<p>Special circumstances financial aid mean vs as efc 0
I have no money my parents have no money both I and my sister are applying to colleges our best offer was from a school called california baptist university but we still need about $6000 each for each semester their are 2 semesters. When I say no money I mean it unfortunately my father has kronic kidney faliure he has dialias 3 times a day and because of this disability he can not work anymore my mother must drive him to appointments constently and can not work because of this. I have applied everywhere including fastfood chains: mcdonalds, carls jr and department stores. I have also applied for work as a pharmacy tech. since I have a license for this for the last 2yrs. I fill out applications everyday. What I am asking is if we already have an EFC 0 what if any diffference will a special circumstances petition for financial aid make. All responses are thanked in advance.</p>
<p>It sounds like you applied to FAFSA only schools. Usually a special circumstances consideration would adjust your EFC down so your aid would increase. BUT yours is already at zero. Still, it might be worth a try. There is no place on the FAFSA for unreimbursed medical expenses or extenuating circumstances. You could say that even though your EFC is $0, you are hopeful that the school will reconsider your need based aid because of these extenuating circumstances. You will need to document EVERYTHING…any expenses and the forms that state that they are not reimbursed by anyone else. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>You could attend a community college and live at home. With an EFC of $0, you should be eligible for the full Pell grant and you would also get the Stafford loan for a freshman of $5500…for a total of about $11,000…which would fund most community college tuitions for the year.</p>
<p>*our best offer was from a school called california baptist university but we still need about $6000 each for each semester *</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>If your “best offer” came from a school where you have 12k per year uncovered, then that suggests that you didn’t apply to any CSUs. Why? it doesn’t sound like you and your sibling were well-advised.</p>
<p>Even if you got a job, you can’t net 12k per year. this school isn’t affordable.</p>
<p>I doubt Calif Baptist is going to give you any more money. It sounds like much of the aid that you’ve gotten is Cal Grant, Pell Grant, and a student loan. It doesn’t sound like the school has much of its own aid to give.</p>
<p>What other schools did you apply to?</p>
<p>Again, it looks like you both will have to go to a CC. Then, when it’s time to transfer, apply to a CSU.</p>
<p>homer, what other schools did you apply to? What is your state of residence? Is it CA? If so, did you apply to the CSU’s as suggested above? If not, what IS your state of residency and are there any instate public universities to which you applied in YOUR state.</p>
<p>If you wish to apply to a community college in CA, I would suggest you make contact with them ASAP. Rumor has it that even the CC’s in CA are filling up in some cases.</p>
<p>If you don’t live in CA, you should look at community college options in your own state.</p>
<p>The way our financial aid system is set up is so that those with zero EFCs like you and your sister can go to local state schools. The $5500 that PELL gives out will cover most such situations. If it’s not enough you can borrow another $5500 freshman year via Stafford loans with some of that subsidized. That’s only if the Cost of Attendance of a school justifies that amount. </p>
<p>The FAFSA monies are not intended to fully pay for private colleges or even state schools with costs exceeding those amounts and is not enough to pay for most sleep away colleges. It will adequately cover most state schools for student who commute. </p>
<p>Look and see what the CAl grant will kick in as well. But that is your limit as to what you can get from government under most circumstances. The way you can get more is by applying to colleges that have resources to give you some of their own money to help you. If California Baptist wants you badly enough, they will have to pay for you to come since you absolutely don’t have the money. Otherwise look at state school options to which you can commute.</p>