I filed my FAFSA wrong? What do I do now?

Paying for College
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<p>I'd like to start off with that I'm a senior in high school planning on going to a 4 year university. So I first filed my FAFSA application on 1/22 and it was processed on 1/23. I was going to edit again once my parent's received their total income thingy through the mail. We finally gotten the mail, and we went to edit it today, 2/20 and resubmitted the FAFSA with the filed income tax return.</p>

<p>About last week I received a mail regarding Cal Grants and that I would receive, and it said that I was eligible for Both Cal Grant A and B, but they chose B for me because it would benefit me more in the long run. It said I would receive about $1500 for all the CSU's (California State University) I applied for. My friend said he would receive about $12k for going to UC's when he checked his Cal Grants. I was wondering why there was such a huge difference in money....</p>

<p>... Now I think I understand why. After I resubmitted the FAFSA form today, I checked through my application history to notice that I also filed my parent's tax income return under the STUDENT'S tax income return also. I called FAFSA and they told me I could edit it again after the information is processed in a couple of days, but it already says it's processed? But anyways, if I were to edit it again, I'm supposed to leave the "Student filed 2011 Income Tax Return?" question blank, correct? </p>

<p>I'm also worried if this would greatly affect how much money I would receive through financial aid because I put the wrong information from the start!! And how would that whole Cal grant thing resolve?</p>

<p>I greatly appreciate any kind of help, thank you.</p>

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<p>You’re misunderstanding Cal Grant a bit.</p>

<p>Cal Grant A:
Covers systemwide fees UCs and CSUs</p>

<p>Cal Grant B:
Covers systemwide fees for UCs and CSUs (except for frosh year, but see NOTE)
Gives an assess/living allowance amount of $1,551</p>

<p>NOTE: While B does not cover systemwide fees for the frosh year, this amount is still covered through grants. For UCs, this is in writing (blue&gold promise). For CSUs, it is something I have observed in all CSU packages I have seen others receive. B is meant for low-income families and is worth more ($1,551 x4 years) than A despite the appearance to that it is worth less.</p>

<p>The difference you are seeing is a couple things:

  1. The amount you quoted is the assess amount. Not the tuition/fee assistance. Because you will be a freshman, you will not see this listed on your financial aid package from Cal Grant because of the frosh year exception, but your systemwide fees will be covered and you will receive the assess amount.</p>

<p>2) UCs have higher systemwide fees than CSUs. Therefore, to cover systemwide fees as Cal Grant promises to do for the state publics, it must be a higher amount.</p>

<p>Cal Grant is not based on a sliding scale like Pell Grant is. It is a set amount for everyone based on the school they will be attending. There is nothing to resolve.</p>

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<p>“But anyways, if I were to edit it again, I’m supposed to leave the “Student filed 2011 Income Tax Return?” question blank, correct?”</p>

<p>If you aren’t required to file a 2011 tax return, select ‘not going to file’.</p>