still need the fin aid. since I have so many student loans and my parents’ income is so low.</p>
<p>If the lesser income is reflected on your 2013 taxes, then it should also be reflected on your 2014-2015 financial aid application forms. </p>
<p>So again I ask…what has changed since those forms were completed?</p>
<p>Many students don’t work enough to earn their full work study allotment. </p>
<p>No, my school sucks when it comes to giving out aid and like I said, my dads income has changed since those forms were completed. He went from making 25K a year to 14K a year so if that’s not a big difference, then I don’t know what is. </p>
<p>So would they really use workstudy against me? I think that’s totally not fair that we dont get the chance to fully earn the money allotted. I mean, hello, it says “workSTUDY” and with the pressures of exams, it can be hard going in for work.
Would that be a good counter if they do try to use it against me for getting more aid? because i don’t think that’s fair not truly being the said award. </p>
<p>I want to do a listening check.</p>
<ol>
<li>You had work study this past school year, but was fired</li>
<li>Your family struggles to pay their EFC</li>
<li>You have $14K in loans per year</li>
<li>You were awarded $2800 in work study for the coming school year, but you do not wish to work</li>
<li>You wish to appeal your FA award because you want an increase in grant aid because you were irresponsible at your last work study job, and now want the school to reward your lack of work ethic with additional grants</li>
</ol>
<p>Is this what you are saying?</p>
<p>I highly doubt your school will give you more grant aid because you do not wish to work. You cannot afford not to accept the work study without adding the $2800 to your family’s current burden of paying their EFC. </p>
<p>Your father’s decrease in earnings over the past two years was already taken into consideration when the school determined your aid packages. It looks like you need to figure out book and personal spending money since you do not wish to take the $2800 work study award. Are you adverse to twice a week plasma donation for spending money? Depending upon the location of your school, and if there is a donation center near you, a payment of $25-$35 per donation can be had–maximum of 2 deposits every 7 days. But, then there may be a moral or ethical dilemma regarding ‘selling’ your plasma. This way you can contribute to your needs by donating around your schedule.</p>
<p>What tax form did your family file? Do you or your family qualify for any federally funded means tested benefits (free reduced lunch, food stamps, etc)? </p>
<p>@BunHeadMom…it’s not I do not wish to work. In fact, I already have a job. I am not asking an increase in grant aid because of my lack of work ethic…actually I’ve done pretty well this year and have gotten good grades—> THAT is what I want to be rewarded for. What I’m afraid of is them using the workstudy thing to go against me when it was all a really simple stupid mistake and now that I have a real job I know i’ll never do again. </p>
<p>@Thumper1, the 1040, I believe? Yes, during high school I received reduced lunch and well, when my parents first came here we used to use food stamps…we haven’t applied for them recently so I’m not sure if we’re eligible but with our low-income it may be possible</p>
<p>I just want to know how to tackle the conversation if it comes up on the phone. Yes, what’s done is done but I want to communicate that I’ve grown from that point and that my good grades are a reason for additional funding. Besides, with workstudy, the scheduling was really inefficient and ineffective since they made it out so that you wouldn’t earn the total amount unless you worked this many hours a week a minimum…which is crazy to ask for during midterms/finals week! Luckily, with my new job, I don’t have to worry about forfeiting money. Besides, compared to the amount I have in loans and out-of-pocket, I dont think workstudy really does make a difference.</p>
<p>I dont know how about the donating my blood part but for now, I want to try my best to get as much financial aid as possible.</p>
<p>Work Study makes a $2800 difference, that if you do not take, your school will not entertain increasing your grant aid, as it will appear that you do not wish to work to help with school costs. Will you have the ability to work your current job while in school? </p>
<p>Did you get food stamps in your senior year of high school?</p>
<p>I’m only asking because I believe with your $25,000 income, and eligibility for a means tested benefit, you would have an auto $0 EFC per FAFSA. You can’t get any lower than a $0 EFC…so your aid would have been based on that amount. </p>
<p>What WAS your FAFSA EFC?</p>
<p>@Bunheadmom…why do you keep saying that I do not wish to work to help with school costs? I already told you I have a job and yes, I will be working while in school. But that job doesn’t produce enough money to help out with school costs obviously since it’s a student job and I dont make that much. I actually use most of that money to help out with the other costs of school like transportation and books, which we all know in college is crazy expensive. </p>
<p>My FAFSA EFC has always been 0 and I didn’t apply for food stamps in my senior year. Like I said, my school sucks at giving aid, which is why I’m appealing because I know that i need the help. </p>
<p>So far, no one’s really helped me with my initial q. I want to know how to tackle this topic if it comes up on the phone. I havent fully discussed my appeal with them but one of the ladies asked what happened to my workstudy job and I simply told her that I am not participating in it anymore.</p>
<p>I probably won’t be offered another workstudy job because of what happened and that’s okay because I didn’t find the program that useful in my experience anyway. It was too inconvenient since I would have to come in on days that I didn’t have school (I commute) and there was the stress of having to forfeit money since it was practically impossible to work the minimum of 11 hours a week during midterms/finals week and they dont let you make up those hours. </p>
<p>I want to point out how even with a workstudy job, it still wouldn’t really help me out in the long run, which is why i am requesting for more aid since I have a high financial need. Having done well in school, as well, I am also asking to be looked for that part. I just want to be prepared if they bring it up because they may use it as a reason to deny me more aid but in fact, the money from workstudy doesn’t help very much at all compared to the other costs my parents have to pay and all the loans that I have in my low-income and high-financial need state. </p>
<p>If your FAFSA EFC has always bee ZERO, then that is what was used to determine your aid. There is no EFC below zero. Your school is already giving you their maximum computed aid based on the lowest possible EFC.</p>
<p>Certainly, you can ask for a reconsideration, and additional funds. But your dad’s reduction in salary will not further reduce your EFC…it’s already $0.</p>
<p>RE: your work study question…I doubt that the topic will come up. Like I said, many kids do NOT work their full WS allotment in an academic year.</p>
<p>Now the issue of getting another WS job? Well…that’s a whole other story. You will likely not be able to be at all picky about WS jobs should you be offered WS.</p>
<p>The problem is that if you file an appeal, it wont be over the phone. You know that you can choose to decline the work study, right? If they ask about it, which I doubt, you can let them know that the hours were inconvenient with your schedule and your commute. You’re worrying too much about getting fired. That’s in the past. Let it go.</p>
<p>The school wont increase your financial aid just because you say you need more money. All students need more money, and if your school has weak financial aid, that’s just part of the university. Everything is based on financial formulas calculated by each university that tries to cover as many of their students’ as possible. They have a finite set of X dollars for a Y amount of students. If the school has loans, those might be offered to you.
Basically, you can’t afford your university if you are relying on asking for more dollars to attend. You already owe money and you will owe even more. Don’t rely on getting more money. Start looking at a community college as an option.</p>