<p>Hey, new here and this is my 3rd year in college in NY. I was wondering if anyone would know if this is a unique issue or not. I'm definitely going to speak with the financial aid people at my school, but won't be able to do so until Tuesday, so I was checking to see if anyone experienced something like this before. Alright, basically, I usually receive full Pell and TAP, with the TAP covering roughly 85% of my tuition, the Pell taking care of the rest, and the remainder going to me. However, this semester, there was some sort of error in the school's system that told them one of the classes I was taking was not toward my major. This would result in my not receiving TAP because I would have less than 12 credits towards my major. This was clearly a mistake and I acquired a letter from the department head stating that it is indeed a required class. At this point however, my Pell was still pending, and just yesterday was applied towards my total tuition, leaving an unpaid remainder. Now, I know I should be getting TAP because a week ago the financial aid people told me they would correct the error. Now, my question. Since the Pell I was supposed to receive was already applied to my tuition, will the TAP that should eventually show up on my account cover the rest of my tuition and have extra for me like the Pell? Not to sound greedy, but I've grown accustomed to putting away that extra money for possible grad school needs, or other miscellaneous future needs. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Mike</p>
<p>Yes Mike, when the TAP does eventually come it will be returned to you.</p>
<p>This is a mind boggling waste of tax revenues. Why in heaven’s name would programs meant to cover school costs be structured to give a student money beyond actual college expenses? Very nice for OP, but absurd for the rest of us who are just handing him money that should cover our own “miscellaneous future needs”. What fools write this legislation?</p>
<p>Obviously his tuition is low (my guess is community college - TAP is only NYS). It isn’t “beyond actual college expenses.” It is for “transportation, room and board.” Since OP apparently lives at home, he can use the grant money over and above tuition for gas in the car, or set it aside for car repairs, or whatever.</p>
<p>I doubt it is very much money.</p>
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<p>MommaJ, I think you’re confusing billable costs with actual costs. Beyond tuition and fees, the commuter student also needs to buy books and pay for gas, insurance, maintenance for a vehicle or other means of transportation, and often has some allowance for room, board, and personal expenses. Just because the family may choose to provide some of these items at low/no cost to the student doesn’t mean that they’re free! Many Pell-eligible families would not be able to cover transportation expenses, which can be considerable, and some expect their adult children who are living at home to pay room and board.</p>
<p>My Daughter has a friend who attends a local community college in NY, while living at home. She receives both TAP/PELL and last year received a refund of $5,000.00. So it can be quite a substanial amount of money.</p>
<p>That’s true, if the student has a 0 EFC and TAP covers most/all of tuition, then almost all of the Pell money would be refunded. But the same is true if the student is living off campus but not with their parents. Either way, there are still other expenses to be paid…I have one son who is a commuter and can attest to the fact that it isn’t as cheap as one might think, even if the student doesn’t have to contribute to living expenses! Using my own kid’s expenses as a model, I can envision the unbilled costs breaking down something like this:</p>
<p>Student gets a $2500 refund for the semester. Student spends $250 on books/supplies, leaving $2250 for 16 weeks or $140/week. Student lives at home but must pay transportation expenses (gas, insurance, maintenance) and personal expenses (cell phone, meals out, etc.). Insurance for young driver runs $80/month, gas consumes $75/week, maintenance on used car averages $75/month, cell phone is $50/month, and meals on campus cost $35/week. Under this scenario, the student would have approximately $5/week left over.</p>
<p>If the student is able to work and cover the weekly/monthly expenses out of pocket, as my son does, that’s great and in that case the refund can go into savings for future expenses. I think it’s easier for kids (and parents too) to save lump sums and it makes sense to assume that there will be some semesters when the student won’t be able to work 25-30 hours a week while they’re in school.</p>
<p>I’m all for having my taxes go toward helping students get an education. My D does not qualify for Pell or MassGrants (massachusetts grants to low income students). We are making under 68,000 combined and have to pay for her car insurance to get to her job, her room and board at school, cell phone, car maintenance, etc. too. Her scholarship and school grant cover most of the tuition. I don’t understand why Pell and TAP go toward things other than tuition, fees, books. The rest of us don’t get to declare what we spend on everything else required in life. Students should be working to earn the money to pay for that stuff, not using tax payer dollars. My D has to work to afford stuff, giving her less time to study, but teaching her self-reliance. What are college students who live on handouts learning?</p>
<p>teachandmom, NY’s Tuition Assistance Program is directly tied to tuition rates - a student will get a max of $5K/year for a 4 year school and around $3400 a year for a 2 year school. TAP is available to any family with a NYS taxable income of $80K or less, although it’s on a sliding scale and a family at your income level would probably only get $1200 or so. SUNY tuition (4 year) is slightly more than $5K and mandatory fees at my D’s SUNY are $2K/year without health insurance, though fees are much lower at the CC’s.</p>
<p>The whole premise of Pell is to help and encourage low-income students to go to, and hopefully finish, college. Despite what some may think, it is very difficult to break the cycle of poverty and education is the best way to accomplish that. In the long run, the student becomes a taxpayer and actually saves the government far more money than if he had continued the cycle. If you think about it, the cost of other social benefit programs (especially medicaid) is far more expensive than the Pell program and have little potential for turning a low-income person into a middle class earner.</p>
<p>The difference between your family and someone who has a 0 EFC is that you actually have income and cash-flow to cover those other expenses for your student (although I’m sure it doesn’t seem like it!). Do you think that would continue if you had an income under $30K, as most Pell-eligible families do, or would you expect that your D would have to cover her own car, cell phone, and other expenses so that you could pay the mortgage, utilities, taxes, buy groceries, and keep your own car running? </p>
<p>IMO, it’s one of those situations where it’s tough to judge until you live it and every situation is different. Some are truly heartbreaking. I think it’s unfair to characterize Pell or TAP as a handout when they are meant to be a hand-up and do so much good for so many who truly wouldn’t have an opportunity otherwise.</p>
<p>Very well stated, sk8rmom.</p>