<p>How can I gauge whether my decision to live off campus vs on campus is the financially smart thing to do?</p>
<p>I know living off campus will decrease my FA estimate because I applied to live on campus, BUT will what I save from the cost of living be greater than what I lose from grants?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>This depends entirely on where you’re living and how much financial aid you got in the first place. If you’re looking for a cookie-cutter answer to a situation with as many variables as this, you’re not really going to get one unless you give us specific amounts.</p>
<p>I think we will have the same net cost, regardless of housing status. I used UCLA Financial Aid Calculator at <a href=“http://www.fao.ucla.edu/aid_estimator/”>http://www.fao.ucla.edu/aid_estimator/</a>, and I got the same net cost for three housing options.</p>
<p>@k4201505 Well, I’m unsure of how the rent, utilities, food, etc differs in price with living on campus and maybe someone can give me some insight on that. </p>
<p>In terms of my financial aid, my estimate for grants/scholarships were 4,893 from the scholarship recognition award, 3,380 from pell grant, 12,192 from cal grant, and 1,830 UC grant for USHIP</p>
<p>2k for work-study, and 8,400 in loans</p>