<p>My son has heard of friends getting $ back and so have I. I have seen kids spending like there is not tomorrow in the bookstore with their financial aid. They brag about it. I don’t know how it works, unless they are spending loan $ that they have to pay back. The kids my son knows and the bookstore spending are at County College and it kills me to think that with that low tuition these kids even need aid. A solid summer job and part-time job should cover it.</p>
<p>As to my son, he qualified for a Stafford loan of almost $3k this semester which he accepted. As a transfer we didn’t really understand the process (having never had loans for community college) and got the tuition paid before the loan was actually applied. He just received a check for the loan amount, made out to him, because it was applied and created an overpayment. Hah! He is writing me a check for that amount and we will apply it to next semester’s tuition. I need to hold that loan over his head to keep him focused!</p>
<p>More off topic commentary here…Financial aid should cover rental books only. There should be no way to sell them and pocket cash.</p>
<p>* I don’t know how it works, unless they are spending loan $ that they have to pay back. The kids my son knows and the bookstore spending are at County College and it kills me to think that with that low tuition these kids even need aid. A solid summer job and part-time job should*</p>
<p>This especially happens when kids are attending very cheap CCs and they’re getting full Pell Grants. Their tuition cost can be under $1000, and they’ll get the remains back in cash. </p>
<p>I don’t think Pell should be such an entitlement…it should cover tuition and books…period.</p>
<p>But, yes, some are spending loan money as well.</p>
<p>My daughter earned fairly generous merit scholarships, and a fair amount of Pell Grant. The first couple of years, she had enough aid to pretty much cover everything without loans. When she eventually moved off-campus, her awards exceeded her tuition bill, so the school refunded the excess. The nearby apartments had leasing options that allowed you to pay for the semester’s rent when the financial-aid refund was disbursed in early September, AS LONG AS you could prove that you were receiving more than a certain amount of financial aid.</p>
<p>As you can see, schools do this differently. None of this matters, as all that counts is how YOUR school handles these things. You need to talk to financial aid and find out, and to whoever determines and enforces where freshman live.</p>
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<p>I would suggest you choose a different college. Why would you think that the RULES do not apply to YOU? The school REQUIRES that you live on campus as a freshman…it doesn’t sound like this is OPTIONAL (unless your parents live within 35 miles and you reside with them).</p>
<p>The college has this policy. If you do not like it, go elsewhere.</p>
<p>I agree that Pell Grant shouldn’t be used for “play money”. But these are the approximate direct costs for the community college nearest me. $2200 tuition, $900 books, $400 required fees. Considering the cost of gas to commute, necessary supplies, etc…not much left to play with!</p>
<p>I agree that if the school requires you to live on campus, then you live on campus.
No matter how capable & mature you think you are, freshman year is a big transition.
Living with roommates,adjusting to college level work & and the ins & outs of being away from home and on a college campus takes time & energy.</p>
<p>Compound that with living off campus, shopping/cooking for meals as well as maintaining your living space & not many would be surprised if something suffered.</p>
<p>Many schools that require you to live on campus the first year, do allow you to move off in subsequent years. It really isn’t that long of a time.</p>
<p>I agree that Pell Grant shouldn’t be used for “play money”. But these are the approximate direct costs for the community college nearest me. $2200 tuition, $900 books, $400 required fees. Considering the cost of gas to commute, necessary supplies, etc…not much left to play with!</p>
<p>But the point is that anyone going to college should be expected to come up with some funds THEMSELVES with a part time job and a summer job. And, a loan if necessary so that they have some skin in the game.</p>
<p>When the student in your scenario is earning say $7k per year from summer/school year jobs, gets 5550 in Pell, and maybe a few thousand in student loans, that means that some of the Pell money is for fluff. </p>
<p>In your scenario, if Pell were limited to $3500 instead of 5550, then gas and other costs would be paid from the student’s income and loan if necessary.</p>
<p>That extra $2k from Pell is either wasted or is an incentive for the student not to do much “self help”.</p>
<p>I agree that Pell Grant shouldn’t be used for “play money”. But these are the approximate direct costs for the community college nearest me. $2200 tuition, $900 books, $400 required fees. Considering the cost of gas to commute, necessary supplies, etc…not much left to play with!</p>
<p>But the point is that anyone going to college should be expected to come up with some funds THEMSELVES with a part time job and a summer job. And, a loan if necessary so that they have some skin in the game.</p>
<p>When the student in your scenario is earning say $7k per year from summer/school year jobs, gets 5550 in Pell, and maybe a few thousand in student loans, that means that some of the Pell money is for fluff. </p>
<p>In your scenario, if Pell were limited to $3500 instead of 5550, then gas and other costs would be paid from the student’s income and loan if necessary.</p>
<p>That extra $2k from Pell is either wasted or is an incentive for the student not to do much “self help”.</p>
<p>I agree that Pell Grant shouldn’t be used for “play money”. But these are the approximate direct costs for the community college nearest me. $2200 tuition, $900 books, $400 required fees. Considering the cost of gas to commute, necessary supplies, etc…not much left to play with!</p>
<p>But the point is that anyone going to college should be expected to come up with some funds THEMSELVES with a part time job and a summer job. And, a loan if necessary so that they have some skin in the game.</p>
<p>When the student in your scenario is earning say $7k per year from summer/school year jobs, gets 5550 in Pell, and maybe a few thousand in student loans, that means that some of the Pell money is for fluff. </p>
<p>In your scenario, if Pell were limited to $3500 instead of 5550, then gas and other costs would be paid from the student’s income and loan if necessary.</p>
<p>That extra $2k from Pell is either wasted or is an incentive for the student not to do much “self help”.</p>
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<p>With all due respect…I do not agree with this. Many low income students might already be working to help support their families. There are many reasons why a student might NOT have a job or take out a loan. Many of the most generous colleges actually are loan free with regards to need based aid. There is a reason for this, one would presume. The student’s skin in the game is to do well in school. Many of these more generous schools give work study awards to very low income students to help them with the student contribution.</p>
<p>I don’t think that most Pell recipients are frittering away their Pell Grant on bonbons…and I hate to think that others have this impression. The Pell Grant recipients <em>I</em> know are a very grateful bunch who are using their Pell on college costs or college related expenses. I would venture that is the case for MOST Pell recipients.</p>
<p>I have known schools that have made exceptions to such rules. A family gapped in fin aid or for any reason unable to come up with the funds who has family or friends nearby who will subsidize the student in living expenses can be a make or break situation. But you do have to check with the college. Things accelerated to a national issue when Yale and some Orthodox Jewish students went head to head with room/board rules there. It is more of an issue at some schools than others.</p>
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<p>Most students are not earning $7k after taxes. At minimum wage (7.40 in Michigan, I know it varies), that’s working over 20 hours a week year round. At one of my jobs (where I work 15 hours a week and make almost double minimum wage), I make only about $7k after taxes and the majority of students are not working for over $12/hour like I am. (I also have another 2 jobs but that’s because I’m crazy and wouldn’t recommend most other students do it.)</p>
<p>And most Pell students ARE working- not wasting money. And many are working more than one job like myself.</p>
<p>But now we’ve gone away from the OP so I’ll leave it at that.</p>