<p>cpt said: “With the income figure and family situation you divulged to us, it is highly unlikely you would have been PELL elgibile”</p>
<p>Do you mean the 80k, the 60k (those were possible projections of HH income in yrs 2-4 as I have no job now) that I initially spoke about above? Or do you mean the 19.5k, which is the current actual amt to establish the validity of the tools?</p>
<p>If the former, I have to get back to the school as their EFC tool from their website says it will yield a Pell (with 4 exemptions). If the latter - if 19.5 with 4 exemptions isnt Pell eligible, then we as a country have got to go back to the drawing board on FA in this country. I think for either case, we need to go back to the drawing board in this country on FA for students as even the 100pct Pell at 5.7 is hardly a dent in COA , leaving tons of cost till needed to be addressed.</p>
<p>The govt’s assumptions are incorrect on what a typical family can save for college while living in this country today as student debt is over a trillion dollars now . But this is another discussion.</p>
<p>I do see in the EFC forumula linked to above copious references to free lunch programs, dislocated workers, etc none of which appears in the fafsa4caster tool. unless I missed them, I wonder why this tool doesnt ask all the needed questions to get a valid Pell / EFC ?</p>
<p>The $80K is the level that caught my eye. Those questions are not given on the forecaster because they do not always generate a zero EFC. One has to also get through a professional judgement on some of these things to get that lowered EFC. If someone get accepted to some free lunch program through some loophole, but the income is way up there, it may not give one an auto zero EFC as it may be for some. Only the actual FAFSA filing will come up with that. It’s more dangerous to cause a false expectation of aid, especially grants than a lowered one. </p>
<p>There is so much money put aside for college scholarships and grants, so the line has to be drawn at some level and it’s far lower than those above it would want. There are inequities in the FAFSA formula, yes. </p>
<p>The amounts available from the federal government for low income families are intended to enable a student to commute to a nearby community college and then a nearby public 4 year. In most places a full Pell will cover CC costs and with the direct loans often can cover or come close to covering a local public 4 year. Much more than a dent. Many states also have programs geared to the same goal. One problem is there are many who don’t live within commuting distance to CCs or 4-year schools. But the programs aren’t geared to the luxury of the sleep-away college experience.</p>
<p>Annoyingdad is absolutely right. Our state pretty much guarantees full need met up to tuition and fees for state schools for instaters. They will throw money into the mix if by some off chance that the state fund, Pell, and loans don’t cover it–ha, ha, a safe bet on their part, given that the tuition is pretty low anyways. Absolutely no guarantee of full COA covered for those who want to live at a schools. Nope. </p>
<p>There are some states that are in the “hall of shame” , IMO, in that the prices are way high and 4 year options are not logistically spaced and the aid is no good as well, however.</p>
<p>I agree with annoying dad that if students are going to their in-state local CC or 4 year school and meets the requirements for state aid: Cal grants, NYS TAP, Georgia Hope, Bright Futures, NJ TAG, etc, if they are receiving federal aid along with state aid programs, they will have enough to cover CC and most likely tuition at a 4 year school. Student may have to live at home and may need a part time job to defray misc. expenses, but it may be done. </p>
<p>Some states also have opportunity programs for students who are considered financially and academically disadvantaged (as among the poorest of the poor, these things usually go hand in hand). NY has the following opportunity programs SEEK/ College Siscovery (at CUNY), EOP at SUNY and HEOP at 64 private colleges in NYS state. A student admitted to these programs will have have full need based aid.</p>
<p>In NYC a low income student who is Pell eligible with a 0 EFC can go to a 2 or 4 year CUNY school for virtually free. Any low income student who is receiving at least $5 in federal and state aid, would probably be eligible through ASAP at select CUNy CC, where ASAP covers any gaps int uition and fees, book vouchers and metro cards .</p>