Question about pell grant and cal grant A

<p>Hi!
I got into UCSD and I received $8334 for UCSD grant, $4700 for the pell grant and $1551 for the cal grant B. Those are the grants isted on the webiste of UCSD.
Later on, I received a letter from CAL GRANT and told me that I got $6500 for Cal grant A and $1551 for Cal grant B.
So I am wondering if Cal grant A is same thing as one of the grans listed on the website of UCSD (UCSD grant, Pell grant).</p>

<p>My friends who also got into UCSD recently got $1500, but I am not sure which grant that is. They said they were told to open a bank account, then they got the money. In terms of the amount of money, which is $1500, I am guessing it is Cal grant B. Why did I not get any letters about this or tell me to open an account? My mom has always bugging me on this one. You know, parents...</p>

<p>One more question, I am currently still a high school student, therefore I know absolutely nothing abuot how these things work. How and when do I actually get these money? Are they going to just send me the check or the money is "on the internet".</p>

<p>Thank you very much</p>

<p>Pell Grant is a federal grant so comes from the federal government. It is a need based grant based on your EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) as calculated by FAFSA. You should qualify for the same Pell grant at every school.</p>

<p>Cal Grant is a California State grant so comes from the State of California. I don't know much about it. I know there is some strange thing about getting one grant the first year because it is a better deal in following years. Someone posted about it a while ago - I will try and find the link.</p>

<p>I don't think the UCSD grant would be the same as either Pell or Cal grant. It sounds like an institutional grant - that is a grant the school is giving you from their own money. </p>

<p>
[quote]
How and when do I actually get these money? Are they going to just send me the check or the money is "on the internet".

[/quote]

Our experience with financial aid is that grant money is credited to the bursar account at the school. Any charges (tuition/fees/room & board etc) are charged to the account. If the money credited to the account is more then the amounts charged to the account the excess is paid to you. If the charges exceed the money credited to the account then you pay them the difference. So you don't actually 'get' the money - the school gets it.</p>

<p>Here's the thread about calgrant
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/499200-cal-grant-info-clarification.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/499200-cal-grant-info-clarification.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Thank you.
So if I choose Cal grant B, I will get $6636+$1551 after my freshemen year?
And the money will go directly to my school account?</p>

<p>Usually the UCs pick cal grant B, $1500+ first year and add in a UC grant; in year two you will see the Cal grant B go way up, but the UC grant go down, thus the net amount to YOU is the same, but the UC is a bit better off with Cal grant B</p>

<p>wow. So it makes no difference? I still have to take thousands of loans and do work-study for $2800 a year. I was so surprised when I thought I could get cal grant A, $6636, in addition to the grants listed on the website. T_T</p>

<p>Then what's with my friend's situation? I never received the letters that they got, telling them to open a bank account in which the school or whatever can credit.</p>

<p>I dont know which grant that is and my mom has been bugging me and telling me to check that out for days.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I never received the letters that they got, telling them to open a bank account in which the school or whatever can credit.

[/quote]

That is probably so that if there is any excess money in the bursars account (after all charges) they can pay it direct into the bank rather than send a check. </p>

<p>The calgrant thing *is *rather strange from what I have read on CC. Somemom's explanation makes sense from what I have read on the various threads on the subject. It seems that you can only get either A or B and the school chooses the one that will be best in the long term.</p>

<p>UCs will credit grants and loans to your UC tuition & fee account
If you live in campus housing, they will credit that
Once they have credited the funds owed on UC accounts, they will release all the remainder monies to your bank account by EFT if you sign up for it, otherwise you have to go get a check in person.</p>

<p>If you get $10k in grants and your friend gets $9k in grants, and you live on campus and she lives off, she would get the approx $1000 above fees as a rebate to use toward off campus living expenses. You would have the $2000 or so credited toward your dorm costs.</p>

<p>So, you cannot assume some one else is making more or less than you in grants by whether they get refund $. It may also release loans that way, so she could simply be getting a loan disbursement by EFT, not getting "free" money. </p>

<p>Be careful assuming you are missing out on something without all the facts, the grass is always greener on the other side</p>