<p>I'm seventeen, female, and out of options. </p>
<p>I decided to attend UC Davis and study Computer Science, but for the past six months I have been having trouble figuring out how I'm going to pay for it; my parents are divorced (since 2000), and my mother did not save up college money while I was growing up. We have been living on a $36,000 income, but my mother tends to spend money on useless things.
So, now when I try to see if we qualify for need-based aid, I find that we only qualify for SOME, but not nearly enough. My estimated cost of attendance is near $29,000, and I'm receiving $10880 in aid since I filed my FAFSA too late to qualify for university grants.
The financial aid offices are being unhelpful-- they're just replying to my emails with automated responses, and the phone service seems to be for just general concerns that could be answered online.
I have looked for scholarships and applied to many and got nothing, and even Stafford loans and other regurgitated-advice loans are already IN the financial aid package.</p>
<p>Right now, my mother is asking me what my plan is, and when I told her that I thought I'd just have to postpone college for a year and work, she just lost it. She works at a warehouse, and she's furious that I might have to give up a year of school. She says that I'm going to waste a year of my life if I just go to work, and that it's shameful that all of my other classmates are headed off to college while I'm on the edge trying to pay for it and wondering if I'll even go, and she keeps saying that it's all because I didn't listen to her and file the FAFSA early. I know it's my fault, but she's been at it for the past four months, and four hours today-- I'm tired of crying. </p>
<p>My Sallie Mae loan was denied. I will ask one of my uncles to co-sign, but I'm not sure if it will work.
I don't have scholarship money.
I filed my FAFSA.
My mother wants to put me through the military.
My mother doesn't want me to remain at home.</p>
<p>First, you applied for your aid late. That is one reason you are having issues. Regardless of what happens this year…NEVER miss a deadline again of any kind.</p>
<p>Are you a resident of CA? If so, I’m not sure why the finances are so troublesome unless it is solely due to your late application. Were you not eligible for a Cal Grant? With your family income of $36K per year, you should have received at least a partial Pell Grant (federal), I think. Then you should also have gotten a Stafford loan. </p>
<p>Is there a chance you could commute from your home and attend a community college this year (would your Pell Grant and Stafford loan cover that…did you receive any of the Pell grant in your financial aid package?)?</p>
<p>Someone else here should be able to tell you what your Pell grant would be with a family income of $36,000 a year. </p>
<p>Or you could work part time and attend a community college part time.</p>
<p>Your college financial aid office isn’t ignoring you…your request for aid is late. School begins soon…it’s very possible there isn’t any aid LEFT for you to receive other than federally funded aid to which you are entitled (e.g. Pell grant, stafford loan).</p>
<p>I would seriously doubt that at this late date there is any merit aid left.</p>
<p>MOST families do not save money for college. A family income of $36K per year is probably just barely enough for your family to pay their everyday living expenses…rent or mortgage, utilities, food, clothing, etc. There really isn’t much to spend on “useless things” and there isn’t much to save.</p>
<p>Your gap is too big to start school and hope for the best. I don’t think UCD is going to be able to offer you enough, if they offer you any more, to close that gap. Idk if filing FAFSA earlier would have given you enough either. I think you need to rethink your entire college plan at this point. Do NOT start school in this situation!</p>
<p>Fwiw, I think your mom’s being a bit ridic…you’re the child, she’s the parent…why didn’t SHE file FAFSA for you earlier? Why didn’t SHE save money for your education? Water under the bridge at this point. There’s no percentage in fighting about it and it’s childish to do so. Explain that you need her help and support to find an affordable alternative. Good luck!</p>
<p>We always look at it like this: God uses our circumstances to guide us sometimes. I know it’s a heartbreaking situation, but it’s time to just make the best of it.</p>
<p>If it were our child, I’d advise them to stay home for a year, go to the community college (much cheaper), get a part time job and concentrate on: getting amazing grades, saving up money and getting all your apps and financial paperwork done early this year.</p>
<p>I think that college admissions officers are going to look with favor on such a responsible, adult action. Send a letter to the college you’d planned to go to and tell them, “I am so sorry, but I am just unable to attend this year because I do not have the funds. I’ll be attending the community college this year and saving up so that I can reapply for the next year.” Who knows, they might even defer your admission for a year.</p>
<p>Hard lessons like this are difficult, but honestly, that’s how you learn the most important things in life. {{{hugs}}}</p>
<p>You need to make some more calls to Davis to find out about taking a gap year and how that would influence your FA. Find out if it’s better if you take a gap year or if you withdraw and then reapply next year. Find out what that means for your financial aid options. If you and Davis agree to a gap year, make sure that taking community college courses doesn’t somehow invalidate your returning to campus.</p>
<p>I’m concerned about your description of your mother’s anger. She may just be disappointed, but your post reads as if she wants you out of the house. I’m speculating here (and please let me know if I’m reading this entirely wrong), but given her limited income, her wanting to buy “useless” things, and seeing on the horizon her daughter moving out, I could imagine her disappointment. If she feels she needs to support you, then you’ll want to talk to her about your plans for the next year. Work out an arrangement where, if you stay home, you get a job and contribute to household expenses. </p>
<p>You are not out of options. Start off at community college for a couple of years. Your financial aid including Stafford loans should cover that. Next year make sure you file your FAFSA early. If you are a CA resident the cal grant deadline is March 1st or 2nd. Make sure you know your school’s deadlines to make sure you are eligible for the best aid package possible.</p>
<p>I’m sorry you’re in this situation, you have my sympathy. Yes, you screwed up by applying after the grant deadline, but you don’t deserve to be yelled at and reduced to tears for four months. Everyone makes mistakes; the smartest people are not those who don’t make mistakes, but rather those who make mistakes and learn from them.</p>
<p>This is what your immediate problem is:</p>
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</p>
<p>If you can convince your mom to let you stay at home, you can go to community college. Or work. Or work AND go to community college.</p>
<p>But if she’s adamant about kicking you out, your first priority is not going to be college, but just getting by.</p>
<p>Do you think she is serious about not letting you stay? What if you explained to her that by going to community college you will be better able to afford college? Do you have any money saved up? Any friends you can crash with for a bit while you find your feet if she does kick you out?</p>
<p>Do community college/junior colleges have dorms where you live? (They do where we live). If so with financial aid and maybe a part time job could you live on campus?</p>
<p>There are over 70 community colleges in California but only about 10 of them have dorms. If the cost of CC dorms are anything like the cost of dorms at the CSUs, they’re much more expensive than sharing a house or an apartment, for both rent and food. So this probably won’t be an option for the OP.</p>
<p>You could work with a group such as Americorps and reapply for fall 2011. That’s not a bad plan for a gap year, even if finances aren’t a factor.</p>
Well that’s an insult to all of us who had to take gap years or went to college under less than the ideal circumstances of space and time. I see filing the FAFSA as being as much her responsibility as yours, since that’s where HER income and savings for you and expected contribution to your education comes in. </p>
<p>Regardless, I’d take this as an opportunity to get a job, pack my crap and get out. Oh wait, that was MY life. Hang in there MR, you’ll work it out. It may not be the traditional road, but you will get there, older and wiser for all that. Time to cut the apron strings.</p>
<p>Contact UCD and find out if you can delay starting college for a year. Then apply for aid ON TIME next late winter. If you apply on time, you should get nearly all your costs covered.</p>
<p>According to the College Board: Of the 3712 freshmen who applied for aid this year, only 2647 were offered aid, and only 399 had their full need met.</p>
<p>^My guess is that the $10,880 she received consisted of a Pell grant and Stafford loans. It sounds as if she missed deadlines for a Calgrant, (which might be another $10K or so?) and for other types of campus based aid like SEOG, work study, etc. But I agree, she should plan to save up money and keep her expenses well below COA estimates if her parents can’t help at all.</p>
<p>To others reading this thread…please don’t miss deadlines. Missing deadlines can have significant consequences particularly in financial aid where some awards are first come/first served. Get into the habit of getting this all done EARLY so that if there are any snags you can work them out.</p>
<p>The OP sounds like she/he missed the deadline for the Cal Grant and University grants which when put together had the potential to closely fund their schooling. The missed deadline put the Cal Grant off the table.</p>