<p>Hello everyone, I know I've made multiple posts regarding this financial aid thing, I apologize for being overly anxious about this. However, I can't bare to watch my mom worry about this anymore, she has some kind of mild schizophrenia, and my financial aid uncertainty has triggered her psychological issues. I just can't watch her do this anymore. </p>
<p>I just need to know with a EFC of about 1500-2000, how much grant money could I get usually? I know that the Pell grant would only give me about 3000, but I'm uncertain of how the Cal grant and UC grant would work. </p>
<p>I mean I plan on calling them tomorrow, but it's heart breaking to just wait here and watch her fall apart. She has dellusional ideas of conspiracies trying to put her out of work and such, I shouldn't even have brought up this financial aid thing at all. Please help if you have some information.</p>
<p>If you qualify you could get the ACG grant for, I think, $650 first year, $1300 second year, then if you qualify a SMART grant of $4000 for years three and four.</p>
<p>So if my Mom started working again, and our EFC goes up to say 2600, would cal grants be lowered a lot more? Also are assets calculated outside of the EFC for cal grants? I don't think I qualify for those other grants due to being a permanant resident. </p>
<p>My mom thinks that my need of financial aid is part of a large conspiracy to get her to stop working and fail at life, she can't seem to stop worrying about this, she even thinks our house is bugged. I suppose it's part of the shock factor from moving to America, I don't know. Anyways, I'm just trying to secure the situation and take necessary actions, not sure what else to do.</p>
<p>There's also an Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG - max $4,000), Perkins Loan, Work-Study, and there are numerous ways to appeal an unappealing financial aid award letter.</p>
<p>I do not know anything about your eligibility being a PR not citizen. The Pell grant fluctuates with the amount of your need, essentially need up to $4800 gets a Pell grant of $4800 less EFC. If you have the qualifications for ACG/SMART then you get that entire amount even with a tiny Pell grant.</p>
<p>A Cal grant is also all or nothing, no variance.</p>
<p>The SEOG seems, at most UCs, to go to people with $0 EFC, but each campus is different.</p>
<p>Are you going to be a HS senior this fall or a college freshman? You could call UCSD finaid and ask them what the average package would like like for your your EFC, you could also ask them about being a PR not citizen. Also check into merit awards, like an Alumni scholarship, etc.</p>
<p>ACG and SMART do require US citizenship. Pell just requires that you be a US ctizen or an eligible non citizen which includes permanent residents.</p>
<p>As somemom says - most SEOGs go to people with 0 EFC.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone! All this information was extremely helpful, once I get things all cleared up my mom can be at ease again. </p>
<p>Also to answer some questions asked I'm a transfer student, attempting to transfer fall 2009, just getting these things out of the way earlier so my parents can stop worrying about it.</p>
<p>Thanks to Kelsmom for posting this on another thread...</p>
<p>
[quote]
*Changes to the ACG and National SMART Grant Programs HEA section 428B(d) *</p>
<p>Effective January 1, 2009, the ECASLA made changes to the ACG and National SMART Grant programs, as follows:</p>
<p>For both the ACG and National SMART Grant programs-</p>
<p>*Eliminates the provision that limited eligibility for grants to only U.S. citizens, and now allows eligible non-citizens to receive grants. *</p>
<p>Allows awards to students enrolled on a less than full-time but at least half-time basis with proportionally reduced maximum awards determined the same way as in the Federal Pell Grant Program. </p>
<p>Requires the awarding of grants and the making of payments to be on the same basis as the Federal Pell Grant Program. </p>
<p>Provides that eligibility for awards is based on the student's grade level instead of academic year. </p>