I still don't have an aid offer...

Paying for College
1

<p>I applied for FASFA all the way back on February 13, 2014 for the Fall. My application was processed the next day, and was "submitted to Federal Student Aid" on March 12, 2014. My school, Pasadena City College, received it on April 24, 2014.</p>

<p>Then...nothing! I can log on to their site for students, and I received the BOG. It says my EFC is 0, and that I have an estimated need of over $16,000. </p>

<p>The Federal Shopping List that I clicked on said that my EFC was 0, and it was calculated by my institution. For every other aid, it says "0". I'm getting really worried, because the distribution is on August 26, 2014.</p>

<p>I am full time and taking 13 credits. I'm an independent student with a spouse. Our total income last year was about $16,000, which is what my FASFA says. Our total income this year is about $19,000, but I didn't have to update that because they go based off of last year. We didn't have to put in our asset information because we used the 1040EZ for our taxes.</p>

<p>I'm so confused. I went to the FinAid office on July 14, 2014. The student working there just said everything is fine and I had the BOG so don't worry. I called again today, and they said there are no holds, I turned in everything, and that aid is released in August. Every time I log into LancerPoint, it says "There is no information" in regards to the award. It gave me the option to finally accept the terms and conditions about 2 weeks ago, and I did. It even says on the website I turned in my FASFA, got admission, and accepted the terms and conditions (the only 3 things I was required to do).</p>

<p>I'm even more worried because I now have the option to look under the "Accept award" tab, but there is nothing there but explaining how to accept the award. There is no award for me currently, there is no information on my financial aid at all, and I feel like the FinAid isn't understanding what I'm saying.</p>

<p>Is this normal? My FASFA estimated I will get a full pell grant and access to 9,500 in loans. I won't use that much at all, but I need the pell to help with living expenses. That Federal Shopping List has my school's name on it, and even said that my school determined my EFC, so I'm just really confused. If anyone else didn't get it yet, please tell me. This is very stressful. By the way, I'm a freshman. </p>

2

<p>You should be okay for the BOG but just in case, contact the FA office at PCC and tell them that you are confused about your status since nothing shows in your account. Ask to speak to a financial aid advisor who is not a student. </p>

3

<p>I already registered for my classes and the BOG worked, which makes me think they might just be reaaaally late. Every time I speak to them, they keep mentioning August, but that’s when it’s disbursed. Should I clarify I have gotten no award letter or offer, and make an appointment? Is the financial aid adviser who picks up the phone when you call? </p>

4

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<p>What is this?</p>

5

<p>I meant to say “Federal Shopping Sheet”. It’s also known as the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet. </p>

<p>It says this:
“Information about the Cost of Attendance and Aid that you have been awarded is provided below. The federal shopping sheet is a standard format prescribed by the Department of Education which allows you to easily compare your awards and costs between multiple higher education institutions (if applicable).”</p>

<p>This is what it looks like: <a href=“http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/articles/images/Financial%20Aid%20Shopping%20Sheet%20Official.jpg”>http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/articles/images/Financial%20Aid%20Shopping%20Sheet%20Official.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>My “net costs” is $16,092. My grants, loans, and work-study are ALL “0”, except the part where it says I got the BOG. But, where my EFC is, it ALSO SAYS 0! Omg! </p>

6

<p>I’m not sure why this federal shopping sheet…or whatever…is important. The cost of attending your university is on the school website. Your aid would be on your student portal for that college. You need to be looking at YOUR college portal at this point, not some third party source of information.</p>

<p>Was your FAFSA verified? Did all of the requested documents get sent? When did that happen if it did? </p>

<p>You need to contact the college.</p>

7

<p>The Federal Shopping Sheet is used by the college. I just linked you to what it looks like, because I didn’t feel like copying mine and blacking out information. It’s pretty much a summary of the costs and aid from what I understand. It has the name of my school, my student ID number, name, etc. My personal one was in a link on my portal. My student portal currently has absolutely nothing about an aid offer, though. It says this: “No award information is available for you at this time, please contact your financial aid office if you have questions.”</p>

<p>Also, this is under my “Award Overview”:
“Need Calculation
Cost of Attendance<br>
$17,932.00
Estimated Family Contribution<br>
$.00
Initial Need<br>
$17,932.00
Outside Resource<br>
$1,518.00
Need<br>
$16,092.00”</p>

<p>The “Outside Resource” was my BOG.</p>

<p>I did contact them. They just kept saying that I turned in everything, and don’t worry, because I received the BOG. However, I was asking about the Pell grant and loans, NOT the BOG. They then kept saying how awards aren’t given out until August, but I haven’t even RECEIVED an award offer. I think there was a misunderstanding. Should I directly say I have received no “financial aid award offer”? I tried, but I don’t know if they understood what I meant. </p>

<p>If by verified, you mean did they send me an e-mail saying they received it, then yes. According to my portal, there are 3 requirements for Financial Aid: Apply to the school, turn in your FASFA, and accept the “Terms and Conditions”. It states I satisfied all 3. They received my FASFA on April 24, 2014, even though I applied all the way back in February. It states they received all of my documentations that were required. </p>

8

<p>Go to the school and speak to an adult. Explain that you want to go over the cost of attendance and your financial aid package in detail so you can determine whether or not you can afford this college. It’s nice of the college student working at the reception desk to say you don’t have anything to worry about, but until you have the bill and award letter with the aid spelled out, you don’t know if this college is affordable. You wouldn’t let a mortgage officer at a bank assure you and your husband that a particular house is affordable without going over all the numbers, would you? Don’t permit financial aid personnel to make that decision for you either.</p>

9

<p>Verification is different. It’s something done by the college, and is usually to request additional verification of what you reported on your FAFSA. Often $0 EFC students receive this…as well as independent undergrads. You are both.</p>

<p>Just make sure the college hasn’t requested ANY additional information from you.</p>

<p>When you filed your FAFSA, had you completed your 2013 tax returns, and indicated so on the form?</p>

<p>Call again. DO NOT speak to the student answering the phone. Speak to your financial aid officer. If you are close enough, make an appointment and go in person. And lastly, all of your contacts should be in writing as well. So if you make a phone call, you should follow this up with an email. Any emails you receive in return should be saved.</p>

10

<p>I will take your advice (both of you). They have not requested any additional documents. I initially filled out the FASFA with my estimated taxes, and I filed for 2013. I updated it in May with all correct information, so maybe this is the reason it’s late. They have not requested any documents, and my portal says all of my documents are turned in. However, I know people make mistakes. I will contact them today and come back here to say what happened. </p>

11

<p>The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet is your award letter. The awards that appear on your sheet are the awards you have been offered. I assume you at least have Pell and loans showing up on it? If so, you at least know what has been offered. Definitely talk to an aid officer so that you can make sure you are really all set …and so that you can understand how to accept loans, if you will be borrowing.</p>

12

<p>I have no awards at all. My EFC is 0, but I have 0 pell grant money and 0 loans. The only thing I have is the BOG. </p>

13

<p>You’re attending Pasadena City College and you’re cost of attendance is $17,932? Tuition/Fees for PCC aren’t anywhere near that - <a href=“Fees and Tuition - Admissions and Records - Pasadena City College”>http://www.pasadena.edu/admissions/fees/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

14

<p>Tuition and fees are not that high, but the total COA for a student living away from home goes up to over $17,000.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.pasadena.edu/studentservices/financialaid/cost.cfm”>http://www.pasadena.edu/studentservices/financialaid/cost.cfm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

15

<p>Yes, it’s true that the COA is higher because rents are high. My rent is like $700. I have been informed by someone from the financial aid office that if I’m to get an award, it will be posted sometime in August. Since I know, for sure, I have an EFC of 0, I think I can assume I will be getting a full pell grant, right? Like I said, my college portal says that I have satisfied all of my requirements for aid, and so has someone else from the finaid office who looked up my actual information. </p>

<p>I just learned today that I had to do more for the loans. I was told that I had to apply. I thought I applied through the FASFA, but there is a separate form I need to fill out. I already did the entrance counseling and signed the MPN. I sent an e-mail asking if there is a deadline, so I should hear soon.</p>

<p>I think since the awards I am anticipating are all federal programs that are always available, I should be fine. At least, I think direct loans are always available. </p>

<p>I was just kind of freaking out because every other person on here seems to know how much of a pell they get all the way back in April or May. Maybe this is normal for community colleges, I don’t know. I have even seen people not get their grants and loans until a month or two after school starts. </p>

<p>I guess I was just freaking out because I really need the money for books, my health insurance, a computer, gas, etc. I’m a little more calm now because I know these aren’t limited school funds and my FASFA met the deadline.</p>

16

<p>Some schools won’t release those fund for up to 6 weeks after school starts. You may be able to buy books at the book store with financial aid dollars, before being refunded. The rest of the expenses you may have to cover out of pocket for a few weeks. Your college’s website should have the disbursement date on their calendar.</p>

17

<p>Did you use the IRS data retrieval system to verify your information? If you/your parents are not required to file taxes, did you request a non-filers statement from the IRS? No federal aid will be disbursed until this is done.</p>

18

<p>Thanks, Yankee. I think I found out that I was taking the word usage a bit too literally and I felt that no one was concise enough. Today, I received a straight answer. No Pell Grants will show up on anyone’s portal until August, as they are all still being processed. </p>

<p>Sybbie, I didn’t do the retrieval. I did my FASFA back in February, actually. I simply updated the income after I did my taxes. I was only off by less than $20.00 in my income estimate. I have not been selected for verification at all. I did all of the requirements. I think there was also confusion on my part with the word usage. I now know that no one can see their award (pell) until August. I have no idea why they aren’t done processing everything until then, but it’s for everyone. </p>

19

<p>I don’t think you should wait for verification. Use the data retrieval tool to help streamline some of this process, because you cannot receive federal aid until it is done.</p>

20

<p>I would be very concerned that your financial aid offer doesn’t mention offering you any loans or pell grant. Regardless of disbursal date, they should be listed on your aid offer that you would have been using to determine if this school is affordable. The loans require MPN and entrance counseling, all of which have to be done prior to disbursement. </p>