<p>ok i've heard lots of rumors about aid and crap at berkeley so i wanna ask the community about it....</p>
<p>my family is ghetto poor. neither parent works, i think we get money from dad's social security...and welfare not sure but yea. fee waivers left and right and basically if i got accepted to harvard under their new financial aid plan id go for free. but i dont like cold weather so no harvard. </p>
<p>neways given that my parents make practically nothing and i go to one of the top high schools in california. 3.9 gpa all hardest classes, 1500 SAT, respectable EC's, 6 ft high, brown eyes, likes long walks on the beach....=P what kind of aid am i gonna expect from cal? ne response would be appreciated. </p>
<p>lol what does 6 ft high have to do with anything? Is that an accomplishment?</p>
<p>You will get a Cal Grant, Federal Work-Study eligibility, FSEOG, and probably a Pell Grant. Maybe you might get the regents and chancellor's scholarship, which is basically a full ride to CAL in addition to some wonderful benefits, and turn it down to attend stanford like I did.</p>
<p>If you have a $0 EFC and you are admitted to a UC, they may awward you a full package, but within that package they will expect you to pul your own weight with a work study. They will also give you about half the aid in the form of loans. So, you will be required to pay some back, but hey, $40k after 4 years is not to shabby!</p>
<p>The UCs rely heavily on loans. For someone truly poor, a top private college will most probably end up cheaper. If you can get into UCB, look at privates that meet 100% of need.</p>
<p>the only privates that im considering are USC and Stanford because i wanna stay in california. god if only i could get into harvard -_- but yea </p>
<p>so hows aid for USC and Stanford? i heard USC is generous and Stanford is stingy.</p>
<p>I've heard from reliable sources (actual attending families) that USC will offer more grants in the first two years and shift them to loans for the lat two years, so plan accordingly...or at least ask them about it!</p>
<p>the claremont colleges are nice from what i've heard but theyre too small for my tastes. im looking for a big college and also hard to get into lol. hmm this financial aid business is tough. =/</p>
<p>I have a hard time understanding why so many just want to stay in California. Our state is a mess with budget problems. We have a limited number of schools million compete to get into.</p>
<p>You can fly across country in less time than it takes to drive across CA. With gas prices and Jet Blue, the 2 trips will be close in cost.</p>