<p>Hey guys. I'm gonna be a freshman, and my parents don't wanna pay interest at all, so they don't wanna accept the parent loan (nor do they want me to have a student loan, kickass!). They wanna pay the yearly fees (tuition + housing) in 3 or 4 yearly installments. Any ideas about what I should do? There are no more loan entrance counseling sessions on campus. I was planning on going to one with my parents so that they could "work" something out with the fin. aid officers, but now we can't. I was just thinking that I'd not accept the student & parent loan offers from Cal, and see what happens. Except if I do this, I don't wanna have a $15,000 charge on my CARS account, which my parents will have to pay in one big lump. Any ideas?</p>
<p>You don't have to accept the loans. Just leave your financial aid package the way it is right now. Don't accept or decline. If you find out you do need loans to cover expenses later in the year, you have until April 2006 to use them.</p>
<p>The installment plan can be set up after your first e-bill arrives. The installment plan has a $40 fee. For the first semester, you fill out that you will have to pay at most $10,000 all at once (it's lower depending on housing and other factors) if you opt to pay all at once; however, using the installment plan, that total amount is spread out over a period of time (3 or 4 payments). </p>
<p>If you filled for insurance waiver, you should get a refund for that as well ($485 per semester or something like that). The estimated $23,000 odd dollars includes books (which may cost more or less) and transportation, and "personal" which may include things you already have.</p>