<p>So, on my web grants for students, it says for Cal Grant A that I'm "Qualified - Not Received" and for Cal Grant B I'm "Awarded - On Hold". However, in MyFinAid, it lists that it has Cal Grant A and it's been confirmed? Yet, it still has yet to be paid to Berkeley because it's still listed as $0.00.... </p>
<p>So, did someone make a huge mistake somewhere? And if so, what do I do? Because that Cal Grant A makes up a huuge chunk of my financial aid (about $10,000 you know).</p>
<p>It looks like Berkeley decided to award you Cal Grant A instead of Cal Grant B which has happened to a lot of students this year. When you click on award payment summary, what does it show? This is on MyFinAid.</p>
<p>It lists “Cal Grant A Fee Award” and the status is “confirmed”, but on my web grants, it says I was awarded Cal Grant B instead. Should I request to switch to Cal Grant A instead or call the financial aid office to settle the mistake?</p>
<p>Not Award Details but Award Payment Status. It should show both the Fall and Spring semesters with the amount awarded for each item for each semester. It will have two columns - accepted and paid. If a Cal Grant has paid out it would be shown here. It would also show here which Cal Grant you received. Did you check that?</p>
<p>in my Award Payment status, it says that I have been “accepted” Cal Grant A, but 0.00 has been paid so far. I called the Cal Grant office and apparently, I have to submit a verification that I graduated high school in order for it to “pay out”. However, I’m still confused about the issue regarding which Cal Grant I actually received.</p>
<p>Okay. I see. From what I understand, if one qualifies for a Cal Grant B, Berkeley can decide which Cal Grant would be the most advantageous for you. Apparently they decided Cal Grant A would be best for you. However, I have heard of many complaining that they wanted Cal Grant B over Cal Grant A. I guess you would have to ask the financial aid office why the selected Cal Grant A for you. As far as the the verification of graduation, there is something on Web Grants that allows you to do this, or at least that was there a few months back. I don’t know if it is too late in the process and you need to fill out some other form. Did you look on Web Grants and check your requirements? There was a box to click to verify graduation. My son did this in June.</p>
<p>Yeah, I didn’t see the box and I guess I just have to submit a form saying that I graduated high school, and I suppose I have to request a change from Cal Grant B to Cal Grant A in order for the money to pay out. </p>
<p>However, my problem is that I have to do this as soon as possible and the deadline for the registration fees is the 15th, and I still have yet to pay my bill because my Cal Grant money hasn’t been awarded yet. My CARS ebill says that I have about $7000 minimum to pay before the 15th and there’s no way I can pay that out of my own pocket.</p>
<p>Totally understand. Call the financial aid office first thing Monday morning and find out what you should do. Call right at 10:00 (that’s when they first open). You may have to try a few times, but you will get through. Then you will hold… Ask them about submitting a request to change your Cal Grant from B to A. I don’t think you need to do that. The only issue appears to be the verification of graduation. I also would call CARS, the number is on the bottom of your ebill, to ask them what to do since you are awaiting financial aid. I think there is some leeway in the due date. Also the due date lands on a Sunday, so I think Monday will be okay. You can always try CARS now. You’ve got nothing to lose. Hang in there. I hope I helped a bit.</p>
<p>I think the office is closed, because I called the Billing and Payments Office and their hours are 1-3 in the afternoons on Mon-Fri. Thank you for all your help, I really appreciate it. I’m kinda freaking out right now and I really hope that there is definitely some lee-way in the due date because I know I won’t be able to pay it all before the 15th and I hope they don’t like… kick me out of the school because of that. :(</p>
<p>Don’t worry about that. You have financial aid lined up; it just hasn’t paid out yet. I’m assuming you have additional aid besides the Cal Grant. Did any of that fund, because if it did, maybe you have already made your minimum payment.</p>
<p>Well, my registration fees went from around $6,000 something to around $3,000 so I think around $2,700 has already been paid. But, on my Cars E-Bill, it says I owe a total of $13,000 something and the minimum payment is around $7,000. The deadline of August 15th isn’t like… very strict, is it?</p>
<p>Okay so you do have an amount under minimum payment. I don’t think they will kick you out of school for this. As long as you call financial aid first thing Monday morning, you should be able to get this worked out. Is there an email address for CARS? The may not see it right now, but they would see it first thing Monday morning. This would demonstrate your good faith effort in trying to get your financial aid firmed up. </p>
<p>Wait! What does your quick statement show? Look at that right now!!! :-)</p>
<p>My quick statement says this: </p>
<p>Minimum Amount Due Now: $4,825.75
Minimum Due + Full Reg Fee: $4,825.75
Account Balance: $10,433.75</p>
<p>… I am just very confused right now. So do I owe that amount, or do I owe the $7,000 listed on my CARS e-bill?</p>
<p>You owe the $4,825.75 by the 15th. Think of the ebill as a bill you receive in the mail. It’s a snapshot of your account on one day and time. The quick statement is an up to date, accurate picture of your account on an daily basis. I thought this was confusing too until I figured it out. Your quick statement will always be the most accurate accounting of what you owe. Do you have financial aid covering your entire cost of attendance?</p>
<p>Almost; I have about $29,500 from grants + scholarships from Berkeley, and then another $1,500 from an outside scholarship that has yet to pay as well. However, that $29,500 is including the $10,000 from Cal Grant A… so because that has yet to pay so far, I don’t think my registration fees will be paid before the 15th. :(</p>
<p>Okay, I was trying to figure out if you needed to put in any of your money or whether everything was covered. I think it is for you. If you look at the cost of attendance, they have a lot of discretionary items in there. The only money you need to give Berkeley is tuition and housing. If you have that in your financial aid, you would not need to give Berkeley any additional money.</p>
<p>Mmhm, I think I’m just going to call them on Monday and clear things up with them. Thank you so much, Momfirst13! You’ve definitely helped me out through this rough period and been a big help!</p>
<p>You’re welcome. Let me know how it all turns out. Good luck and have a great weekend.</p>
<p>You see, my problem is that my Cal Grant is still “estimated” by the financial aid office while it says that I was awarded, and confirmed, the Cal Grant B on the Web Grants for Students website. I called the office a few days ago where they said it wasn’t their responsibility to deal with this, so they gave me the email for Teresita Gutierres (which the representative with whom I spoke said was <a href=“mailto:teresita@berkeley.edu”>teresita@berkeley.edu</a>, but I’m wondering if that was an error as it’s not in the format as the other emails that I have encountered). I emailed this person never to get a reply, so I am becoming rather irritated right now with this whole ordeal. I might have to go to the office in person once I move to resolve this, but I’m hoping for everything to settle down before then.</p>
<p>Well you really have no choice but to get in contact with this Teresita as this is what financial aid told you to do. When did you email her? I clicked on the email address and I see no problem with the format. I have emailed a couple of people at Berkeley with the same type of email. Send another one and label it high priority. Did financial aid tell you which department Teresita worked for? If so, call that department on Monday and try and speak to her. If this all fails, you are right in thinking you have to go to the office when you arrive for move in. Good luck.</p>