Need help regarding housing

<p>I am a freshman at UCB next year. My sister found an apartment that the two of us can stay in for ~$1330 a month. A couple questions...</p>

<p>1) Can financial aid cover any of the costs?
2) Is it a BAD thing to not live on campus the first year?
3) Can you buy a meal plan? If so, would it be the equivilent of one that you would get had you gotten a dorm? (does financial aid cover this?)
4) Asides from my $20 deposit, is there any fees i have to pay for not living in dorms?</p>

<p>Here's a basic financial awards summary...</p>

<p>FED ACAD COMP GRT1 FL FINANCIAL AID OFFICE General $375.00
FED.DIR.LOAN-SUB1 FL FINANCIAL AID OFFICE Loan $1,750.00
WORK STUDY ELIGIBILITY FINANCIAL AID OFFICE Work $1,220.00
FED SEOG GRANT FALL FINANCIAL AID OFFICE General $250.00
FEDERAL PELL GRANT-FALL FINANCIAL AID OFFICE General $2,366.00<br>
FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN FL FINANCIAL AID OFFICE Loan $800.00
UNIVERSITY FEE GRT1 FL FINANCIAL AID OFFICE General $245.00
ESTIMATED CAL GRANT B FINANCIAL AID OFFICE Information $775.50
BERKELEY UG SCHOLARSHIP FINANCIAL AID OFFICE Information $2,706.00</p>

<p>all of it's 100% gibberish to me... thanks in advance</p>

<p>@shadow - Your best bet to answer these questions would be to contact your specific Fin. Aid Counselor (listed on the right hand side when you login to myberkeleyapp)
Every school packages fin. aid in different forms to meet your "need". But your fin. counselor would be able to explain in detail how all these line items work and the impact if you stay off-campus.</p>

<p>anyone else that can answer?</p>