No financial aid?? No sense

Paying for College
41

I Just ran it with student making 0 and parents making 0 and this is what I got

Challenges that I see in this package:

Work study is not guaranteed, especially at a level of 3000/year
There will be no perkins loan after the end of this year

Should student not get work study, how will the gap be filled.

Is Michigan a commutable distance or will OP be living on campus

Since OP would be starting in January, there would most likely be no SEOG available to her
the COA for 1/2 year spring term would be approx $13,050

Will they have housing for her in the spring term?

Grant aid would be 8095.5

From what it looks like in OP’s posts, it does not look like the grant aid is guaranteed

list of grant aid from the State of Michigan

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mistudentaid/5112_SSG_ProgramsAtGlance_489616_7.pdf?20151021062421

the Michigan tuition grant only gives ~ 1800 year

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mistudentaid/MTGFactSheet2015-16_495494_7.pdf?20150803082638

the Michigan competitive scholarship maxes out at $636 year

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mistudentaid/MCSFactSheet2015-16_495491_7.pdf?20150803082638

If the rest of the aid is coming from the rest of the school, I agree with others to defer, and see what the fall 2016 package is going to look like. Right now this is unaffordable

42

After 3 business days, I would call and politely ask/make sure the email was in the queue for response. Have a copy in front of you so if the person begins explaining things, you can clearly understand and ask questions.

Please make a notation of who you talk to along with date.

Also ask if you were their relative - niece/nephew/son/dau, would the fall aid be more secure if arriving on campus in the spring or arriving in the fall? Were you misled with the spring admission? Would coming spring jeopardize the results shown on the financial aid calculator for fall?

It may be that they say you should not take any more courses in the spring so you can be eligible for the full financial aid package for the fall, being considered an incoming new freshman. What about on-line MI State courses - could ask about.

It sounds like you are successfully saving money while also taking CC courses. If you can’t take courses in the spring, try to work more to save more $$.

If the answers on the phone or email response are wishy-washy, or have enough room for interpretation to drive a truck through - I would make an appt at the school with the scholarship office and financial aid office and come with a parent. Bring all supporting documentation.

43

I just spoke to them again and they guaranteed to me that I would receive all the grants that the NPC stated next year, even if I did go ahead and start in January for the spring semester, and I didn’t get them this year only because they ran out of money (I did do my fafsa late so that contributed too). The aid for next year won’t be jeopardized from my spring admission. I can pay for the spring semester and can still get a campus job, my roommate just got one for January, so not receiving full aid this year doesn’t hurt me. I asked if we could run through it number by number of what I will be receiving next fall, obviously to make sure, and they said I could come in and do that with an advisor instead of over the phone. I’ll try to drive up this Friday since I have no Friday classes.

44

You MUST get this in writing because that’s binding - they can’t turn around and say you must have misunderstood or a new policy is in place or that you don’t have a proof that such a thing was ever said. … And anyway legally whatever is said but not written doesn’t matter so you wouldn’t have grounds to complain. Dint doubt such things can be done. Get it in writing. Have a proof in case anything goes awry.

45

Not necessarily. Verbal contracts can be legally binding.

46

If you can prove it.

47

Well, of course. If one files a suit to enforce, and there’s a contested hearing or trial, there must be some kind of evidence presented. But that could be as simple as testimony that the finder of fact deems credible.

48

How credible do you think a student claiming s/he’d been promised a certain amount in grants but only on the phone without any written letter, would be, when faced with a financial aid officer indicating that no such thing was promised hence no letter about it was sent?
Can you imagine the problems with financial aid everywhere if colleges had to treat as truth any student claiming they’d been promised 10K in grants?

49

Please don’t give advice on the law of Michigan unless you are a Michigan lawyer.

50

Verbal in this instance means NOTHING @BelknapPoint
It is absolutely silly to think that a school would hand over money based on some 18 year old saying that an employee promised something.

Anyone who has worked in the education system KNOWS that kids mishear and misunderstand financial matters all the time.

Her current FA offer is in WRITING, so anything suggesting something else for FALL needs ALSO to be in writing. That is typically how things work legally in some/many states.


[QUOTE=""]
guaranteed to me that I would receive all the grants

[/QUOTE]

Again, you’re having trouble with semantics. The concern is whether you’ll get the SCHOLARSHIPS. We know that you’ll get the grants.

The concern is with the SCHOLARSHIPS!!!

51

Where I work, there is a saying…“if it isn’t in writing, it didn’t happen”

52

Cool your jets, folks. I’m not giving advice on the law of Michigan, or any other jurisdiction. Any reasonably intelligent lawyer would be smart enough not to dispense specific legal advice on an open internet forum. I am speaking in generalities. A comment was made that an agreement not in writing is not legally binding, and my reply was that’s not necessarily true. Verbal agreements are enforced by courts all the time. I was not making any comment or observation about this particular case.

53

^^
It is VERY important not to give advice that would confuse an 18 year old. We don’t want this young person to think that something like this told “over the phone” or whatever would amount to anything.

54

What’s confusing? A blanket statement was made that verbal agreements are not legally binding. That’s incorrect information, and I made a post to point that out. The advice that OP has been given to get any financial aid promises in writing is good advice that I echo. OP, in case you’re confused: get any FA promises in writing.

55

Do you know how Michigan interprets the parol evidence rule? If not, I think you should refrain from making irresponsible statements. Calling it a generality does not excuse you. If you are in fact a lawyer, you should know better. I am NOT going to “cool my jets.” I am accusing you of professional irresponsibility. Don’t do it.

56

OP so glad you are going to verify in person. Please post here after your fact finding on Friday.

57

Dude, chill and go back and read what I wrote. Where was I ever giving advice about Michigan law? You can accuse all you want. While you’re at it, you can file a complaint with the state bar. Let me know how that works out for you.

58

There is one scholarship listed on the NPC and it’s the michigan competitive scholarship. I already got that, it showed in my aid for this year too. The rest are grants. Two separate advisors said the grants were already reflected on my financial profile, I don’t see how I misunderstood unless they just lied. Either way I am going there friday to have them break it down for me. I understand what your saying but it all makes sense now. I got the loans/pell/michigan scholarship already but my original question was where the grants went. I received my answer and either way am going there to clarify. If they tell me the same thing in person as they said on the phone then why wouldn’t it be legitimate? I will ask if i can get it in writing too.

59

@SOSConcern thank you!! Also using it as an opportunity to show my mom the campus for the first time so two birds with one stone I guess!

60

Yes I want you to be assured that you are receiving the MI competitive scholarship and the state grants. Yes if they can show the profile, just like the NPC but specific for you, that would be awesome. Plus your mom can fully understand with the explanation too. It wouldn’t hurt for her to ask the questions you want asked - they do know that parents may scrutinize things better than a student.

Ask about how students receive their on-campus work study; each institution probably has their own way to handle. Perhaps none is available for you in the spring, but maybe there is a ‘slot’ that is available. Maybe check to see if there are any work study positions available - don’t know if they interview, you will be on campus Friday…

Be pro-active. Asking questions for clarification should not be a problem. Maybe your mom and you can review all that is on MI State web site to be really prepared. Write up your questions. Have a check list of all you want to accomplish.

Mom2ck knows of a student that was very misled on FA, and missed out on attending a school that he/she could afford.

We are rooting for you!