Middle class families across America are in this situation, the bubble. They do not qualify for financial aid but can’t afford pricey college ticket prices. For a EFC of 40k a year, universities expect parents will take a third, third, third approach. A third of the cost from salary, a third from your college savings and a third from loans or future salary. Your dad is only willing to provide part one of this. There are families which live frugally and start saving for college when their child is born even if it is $25 a week. Adds up quickly.
YOU need to have a job or two this summer and save everything. A school year job if you grades won’t drop. If you take a gap year or even better a two year gap and work and save with all your work, 20-40k, you’d have a lot of options. AND with your sister following closely behind after your freshman year your individual EFC drops because your dad will have two students in college. Your new EFC per girl would be 20-25k and then you might get financial aid. I’m not sure there will be many colleges that you can afford that you will like if an amazing school like UMass Amhearst isn’t a good choice. It is no big deal to take a gap year or two and work. That will limit your debt and open up future possibilites and flexibility for you, @averageapp1852 .
Also have your sisiter save her work money. Do not expect a full ride for her. There are no shortage of gifted students in the world and the competition is now global.
Try working for a couple of years in California and college will be virtually free, including room and board. California is very generous with FA for residents.
There are THREE requirements for qualifying for residency for tuition purposes.
Physical Presence
You (or your parent) must be physically present in California on a continuous basis for at least 366 days immediately prior to the residence determination date.
Residency may not be established in absentia and the prior residence must have been relinquished.
You or your parent must be able to demonstrate physical presence in California with sufficient documentation. The documentation can include receipts, bank statements, credit card bills, and housing contracts. The burden of proof is on you to demonstrate that you were present (as opposed to the University having to prove that you were NOT present).
Within the 366-day period, you or your parent can be absent from California for a total of six weeks.
A residency classification will not be granted for absences that exceeds six weeks.
Intent to Remain in California
You (or your parent) must demonstrate the intent to make California your permanent home and relinquish ties to your previous place of residence. Examples of establishing California legal ties include but are not limited to:
obtain a California Driver’s License or State Identification card within the first 30 days of arriving in California
register vehicle in California (if applicable) within the first 30 days of arriving in California
register to vote in California (if applicable) within the first 30 days of arriving in California
file California state income tax returns as a resident or part-year resident on all taxable income earned in or out of the state after arriving to California
file out-of-state income tax returns as a nonresident or part-year resident on income earned prior to arriving to California
Financial Independence
FOR UNDERGRADUATES ONLY:
If you are an unmarried undergraduate under the age of 24, you must be financially dependent on a California-resident parent. If your parent does not meet the UC residency requirements, you must be able to verify financial independence for the two full years immediately before the term in which you wish to enroll.
Relevant documentation to support a finding of financial independence may include tax returns from the student to verify the student’s income, as well as W-2s, two year budget of income and expenses, official apartment rental contracts or leases, and copies of all financial documentation (bank statements, loans, trust, etc.) to verify the sources of the student’s income/savings. The student must not have accepted any type of financial assistance from any individual, including California residents, during the required two years.
Requirements: An undergraduate student or a student enrolled in a degree or non-degree program who is not dependent on a California-resident parent will meet the financial independence requirement if s/he meets the following criteria:
a. student was not claimed as an income tax dependent by any individual for the two tax years immediately preceding the term for which resident classification is requested.
AND
b. student is self-sufficient. Student has supported self with own resources (employment, commercial/institutional loans in student’s name only, financial aid and savings from earnings, all of which require official documentation) for two full years prior to the residence determination date for the term s/he proposes to attend the University.
@CU123 are you talking about Calgrant monies? Wouldn’t this student and family need to relocate sometime before HS graduation? I could be mistaken, but I thought one had to take the Calgrant within a certain number of years after graduating from HS. Is that right?
Even so…I can’t imagine college would be just about free. Tuition would be covered, but how about room and board? And personal expenses?
Plus the family would need to relocate to California which isn’t exactly an inexpensive place to live, find jobs, etc.
Below is one stipulation for Cal Grant eligibility:
Basic Eligibility Requirements for All Cal Grant Programs:
Be a California resident at the time of high school graduation and at the time you receive a Cal Grant or AB 540-eligible student
Also not all Cal grants cover room/board and other school related expenses. Much depends upon the families income and need.
Not good advice @CU123 and as noted by @thumper1, the parents would also have to move to California if OP is under 24 and cannot be considered independent.
No not an easy route to take but a real one for those who simply can’t afford to go to college right after high school. I don’t know of any time limitations on Cal Grant other then once you start on it. You can live in California very cheaply just not very well and maybe not on the coast, but it certainly can be done.
No that is not true, you have to prove financial independence if you’re under 24 years of age which is stipulated on how to do that below. Basically two years being financially independent from your parents. I call this plan the Gap plus one.
There are THREE requirements for qualifying for residency for tuition purposes.
Physical Presence
You (or your parent) must be physically present in California on a continuous basis for at least 366 days immediately prior to the residence determination date.
Residency may not be established in absentia and the prior residence must have been relinquished.
You or your parent must be able to demonstrate physical presence in California with sufficient documentation. The documentation can include receipts, bank statements, credit card bills, and housing contracts. The burden of proof is on you to demonstrate that you were present (as opposed to the University having to prove that you were NOT present).
Within the 366-day period, you or your parent can be absent from California for a total of six weeks.
A residency classification will not be granted for absences that exceeds six weeks.
Intent to Remain in California
You (or your parent) must demonstrate the intent to make California your permanent home and relinquish ties to your previous place of residence. Examples of establishing California legal ties include but are not limited to:
obtain a California Driver’s License or State Identification card within the first 30 days of arriving in California
register vehicle in California (if applicable) within the first 30 days of arriving in California
register to vote in California (if applicable) within the first 30 days of arriving in California
file California state income tax returns as a resident or part-year resident on all taxable income earned in or out of the state after arriving to California
file out-of-state income tax returns as a nonresident or part-year resident on income earned prior to arriving to California
Financial Independence
FOR UNDERGRADUATES ONLY:
If you are an unmarried undergraduate under the age of 24, you must be financially dependent on a California-resident parent. If your parent does not meet the UC residency requirements, you must be able to verify financial independence for the two full years immediately before the term in which you wish to enroll.
Relevant documentation to support a finding of financial independence may include tax returns from the student to verify the student’s income, as well as W-2s, two year budget of income and expenses, official apartment rental contracts or leases, and copies of all financial documentation (bank statements, loans, trust, etc.) to verify the sources of the student’s income/savings. The student must not have accepted any type of financial assistance from any individual, including California residents, during the required two years.
Requirements: An undergraduate student or a student enrolled in a degree or non-degree program who is not dependent on a California-resident parent will meet the financial independence requirement if s/he meets the following criteria:
a. student was not claimed as an income tax dependent by any individual for the two tax years immediately preceding the term for which resident classification is requested.
AND
b. student is self-sufficient. Student has supported self with own resources (employment, commercial/institutional loans in student’s name only, financial aid and savings from earnings, all of which require official documentation) for two full years prior to the residence determination date for the term s/he proposes to attend the University.
This is from the Calgrant site. If this is the case…this student needs to relocate with the family by the time they are 17 years old! Right? To be eligible to receive a Calgrant.
@CU123 what money would be available in CA that would fully fund college for a student who was not Calgrant eligible? It seems to me that a student could very well be a resident for instate tuition purposes (adhering to the guidelines you noted above) but very well might NOT be eligible for CA funded need based aid.
Here are the Cal Grant reqs from there website so I’m not sure where you got yours.
Cal Grant Programs
A Cal Grant is money for college you don’t have to pay back. To qualify, you must apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) by the deadline and meet the eligibility and financial requirements as well as any minimum GPA requirements. Cal Grants can be used at any University of California, California State University or California Community College, as well as qualifying independent and career colleges or technical schools in
Eligibility Requirements
Cal Grants are for students who are pursuing an undergraduate degree or vocational or career training, and do not have to be repaid. In addition to meeting the financial criteria and Cal Grant requirements, you must:
submit the FAFSA or CADAA application and your verified Cal Grant GPA by the deadline
be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen or meet AB540 eligibility criteria
be a California resident for 1 year
attend a qualifying California college
not have a bachelor’s or professional degree
have financial need at the college of your choice
have family income and assets below the minimum levels
be enrolled or plan to enroll in a program leading to an undergraduate degree or certificate
be enrolled or plan to enroll at least half time
have registered with the U.S. Selective Service, if required to do so
not owe a refund on any state or federal grant or be in default on a student loan
not be incarcerated
maintain the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards as established by the school. Recipients who do not meet the standards are ineligible for Cal Grant payment and will not use eligibility during the terms they are ineligible for payment.
How many 17-18 year HS graduates would be able to move to California without their parents and work at a job that pays enough to cover all their expenses so they could establish CA residency in 2 years?
@CU123 instate tuition is cheaper for instate residents in EVERY state at the public universities. There are other states with public colleges that do cost less than CA for OOS students …as noted in this thread upstream. Utah (where the student could be instate for tuition second year) for example.
The rub with CA is that the family would need to move there, find jobs, and find an affordable place to live. CA is not an inexpensive place to live.
They may as well look In their current state of residence…where they have work, and there are some more affordable colleges.
@thumper1: For some programs, students must be California residents at the time of high school graduation to be eligible for Cal grants. Cal States specifically state that the recipient must be a California resident at the time of HS graduation. The Cal Grant money basically covers tuition only for most students.
For the UC’s: Eligibility Requirements
If you are a California resident, a California high school graduate or equivalent, and meet the Cal Grant eligibility requirements, you are guaranteed a Cal Grant award.
The Cal Grant money basically covers tuition only, but with a combination of Federal aid and the Middle class scholarship/Blue and Gold opportunity, a student could have their living expenses, books etc… covered depending upon need.
@Gumbymom know a couple (both lawyers, imagine that) that did exactly that with both their sons. Out of the house for two years, financially independent, eligible for FA making college virtually free for them.
@Gumbymom Still don’t see the resident at HS graduation requirement that you state, and I copied the eligibility requirements directly from the Cal Grant website. Post #107 Is it implied somewhere?
A similar statement is found on the UC website. Also first time recipients for Cal grants have to submit GPA verification to determine eligibility. If an applicant is not a California HS graduate or attends a CC community college, GPA verification will not be possible and the Cal grant will be denied.
I want to start by saying…one of our kids went to college in CA…we like the state, and she loved her college. We were full pay.
With a clear conscience, I can NOT recommend that a low income family relocate to California because college costs will be lower. The costs of their instate publics in whatever state they reside in now are likely similarly low…especially at publics that are not flagships.
Relocation means…moving, finding new jobs, finding affordable housing, etc. none of that is free.
@katwkittens moved OUT of California to NC but did so before her kids were in high school. Part of her reasons were the high cost of living in CA, and the costs of colleges. Her kids did GREAT in NC…but she planned ahead by lots of years. IIRC, they all graduated from NC high schools. I’m hoping she will comment here.
From your perspective, yes that may not be a good idea, but California is the most generous state for in-state aid. If I were relatively mobile in my job and my kids were in high school and I was low income I would most definitely consider moving to California. My kids would now enjoy the possibility of going to college instead of having almost no possibility.
EFC is too high, so at most OOS publics you will be full pay.
And big enough merit is unlikely unless test scores are above 33 ACT or 1400 SAT.
So focus on instate publics where your stats will give you merit or ones that cost $20,000 a year.
Study and retake SAT one more time in August to improve merit chances.