Hello, I am currently attending a CC and I am transferring after this semester. I got accepted to UCLA, UCD, UCSD, and UCSB, which were all the schools I applied to. Initially, I was really excited to get into UCLA and I was going to go there. Now Ive checked my financial aid offers and UCD is basically offering me a full ride, I would only need to take out a 5k/yr federal loan and I would not have to work. The offer from UCD included no Cal Grants. With the offer from UCLA, i would have to take out a loan for about 7.2k and work for an addition 2k, so a 9.2k debt plus 12k of the gift aid is supposed to be from Cal Grants, but idk if the school can guarantee I will get it. So with UC Davis, I would only have to pay 5k for sure. With UCLA, i would have to pay 9.2k for sure and possibly an additional 12k if I dont get the Cal grant. Where would you guys go? Has anyone seen Cal grants on their fin aid provisional award letter and not gotten it?
You should already have received notification as to whether or not you’re eligible for a Cal Grant - what did it say?
If you’re eligible for a Cal Grant, you’re going to receive it (in the same amount) regardless of which UC you attend. It generally only shows up on one of the UC’s financial aid awards, but it will be shifted to whichever school you decide to attend.
Beyond that, one or the other of the UC’s may give you a more generous award. If that’s the case, take the best offer you get!
When i check the reward letter, for UCSD, UCLA, and UCSB and I hover over the Cal grant, it says I am eligible. What I am confused about is how the Cal grant works. Does it go to everyone that qualifies? Or does someone choose who gets it from a pool of qualified people? UCD gave me the most generous reward, and did not even mention the Cal grant, than UCSD gave me $200 more than UCLA, and UCSB actually gave me the least amount of reward. My major is biology btw. If i go to UCLA, and I get the Cal grant, I would have to take out a 7.2k loan and have work study for another 2k. If i go to UCD, i would have to pay 5k and no work study. I still want to go to UCLA, I would be willing to work and take that extra 2.2k loan/year, but I am just unsure about the Cal grant. I dont want to accept UCLA’s offer and later have it denied and be forced to pay an extra 12k. Actually, since UCD did not mention the Cal grant, and I go there and I get it, that would mean I would pay nothing out of pocket if I go there.
Seriously as a college student, I think it is better at this point to go with the more affordable option.
Debt is not worth it. Trust me. You want to avoid debt as much as possible.
And UCD is a fine school. Rank 38 nationally in the USNWR? Sounds more than good enough
(although I must say the ranking really feels arbitrary. Personally, I feel like schools like UIUC, UT-Austin, UW-Madison, UWashington easily deserve higher ranking…)
Trust me on this issue though. If possible, avoid debt at all costs or minimize it as much as possible. High debt is a gamble. You could easily ruin your whole life ahead of you due to the blind goal for “prestige”.
UCD already is highly looked upon at the academia. If you do well there, companies will not differentiate you and a UCLA student.
But then, it is your decision. My two cents is…
UCD is already one of nation’s “top schools” and a dream school for many. No need to go in debt over prestige. Note that prestige does not buy you anything.
Sure if you go to UCLA you can always call yourself a Bruins and show off to your family and peers. But other than that, what? Is showing off really worth going in debt that will carry you down for a long period of your life?
I had met some fascinating peers over time who could easily have been some of the best students at MIT. After having received their financial package,they ended up choosing a school that most if not all members in CollegConfidential has never heard about.
Does this make them “less” capable? I don’t think so and they didn’t too. Sure there are some insane advantages to prestige but is a high debt really worth it? Do you want to pretty much forfeit your life over “prestige”?
Of course if you are going towards a high paying field and you are certain you will be one of the best in that field, then sure go ahead. But seeing how many college undergraduates are unemployed, I truly dislike the notion of debt.
Anyways, wait for the responses from the other schools.
And then try finding a balance between academics and tuition. However, just note that the opportunity you just received at UCD is very rare. If I was in your situation, I would chose UCD full ride over UCLA debt anyday.
Just make a decision that won’t make you regret 
Chose UCLA:
- Have high debt and live majority of your life after college trying to barely “pay off debt”
- Show off to your friends and peers your degree from UCLA.
- Have pride as a Bruins.
Chose UCD: - May not have the prestige but you will not have to worry of “high debt” after graduating college.
- Use the money that could have gone to pay off debt to buy yourself a house or a car or anything for that matter.
Now if there is Cal Grant …
Post your actual financial aid award for each school and I could bet you’ll get more helpful advice.
Yes copy the two awards, if you are only talking a small difference of a couple thousand then you should go where you prefer.
If you qualify for a Cal Grant entitlement then you will get it. Everyone who qualifies does. But there are also Cal Grant lottery awards. You really should be aware and informed of your Cal Grant status. If you don’t have a webgrants4students account log in and check your status.
If you choose Davis AND you are eligible for cal grant, the cal grant will replace part of all of the university grant.
@AccCreate You are talking as if there is some large debt vs small debt but that is not the case here and only confuses the issues.
Cal Grant A and Cal Grant B are entitlement grants - that means if you’re eligible, you’ll get the same grant whichever UC you decide to attend. If your UCD award does not presently include the Cal Grant, your final award from UCD will include it. (And it will replace part of your UCD university grant - so the total award will be the same. The only thing that will change is the source of the funds.)
By the way, if the “work” you’re talking about in the UCLA award is work study, that’s a pretty good deal. It won’t take up too much of your time, and the recommendations you can get from your university employers may be helpful in getting other jobs later on.
You should also look at what the cost of attendance at each school includes. If I recall correctly, UCLA includes student health insurance in their COA (cost of attendance) and UCSD (for example) does not. Since student health insurance is required, that’s something you may have to pay for (out of your own pocket) if you’re not already covered under your parents’ insurance. So check the UCD award (and COA) to see if it’s included.
@AccCreate - Your advice is way off base. You’re advising this student to “wait for responses from other schools”? Where are these other responses going to come from on April 19 - the tooth fairy? And, yes, you’re correct that UCD is a good school, but your rant about “high debt” is nonsense - the OP muddied the equation a bit by including work study in his/her debt total, but the actual difference in cost between the two schools can be covered with a low-paying summer job.
@dodgersmom Thank you. You are right, the work I was referring to from UCLA is work study, so the actual loan amount from UCLA would be 7200, and from UCD it would be 5000. The total cost for UCLA is actually about 1700 more than UCD so it makes sense I would have to pay more. Since the difference isnt much… Im going to UCLA!!! Yay, its been my dream school since I was very young, especially for biology. Thank you everyone for your help.
My major is Biology and I want to become an anesthesiologist, I doubt I wont be able to find a job or get into med school if I do well at Biology at UCLA.
Here are my rewards aid:
UCLA: Costs in the 2015 - 2016 year
Estimated Cost of Attendance $34,752 / yr
Tuition and fees
$13,806
Housing and meals
$14,904
Books and supplies
$1,383
Transportation
$594
Other education costs
$4,065
Grants and scholarships to pay for college
Total Grants and Scholarships (“Gift” Aid; no repayment needed)$25,552 / yr
UNIVERSITY GRANT
$4,744
FEDERAL PELL GRANT
$5,775
CAL GRANT A
$12,804
UC GRANT TO PURCHASE USHIP
$2,229
What will you pay for college
Net Costs$9,200 / yr
(Cost of attendance minus total grants and scholarships)
Options to pay net costs
Work options
Work-Study (Federal, state, or institutional)
$2,000
Loan options*
Federal Perkins Loans
$900
Federal Direct Subsidized Loans
$5,500
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans
$800
*Recommended amounts shown here. You may be eligible for a different amount. Contact your financial aid office.
UCD : Estimated Cost of Attendance for On-Campus Student
Tuition & Fees $14,534.00
Books & Supplies $1,576.00
Room & Board and Personal Expenses $16,214.00
Transportation $626.00
Other $150.00
Total Estimated Cost of Attendance for On-Campus Student $33,100.00
The 2015-2016 UC Davis Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is not yet final. The Estimated Cost of Attendance will be adjusted after the September 15, 2015 SHIP waiver deadline to take into account the cost of the plan for those who purchase SHIP, and financial aid packages will be adjusted based on updated eligibility.
Please note: Your financial aid package may be subject to change if your 2015-2016 SHIP waiver status is revised.
Contributions
Student Self-Help $3,500.00
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) $0.00
Total Contributions $3,500.00
Financial Need $29,600.00
Estimated Financial Aid
Fed Direct Subsidized Loan $5,000.00
Federal Pell Grant Program $5,775.00
University Campus Fee Grant $540.00
University Grant $18,285.00
Total Estimated Financial Aid $29,600.00
Remaining Cost $0.00
This is my first time applying to universities, I went to a CC right after HS because I wanted to use the money to buy a car, which I did. For this reason, Im not really sure which is the better offer, but UCD wants less money with loans. Again I would like to say my major is biology and not something like sociology where the possibility of getting a job is null. Also I would like to go to med school after I get my BS in Bio.
I’m not sure that Davis would be cheaper. Does Davis REALLY have a COA that it less than $30k???
Also, you may be able to bring down UCLA’s cost a bit by choosing less expensive housing.
So, you’ll be a junior when you go to college this fall? And you’re premed? What have your grades been so far? What is your BCMP GPA?
Are you going to do a Glide Year?
@ChemGod - You’re right, the difference in cost between the two schools appears to be trivial . . . so UCLA is a great choice!!!
FWIW, you may be able to reduce your cost by applying to be a resident assistant (RA) in the dorms your senior year - that should get you free housing. Also, if you can find a summer job where you’d be able to go back to work over Christmas and Spring Breaks, those extra weeks of income will make a big difference.
UCLA looks like it may be the better deal. Davis identifies “Student self-help” as $3,500, but does not provide a way to pay it. UCLA gives $500 more in subsidized loans, $2,000 in work-study, and identifies Perkins and unsubsidized loans as ways to fund the remaining $1,700 funding gap.
The way to look at this is how much the family will contribute in cash, work-study, and loans. That is the bottom line. For UC Davis that number is $8,500. For UCLA that number is $9,200. The difference is $700/year, even with the likely higher room & board costs in Westwood. You may wish to ask if your work-study could be increased by $800 and your unsubsidized loan be decreased to $0, if you think you can easily work 10 hrs/week.
It will cost $700/year out of pocket more to go to UCLA, assuming both estimates of personal, other, books, and room & board are correct, and they may easily be off by +/- $700. By giving you work-study, UCLA has made you more attractive as an employee, and incentivized you to reduce your loan burden. UCLA has given you low-interest subsidized loans that will not start accruing interest until after you get out of school (medical school) to pay for much of this. I would recommend that you go where you would be happiest. It looks like you have already decided to file your SIR with UCLA, congratulations!
lol Thank you guys so much for clearing up my questions about the rewards. It does seem like UCLA’s offer is actually better, I mustve overlooked the self-help part of UCD’s offer. $700 is less than the amount between the COA of UCLA and COA of UCD, so UCLA gave the better offer. Actually UCSD gave a better offer than UCLA but I like UCLA better lol. Im definitely going to UCLA! Ill be doing my SIR today :]
@mom2collegekids Yes, ill be a junior when I start this fall. And I am premed. My GPA is around 3.72 right now, but ive worked as a lab tech for one year at my CC, and I also have a job as a chemistry tutor at my CC. I think that might have affected my admission decision. I also had a VERY good personal statement. I dont know my BCMP GPA, but ive taken a year of bio, a year of chem, and half a semester of o chem and have gotten As in all of them - ive never gotten a B in a science class. I only got Bs in calc 1 and 2. So far, for all the required classes for med school, I have gotten all As, since calc isnt required. Once I start at UCLA with a fresh GPA, since Ill be done with Calc, im going to try to keep it at 4.0.
I really dont want to do a glide year, for I would like to go to med school as soon as I can. Would you recommend taking a glide year? If one decides to do the glide year, do they take the MCATs during that year?
Your BCMP GPA is the GPA of EVERY bio, chem, physics and math class you’re taken…even if not required by med school.
So, those Calc class B’s will count in your BCMP GPA.
No, you don’t “start fresh” with a new GPA at your new univ. All your college classes are part of your cum GPA and BCMP GPA.
No, you don’t take the MCAT during a glide year. You would take your GPA during senior year if you were doing a Glide Year.
IF you don’t plan on doing a Glide Year, then you would take the MCAT your junior year of college…so within the next 12 months. Then you would apply during the summer between junior and senior year of college.
@mom2collegekids
Ohh ok, well I just have Bs in calc 1 and 2, ive aced every single chem and bio class ive taken. I havent taken any physics yet. I guess if I just keep working hard and acing the rest of my bio, chem and physics I should be fine. Yeah I think ill start studying for the MCATS during winter/spring and hopefully take it during fall. I might consider a glide year if I feel im not ready for the MCATS but I would really like to go to med school asap. Also wouldnt I have to start paying back my loans if I stop going to school for a year?