<p>I'm a 33-yr old adult returning to college this Spring Quarter (I already have an AA degree from 2000). I've been navigating all the financial aid stuff much better as an adult, but I have a few questions I can't seem to find the answer to. Basically, we're a family of 4 (2 elementary aged children), and I'm only looking to cover my tuition expenses the best I can w/ gift aid. I can pay for my own books and all personal and living expenses. I'm attending an in-state, tuition is approximately $2500 per quarter. I have not attended yet this year, I'll just be starting Spring Quarter.</p>
<p>I'm eligible for a $1500 Pell Grant, and I was awarded $500 for this Spring quarter. I also was offered enough SUB loans to pay for the rest of the tuition, if necessary. My first question is.... the FA office is telling me I can only get $500 per quarter of the Pell Grant. Is this correct, even though there are only 2 possible quarters left (spring and summer)? I was really hoping I could split the Pell $750/$750 per quarter, but they say I can't. Does that sound correct, or is it worth pushing them a little more?</p>
<p>My next question..... I exhausted my unemployment benefits in Jan 2011, which decreased our income by 25%. I asked if they would consider this (professional judgment), but they said they cannot. Their reasoning was that since this school year is based on 2009 taxes/income, they can only consider income loss if it occurred in 2010. Since I lost it in 2011, they said it doesn't apply until the 2011-2012 school year. Does this seem standard, or is it also worth an attempt to convince them otherwise?</p>
<p>I'm just feeling guilty about straining my family's finances any more than is absolutely necessary, so I would like to pursue all avenues. At the end of the day, I want to feel confident that I exhausted all opportunities to increase gift aid.</p>
<p>Thanks! I have really enjoyed reading and learning from these boards.</p>
<p>Pell grant disbursement is by school period so if you do not attend for a full year then you do not get a full years pell. For instance a student with a 0 EFC would be eligible for $5550 for the 2010-2011 school year. In a semester system this would be $2775 a semester. If the student only attends for the spring semester they can only get the $2775 for the semester. They cannot get the full year amount of $5550 in the one semester. So yes, what the school is telling you is correct. if you are only attending for 2 out of three quarters you can only receive 2 out of 3 quarters worth of Pell.</p>
<p>It’s also important to note that even if the student were scheduled to get $2775 in a semester, this award is based on full time (12+ credits). Fewer credits in a term means a smaller Pell payment. Your Pell award is not money that is given to the school … it is an award that is available to be paid to the school, but the school can only disburse to you & collect from the government an amount that coincides with the student’s attendance in a given term. </p>
<p>As for not adjusting your information, schools do not have to adjust income. If they don’t adjust in your situation, there isn’t much you can do to change that.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info.</p>
<p>My award package was recently changed, which lowered my Pell from $500 per quarter to $267 per quarter. I have a call in to the FA office, but they didn’t know what happened and had to leave a message for someone to call me back.</p>
<p>Isn’t the minimum Pell $1176? If it is, that’s not adding up (yes, I’m a full-timer). Also, I checked the FAFSA website, and even though they did submit an electronic change and it processed, everything looks the same and the EFC is the same. If my EFC is the same, shouldn’t the Pell remain the same?</p>
<p>They did allow me PJ for 2011-2012, so I’m just waiting to hear on a package. I’m almost certain it will be a lot better. So now I’m trying to decide if I should go ahead and start this spring, or delay until Fall. Wish I had notification for next year’s package, it would make this decision easier.</p>