<p>My nephew and her filled out the fasa form. He is going to a state college in PA which is going to cost him apprx 13000 a year. Their income is around 50000/year (family of 4) </p>
<p>He didnt get any federal aid and only 1000 from state. Is there a way to contact someone to see why he didnt qualify. Other parents are telling us they got money and they make a little more then my sister and have assets. </p>
<p>My sister lives paycheck to paycheck. She is trying to talk my nephew into not going to school because she cannot afford it and he cannot get enough loans to afford to go himself.</p>
<p>When we contacted financial aid (twice now) the computers where down and we did not get an answer.</p>
<p>Why cant he get any loans? Has he tried private loans? </p>
<p>No offense, but it's kind of bad your sister is trying to get her son not to go to college even if they cannot afford it. There are ways to work it out; private loans, part time jobs, applying for more scholarships, attending community college, ect.</p>
<p>One of the first questions to ask is if the FAFSA was submitted by the school's recommended submission date. Federal/state/institutional aid is on a first come, first serve basis.</p>
<p>Secondly, what was the EFC (expected family contribution) calculated at?</p>
<p>Additionally, did they report large assets? </p>
<p>Those are places to start. There are posters here with more detailed working knowledge than I have. Perhaps someone will provide additional info.</p>
<p>He didnt try private loans, we thought you would have to have good credit or collateral which the family doesnt have either.</p>
<p>He does work part time, but at minimum wage doesnt go that far.</p>
<p>She did apply by the deadline and her EFC at that time was 30%.</p>
<p>They do not have any assets. but I told her she had to make a mistake somewhere. She is going to try calling again this week to financial aid. I am just trying to help her out as much as I can.</p>
<p>FA at the school said that for federal funding for school your EFC must be below 3500 or you get nothing from federal. Hers was 4056 on a bill of around 14000 so now she gets nothing from federal.</p>
<p>He works for penn dot in the summer and that doesnt qualify for the work program through the school since it is not in his major.</p>
<p>The school told her to get personal loans or home equity loans but she cannt get either, her credit is shot and she owes more on her home then it is worth.</p>
<p>He has filled out for various scholarships and only got one for 500 a semester.</p>
<p>First, my heart goes out to your sister and nephew. Their plight should remind us that those who consider it a tragedy that they (or their children) feel that they can "only" afford a flagship state university rather than a tony LAC don't understand the REAL problem with the financing of higher education for most ordinary Americans.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, there are no easy or even particularly attractive solutions to the problem faced by you sister's family. The only thing that I can think of: postpone college for a year or two, work, live at home, and save money while perhaps also taking courses at the local CC.</p>
<p>I am currently going to school. But I am a single mother living on child support while attending school, so needless to say I am the "lucky" one that goes to school for free on grants.</p>
<p>I just have a hard time understanding how they expect a family making 50000/yr to pay 10000 for school and still raise another child (to be in college next year hopefully) and still live day to day.</p>
<p>She was denied the parent loan today, but they told her since she was denied that my nephew should be able to get more loans.. we will see.</p>
<p>Is your nephew in western Pennsylvania, by any chance? If so, this is a loan program that might help him after he completes his freshman year: Gibson</a> Foundation - Education Loan Program</p>
<p>He might want to contact them now to ask what his chances would be after completing his first year in school.</p>
<p>For this year, it's not a great option but he can probably get a private loan without a co-signer. It's just that the interest rate will be higher than if he had a co-signer with good credit. He should maximize his federal student loan possibilities before turning to private loans. The federal loan is better because it has the same fixed interest rate for everyone, so it's not going to change along with economic conditions. Private loans have a variable interest rate that is sensitive both to personal credit rating and general economic conditions. It will be best if he can get everything he needs through federal loans plus work. </p>
<p>His federal loan maximum should be $9500 for his freshman year. Some of that might be subsidized, if he meets the requirements based on his EFC. (Subsidized is better because the government pays the interest while he's in college.) Some of it will certainly be unsubsidized. The maximum would normally be $5500 for the freshman year, but he should qualify for an extra $4000 because your sister was turned down for the federal Parent PLUS loan.</p>
<p>he should definitely be able to get a federal stafford loan for about 9500 (because the increase in limit and the fact the parents were turned down for a plus loan) THIS year as someone above suggested. Could he get a few $$ in work study to earn through the year??? Will the parents have the ability to pay the EFC of ~4K?</p>
<p>My nephew has to pay about 10,000 for school this year. His parents do not have the money to pay anything, his father suffered a stroke and heart attack within hours of each other a couple years ago and that put a financial strain on the family, they have been struggling since then.</p>
<p>My sister was told since her EFC is above the cutoff amount for the year (over 3,500), she doesnt get any federal financial aid at all. So they are expected to come up with around 10,000. </p>
<p>He is going to look into the work study through school. She was expecting to pay the 4,000 EFC and wasnt really worried about it and the school just told her a couple weeks ago, that she doesnt qualify for federal aid.</p>
<p>I don't think I understand why with a COA of 14K for the school and and EFC of 4K, there was no stafford loan offered. As long as there is need (and if I have my numbers right, there is), the student would be able to take out up to 5500 in stafford loans and more if the parents were turned down for the Plus loan. </p>
<p>Something doesn't sound right. I can understand not getting a Pell grant, but I can't understand why no stafford loan.</p>