Upon my acceptance, I received my financial aid package was utterly disappointed. They are offering me $5,000 less than my EFC, and I am yet to receive any scholarships. I have a good GPA (3.7+ in economics), so you would think that I would be eligible for some help. Is there still time for me to receive a transfer scholarship? What was your reaction when seeing your financial aid package?
As in, the amount i would have to pay out of pocket was $5,000 more than what my EFC is.
Hi, @brian7676. I am sorry that you’re so disappointed in your FA offer. This is a hard time of year for many. It’s really unfortunate that they came in under your EFC.
You don’t have to feel shy about picking up the phone and calling the FA office to discuss your award. I gather these are all loans that you’re talking about? Have you possibly already used a great deal of your federal loan totals. You know, you’re limited on how much you can borrow from the government as an undergrad. Is this possibly why they came in so low?
Also, I don’t know if this will make you feel better or worse, but A&M, like most universities, does not award a whole lot of scholarships for transfers. They award few. Most universities do. Our very good family friend who transferred to TAMU with a 3.98 in chemistry, 3 jobs, a winning personality, good letters of rec, etc, got nothing. Zip. Chances are very good that you don’t need to take the lack of scholarships personally.
But I do recommend that you call the FA office and ask them about your loan package. Feel free to ask them anything and everything about your financing. They won’t mind! 
I was pleasantly surprised with my package, I received enough to pay for tuition and on campus housing for the year.
Sorry to hear you didn’t receive what you wanted.
^ Yes, but @BlakerGrhymes, you surely know that you were an exception to the general rule.
I think I’m recalling correctly that you are a first generation college student. That fact alone opens the door to scholarship opportunities that aren’t available to most students – even if some of those other students have higher stats. I say that not to put you down. You, yourself, have mentioned your “average stats” here on occasion. There are good reasons that first generation students are celebrated and encouraged – and there are good reasons that they’re granted admission and scholarship’ed with lower stats than non-first-gens. There is no question that you are a remarkable and worthy applicant, or TAMU wouldn’t have honored you in that way! Not all first gens are accepted, and not all are scholarship’ed. But first generation is something that’s (a) rewarded, but (b) out of every student’s control.
Also, I think I’m remembering correctly that you had a remarkable story of emotionally, and/or financially, supporting one or both parents through some super tough times while you attended school. I hope I’m not confusing you with somebody else. But anyway, that’s another type of thing that is (a) out of all students’ control, and (b) often rewarded by scholarships. I’m just guessing that you would rather have had two healthy parents through all of those tough times, and it sounds like you’re a deserving, worthy applicant with great character! BUT, that kind of personal story also tends to put you in the “exception rather than the rule” category for scholarships.
And besides, you seem like a nice kid … I bet you’ll make a great aggie … but it doesn’t seem appropriate to … well … kind of boast (or so it seems) while another kid is feeling down.
I think that everybody here knows what it feels like to realize you didn’t get something you really wanted. And so, I was surprised that you chimed in in such a … (what appeared to me) boastful way. I am certain that you are very deserving of your acceptance and awards. But I am just guessing that it was your “grounding” and your “humility” and your character that put you in that scholarship pile in the first place. Like I tell my own kids, it would serve you best to honor and remember that fact.
(Sorry, the parent in me just came out!)
You should check your aid package again. They have probably added more loans anyway. Parent plus loan is what they have now added to ours to fill the gap. We didn’t get any scholarships either with a 4.0 gpa. Basically being offered loans plus a few small grants.
Oh my reaction seeing offer. I decided to go ahead and apply at a local college just to compare cost. Just for curiosity sake. Never considered anything but A&M till we got aid offer.
Well, my issue is that my parents aren’t really helping me financially anyways. So, the parent direct loan is out of the question. I received a small amount in grants and loans, but I am still expect to come up with $9,000 in just tuition and room+board. I really do not wish to sign private loans, but more than likely that I will have to. I was just hoping to be able to borrow more through the federal government or receive more aid for school. My single parent makes less than what should be expected of her to contribute; that’s all that I am saying.
Hmmm. It makes me wonder if you or your single parent might have made an error on the FAFSA.
But also, have you already borrowed a significant portion of the standard Federal Loan amount for undergrads? I believe dependent students are still eligible to receive up to $31,000 total, in student loans, from the federal government and that no more than $23,000 of that can be subsidized. Unsubsidized loans would be fine, too.
I totally understand your hesitation to sign on private loans! $9000 in private loans at what is bound to be a rather high interest rate, if you can even qualify for them in the first place?! Yikes. Not a good idea.
It’s good that you received some grants. That’s great news!
But again, I urge you to pick up the phone and talk with TAMU’s FA office. They will be able to walk through some of their decisions with you. Who knows? Maybe your discussion with them will lead you to discover some error or misunderstanding.
Also, have you checked out the Financial Aid & Scholarships forum? There are some super helpful, super knowledgable people over there! You could either PM them or post over there for some guidance. I don’t know or need to know all of your specifics, but I do wonder if there’s been some sort of error or misunderstanding in your FA package.
Best of luck to you!
@SimpleLife, Thank you for the detailed response. I spoke with a clerk, and they stated that that is all that i could recieve at this time. After the semester starts I may receive another grant. But that is a big MAYBE. They offered me $6,500 this year in loans. With this loan, I’ll be $11,000 in debt from federal student loans. I might not even receive my be-on-time loan that i received last year.
Oh, I see. Well, $6500 is the Second Year Undergraduate Annual Loan Limit for Dependent Students. So, if you’ll be a second year student next year, then that is correct and what was to be expected. Next year and the year after that, you’ll be eligible to receive $7500 per year in Federal loans.
FWIW, $12,000 is pretty much the national average for student debt for college sophomores, simply because the maximum amount dependent undergrads can borrow from the federal government for the first two years of school is $12,000. That’s $5500 max the first year, plus $6500 max the second year.
So, you’re actually not doing too badly right now, @brian7676! You weren’t short-changed in the federal loan department. Those are just maximums for everybody, period.
But, I’m sorry that you’re going to be in such a pickle this year. I wish that wasn’t the case! I hope you find a solution to the shortfall soon. Hang in there!
@brian7676, Are you up on Aggie Assurance? Did the FA person talk to you about that at all? I’m not sure if it applies to your situation (parents earn less than $60,000/yr, I think), but you might want to look into it more. You can google it and/or you can make another phone call and inquire.
For the most part I kept my family struggles out of my application. Half of my package was from earned scholarships while the other half was from aid.
Also, the original post says “What was your reaction when seeing your financial aid package?”
Boasting about my offer wasn’t my intention, and I’m sorry if anyone thinks of it that way.
@brian7676 Speak with your councilor, they will most likely have a list of local scholarships that you can apply for. You’ll have to write essays and the scholarships wont be very large ($100-1000) but those amounts add up. Sometimes no one even applies for them and the money goes to waste, take advantage if you can.