<p>This message is posted on behalf of my Mom who is not computer-inclined:
(The following , except what is in parethenses, is in her words , not mine....)</p>
<p>How would a minority child with a 3.0 who wants to major in Biology (Transfer student from a CCC to a UC system school) acquire assistance other than loans or jobs (My brother wants to go to school ful-time) to pay for school. My income is above 50,000 but less than 80,000 (She won't state the exact and gave me an broad number to put) and I don't have the funds to assist him with college after he transfers from his Community College. If you have any ideas, please respond.</p>
<p>(My Response:)
(I hate to put my Mother down, but I am ashamed that she demands that my brother and I go to a University and doesn't want to help pay for it. I wish that I could sit her down and explain things, unfortunately, she doesn't want to hear me out. This is what I need advice about.)</p>
<p>Aviva --
There are some scholarships that are available only to specific minorities. Some may be open to everyone in the country; others might be open only to those in the UC system; still others, open to UC bio majors. Having two kids in college also increases the possibility that each of you might receive financial aid. BUT -- many schools have a 3/1 deadline for filing FAFSA and CSS Profile forms. Missing the deadlines does not mean that you will be ineligible for financial aid but it could mean that less is available to you since there is something of a "first come first served" element.</p>
<p>As an added note: Your mother does not OWE you financial assitance for college. I'm sure that she will offer what help she believes she can afford in other ways -- for example, the opportunity to live at home and commute. (Room and board, free laundry, a quiet place to study and no shouting in the hallway at 3 am is not such a bad deal.) Many students go full-time, work part-time and by living at home, are able to afford in-state tuition at very fine public universitites.</p>
<p>To clarify:
I am an Independent Student under FinAid Guidelines,who is attending a CCC and I pay my own way/have a Pell Grant/have a specialized Grant to pay for school. My mother is not assisting me with college and I do not expect her to help pay for my college education. My brother is a Dependent Student and he doesn't want to work to pay for college and she doesn't have any money to help him pay either. </p>
<p>This what my angry gripe was about at the end of the previous post: </p>
<p>Mom expects my brother to recieve the grants that I have( due to income/special status) and doesn't understand how the Financial Aid system works. She is convinced that my brother will recieve the Pell and Chaffey Grants that I've been recieving ( The Chaffey grant is for former foster youth.)and has harped on me to try to find a way for my brother to get through college for free.</p>
<p>Your brother should apply to some private schools. The UCs pretty much make everyone take large loans while private schools often give more grants, especially to URMs. Also, he may have trouble getting into a UC as a bio major with a 3.0. It is an impacted major at all of them and usually requires a considerably higher GPA. A smaller private school will also give him more attention.</p>
<p>you did nto state which minority category you fall under. I am linking the followint Article, which contains schools and types of scholarships earmarked for minorities. hope it helps</p>
<p>Aviva, show your mother what it takes for a child to be considered independent. You are considered such by court order. That is about the only way your brother can also be considered as such and having had a niece and a nephew I navigated through this process, I know this is no easy route. You, too would well know that. THey too were designated as foster children and wards of the state. </p>
<p>Your brother may be eligible for some money IF your mother fills out the FAFSA and other required forms for financial aid. If she does not, than he does not get anything unless he qualifies for some merit aid. The financial aid system is colorblind so it will not matter that he is a minority. For some merit scholarships, and outside programs, being a minority makes you elgible for certain award that so designate. All of this requires a lot of time to research, and then your B and mother would have to apply.</p>