<p>Scholarships and need-based aid all combine to create your financial aid package. Just because they have different labels doesn’t mean they’re not interchangable. </p>
<p>Some schools stack aid. Some do not. It’s really THAT simple. Scholarships are still AID.</p>
<p>kelsmom, scholarships are not NEED-based aid. So, the amount of a scholarship does not count toward the financial need amount. Rather, it counts toward the COA amount cap. </p>
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<p>While your scholarships were not awarded to you based on need, they do count in the need based aid calculation … I know this because I am a financial aid director.</p>
<p>I am sorry that you are in this position. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to the school to let them know that you will be unable to attend based on the loss of your grants. It is possible that maybe they will reduce work study or sub loan (they can increase unsub if you lose the sub). Be sure that you don’t demand … instead, ask.</p>
<p>Tryandsucceed, did your school calculate a “student contribution” amount? Meaning, did they specify how much money they expect YOU to contribute to your education? Do you have a job this summer? You could make a good few thousand working full time this summer, or almost full time, and really help with your family contribution amount.</p>
<p>Tryandsucceed: you’re not really understanding that the FA from the school is a “package” deal. If you receive outside scholarships, they deduct those monies first from your package of $14k. The school doesn’t promise to give you the whole 20K to attend because your parents, and you, need to contribute $6k. The school really doesn’t have to give you anything; it’s their money that they are choosing to give to you.<br>
+14K from school
<p>If you receive an outside scholarship of $2300, that puts your total at $22,300. Their cost of attendance is at 20k so they reduce your original $14k by that amount. They will not reduce the “family contribution” because it is expected that the family has “invested” in the child, and will help to pay the education fees of their children-it doesn’t really matter about your family’s **current **financial situation. </p>
<p>The EFC is what your family is expected to contribute (savings and birthday money, personal loans, summer jobs, etc); a university education is not a guarantee, it is a privilege. Your family can’t get away from contributing $6000 towards your education if you choose to attend this university.</p>
<p>That’s the reality, and the government’s “definitions” deal with the “whole” package amount. Arguing about the government “definition” and semantics, won’t get you anywhere. Since the university has other students to fund, they use the small pot of money that they have to help fund others.</p>
<p>Additionally, the FA office also has the option of completely rescinding your Financial aid offer. If you can’t afford this school, lots of students go to CC first and then transfer.</p>
<p>Those of us who pay full costs may be funding and supplementing someone like you, so, no one has it perfect. Try scrimping and saving for 18+ years and being penalized with full fees for having money in the kids savings account; not fun.</p>
<p>tryandsucceed,
I’m really sorry about the mess that you are in. However, think of it this way: you are not worse off than you were before winning the scholarship. You are still in need of the same amount of money - if you had not gotten the scholarship you would lack the money needed. My daughter also had her need-based financial aid reduced somewhat when she received outside scholarships. The school saw that she had new financial resources to help pay, so her need was less. She - and you - still had need, but not as much need.
You may well need to attend a community college and then switch to a 4 year school if your intended major allows for that (I tried to get my math teacher daughter to do that, but it would have been impossible for the PA major kid).
As others have said, schools are not obligated to offer you an education for the price that you can afford to pay, any more than a car dealership needs to sell me a car for what I can afford to pay - I have to settle for a car that I CAN afford.</p>
<p>What aunt bea said is really bothering me.</p>
<p>Parents should not be EXPECTED to pay thousands of dollars towards their child’s education once they become an adult. My parents paid everything for me for 18 years of my life, that is MORE than enough. They were NEVER able to “invest” in me because they could not afford it. It is not a matter of their “current” financial situation.</p>
<p>My father especially is a strong believer in kids being on their own once they hit 18. I would have had to move out as soon as I turned 18 if I hadn’t pleaded with him to let me stay until I go to college in August. He won’t even LOAN me any money so that I can avoid taking out student loans with a high interest rate.</p>
<p>Since college is such a privilege as you say, aunt bea, why is it partially the PARENTS’ responsibility to produce funds for that privilege, which is a privilege for the CHILD? For a child that is a legal adult? It is ludicrous and unfair.</p>
<p>@teachandmom:</p>
<p>I do have a job now, but it is only part-time. I have asked for more hours, but my scheduling manager plays favorites. The fact that I’m their oldest worker and most experienced worker by three times as long as everyone else doesn’t matter to her, apparently. I’ve tried to get another job but have not been able to.</p>
<p>I pay for my phone bill, clothes, food, and anything of that nature. I’m trying to save for college but it’s hard when my father has cut me off. I haven’t even gotten my driver’s license yet because the car insurance would be too expensive.</p>
<p>Ok. If you don’t want your parents to pay then go to a CC, work, and pay your own way. Nothing says you have to go to a 4 year right now and nothing says that you have to go full time. </p>
<p>Education is seen as a FAMILY obligation. Right or wrong, that’s how it is. Those who can’t afford it go to a community college and pay their way through. Millions of people do it every single year.</p>
<p>@romanigypsyeyes:</p>
<p>I’m entering into college with over 50 credits. Half of a Bachelor’s (aka an Associate’s) is 60. So a two-year CC isn’t really an option for me either. They don’t have the classes that I need to take.</p>
<p>tryandsucceed, it is fine that your personal philosophy is that, as a “legal adult,” you should be responsible for paying your own way rather than your parents paying your way. What I do not understand is how you extend that personal philosophy to say that the university you plan to attend should have responsibility to pay your way? </p>
<p>If you do not feel your parents should pay, that is fine. It then becomes up to you to find a school that you can afford on your own or find a way to pay the higher cost on your own. There are lots of good suggestions on this thread.</p>
<p>@alamemom:</p>
<p>I never stated that I think the university should pay my way through college. They gave me a financial aid package, and because I got an outside scholarship, I was penalized in the form of reduced aid. This penalization is what I disagree with.</p>
<p>Like I said in my last comment, I can’t go to a CC because they don’t have the classes I need to take, as I already have over 50 credits. The university I chose to go to was actually the CHEAPEST choice. I wanted to go to another college, but I couldn’t afford it. On top of all this, my current university isn’t even offering me enough in loans to cover all of the costs.</p>
<p>My point is that I am financially aware and made all the right decisions that I could.</p>
<p>You aren’t penalized for the scholarship, it is considered a resource in your aid calculation. That is how financial aid is figured: They look at your resources and figure your need. In your case, they calculated your need and AFTER they did so you received another resource so your aid was recalculated.</p>
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<p>Why is it a privilege for that LEGAL ADULT? Because that legal adult is my child, and I am realistic with today’s college tuition costs. There is no law that says YOU (legal adult) have to go to college. No money for tuition= no attendance for Legal Adult. </p>
<p>As a legal adult didn’t you notice the cost of the school?<br>
AS a legal adult, didn’t you notice the terminology from FAFSA?<br>
EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION. “FAMILY”.
As a “legal adult” did you read your housing contract? </p>
<p>The government and the schools recognize that most high school kids can’t earn a minimum of $120,000 over the course of their high school careers to fund their post-secondary educations. Heck, a lot of adults don’t earn these wages!</p>
<p>The schools also expect that responsible parents have “responsibly” guided their children’s financial educations by developing childhood savings plans and donations to their 529 accounts. No matter how small the amounts. (Banks in our state allow contributions as low as $.50). </p>
<p>Financial education is done while the child is UNDER the AGE of 18 because children under 18 aren’t LEGAL ADULTS and can’t bank without a “legal adult” parent. That guidance was your Father’s responsibility before you became a *legal adult.<a href=“This%20includes%20(at%20age%2017)%20help%20with%20setting%20up%20your%20ATM%20card,%20checking%20account,%20and%20credit%20card”>/i</a>. </p>
<p>This is where the Expected Family Contribution comes in. (Money for that EFC, in our family, comes from their savings accounts, summer jobs, birthday money, scholarships/grants and anything else my children can contribute.) </p>
<p>You, yourself are having difficulty understanding the way the financial aid system works. You are upset that you had your FA reduced; and you seem to expect SOMEONE ELSE to pay for YOUR EDUCATION, but not your FATHER because it’s ludicrous and unfair to ask Dad (on pedestal) to pay a dime toward his son’s education because as you say, you are a “legal adult”. </p>
<p>Where do you think the money for YOUR education will come from??? It’s not a guarantee for anyone unless you have the cash at your disposal. Those of us with high-performing kids know that there really is no free ride, and that the competition for funding is fierce, so we pay our portion of the EFC to give our children the privilege of advancing their educations.</p>
<p>Legal adult=the child has turned 18 and can vote, sign contracts, and get arrested. That doesn’t mean he/she leaves the high school as self-sufficient. You are not self-sufficient, as indicated in your arrogance about your FA “rights”, and not knowing that schools are under NO OBLIGATION and are NOT required to meet your expenses. </p>
<p>You didn’t read through the information and you are extremely naive in thinking that you can attend an over-priced university without any financial help from relatives.</p>
<p>tryandsucceed</p>
<p>You have to remember that your parents are first in line when it comes to paying for your education. You believe that because you are a legal adult, that your parent should bear no responsibility in paying for your education, but it is perfectly ok for other people’s parents pay for your education. </p>
<p>Keep in mind, that any monies in grant aid or scholarship aid, whether it is from the school, the federal government, the state or private organization is given through the generosity and taxes of other people’s parents.</p>
<p>The money that you have received has been given to you as Blanche Dubios would say by the kindness of strangers. Now it is time your your parents to shoulder their responsibility. If you vehemently disagree that your parents should shoulder this responsibility, then either you have to pay for it (unlikely) or you have to find a school where you can get a 'full ride" (few and far between) so that other people’s parents can pay for you to attend school.</p>
<p>tryandsucceed,
The vast majority of scholarships out there have a need component. They’re not available to kids without financial need. If you were able to wipe out your family’s EFC with outside scholarships how would that be fair to families who have saved enough to pay the full COA and therefor aren’t eligible for scholarship monies?</p>
<p>Tryandsucceed -
I remember when this happened to me the summer between high school graduation and freshman year. It was very aggravating. I really hope you are able to make finances work out so you can go to college this fall. I like the suggestion of talking to the college’s financial aid department. Best wishes and good luck.
Keep us posted.</p>
<p>This happened to me in 1969. I still remember thinking it was unfair as I was living hand to mouth and had hoped for a little help from the outside scholarship. Of course now I understand that the school was able to use their money to help another hand to mouth student, but it sure discourages looking for outside money.</p>
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<p>In fact, colleges do expect that. They base their aid packages on both student and parent income and assets because, in our society, it is expected that undergraduate school is a family expense that (ideally) will have been anticipated with years of saving.</p>
<p>Colleges also tend not to look at family disposable income. Different families make different choices about how much to spend on houses, cars, vacations, etc., so colleges tend to focus on income and assets. (This hurts families in high cost-of-living areas. Diligent savers also get penalized in aid calculations.)</p>
<p>The EFC determined by the school shouldn’t be confused with what a family can actually afford out of pocket. Often, it seems unrealistic. If a family spends most of its income and doesn’t have sufficient savings, the EFC may be impossible to meet without student or parent loans.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that individual preferences don’t affect the calculations. The income of parents who decline to contribute toward their kid’s education counts the same. Similarly, if a student doesn’t want to accept parental help, it makes no difference in the numbers.</p>
<p>Having said all that, I am sympathetic to the problem of dollar-for-dollar reduction in grant aid. Some schools will apply the reduction to loans or work-study. Others will reduce aid by an amount less than the outside scholarship. </p>
<p>Schools that reduce grant aid dollar-for-dollar remove all the motivation for students to apply for scholarships, which often have lengthy applications, unique essay requirements, mandatory interviews, etc. If a student knows a $1K local scholarship will just be applied to her $5K grant from the college, why bother with the work of applying?</p>
<p>Letting the student benefit, even partially, from outside scholarships is a win-win approach that more schools should adopt.</p>
<p>I have not read everything, but have you gone in and spoken directly to the financial aid office and let them know you will have to drop out if they do not return that other money to your account? They should not have reduced your package unless need was already met. I have never seen a school that admits to reducing packages before need is met. I have seen them do it, but they usually do it before now, so they don’t have to admit they are reducing it. My oldest applied to a few different schools. In the end, it came down to 2 schools. But, the top choice school reduced his aid based on the fact that he had a scholarship, even though that left him $20K from need being met. I am very relieved he did not go there. His current school worked out so much better anyway. He had even more outside scholarship.</p>
<p>The FAFSA provides an expected FAMILY contribution which (as many others have noted) include your parents’ income and assets, and yours.</p>
<p>If you REALLY do not want your parents’ financials to be considered, take some time off until you are 24. At that point, you will be independent for financial aid purposes.</p>
<p>Re: Loans…unless you are going to a community college where the costs are less than what you can take in Direct Loans ($5500-$6500-$7500 depending on your status in college) NO college provides enough loans to cover the cost of attendance. Any loans beyond the Direct Loans are either taken out by the parents, or need to be cosigned by them. Some students do get the Perkins loan as well…but there is NO question that it cannot be given to offset the EFC.</p>
<p>Eightisgreat…unless I’m reading this thread oddly, this student’s NEED has been met…but his $6000 EFC is not covered. The school is NOT obligated to pay the expected FAMILY contribution.</p>