UC Davis granted me $17 grand as a University Grant. My EFC score is way too high due but I am not being helped by my family at all. I then found out I was also granted the Cal Grant for $12 grand and thought I could have my school paid for with this aid. But during orientation they said that the Cal Grant replaces dollar for dollar the amount awarded from the University Grant. Is this true? I just requested an increase in the Stafford loans from $5000 to $7500 to help me with the sudden lack of about $10 grand needed to have enough for the total cost leaving me with $8 grand still to find. What are my options?
Yes, pretty much, those awards do not stack. The university grant covers tuition first, then any excess can be used for other needs. If you get a Cal Grant, which is intended to cover tuition, then they don’t need to give you the portion of university grant that is meant to cover the tuition. So you might be getting 12 cal grant and 5 university grant now.
This sentence doesn’t make any sense. “My EFC score is way too high due but I am not being…”
But yes your EFC is based on your family income until you are 24 usually.
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You’re a transfer, so you should get the $7500 loan.
What is your EFC?
I wish that when UC’s listed their grants (that will likely get replaced by the CG), that they would instead write something like:
UC Grant and/or Cal Grant: $17k
That way students won’t think that they’re getting both. the UCs should have face enough confused parents/students to have figured out a solution by now.
How much are you earning/saving this summer?
Are your parents saying that they won’t give you one dime towards college? Why not? Can you ask them to at least pay for books? or at least pay for the costs that would be if you lived at home?