StudentFinAidInfo - Federal Pell Grant Program, Expected Family Contribution

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Question: Pell grant help?

I did FAFSA and it said I didnt qualify for a pell grant...I didnt understand because im old enough not to have to claim parents and im not married and I have no children I dont really own anything big except for car that im making payments on and im a waitress and on paper I only made 16,000 last year.. I called to find out what the deal was and was told that I made $1 to much over the EFC(expected family contribution) which is supposed to be $4000 and mine was $4001....has this happened to anybody else? I really dont have a ton of money to spend on school...i got a letter from the school I want to go to and they said if I dont feel FAFSA reflected financial strength to write why and send it in? so would I be wasting time or do I have a chance? im so confused any advice would be appreciated

Answer: Definitely go back on to the fafsa website with your pin ...

Definitely go back on to the fafsa website with your pin number and check to see if you made a mistake when inputting numbers. You do not make a lot and you should definitely be eligible for some pell. You can also contact your school's financial aid office to see if they can help you make any corrections.

Question: Why didnt I get a pell grant?
This is what I qualified for a year at southern Illinois university for the fall 2008 spring 2009 semester. I also have a $15,000 college bond fund saved away, should I use all of these loans? and what should I do with savings how much should I use in one year (2 semesters?). I did not get the pell grant and im wondering why? family contribution said something like 8,000 but they cannot contribute anything because of financial problems fasfa doesnt look into how much debt you have!

FEDERAL DIRECT SUB LOAN #1
Total Offered $3500.00

FEDERAL DIRECT PLUS LOAN EST
Total Offered $12700.00

FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN FR1 #1
Total Offered $2000.00

FEDERAL WORK-STUDY
Total Offered $2521.00

TOTAL FINANCIAL AID
Total Offered $20721.00

Answer: You need to contact a financial aid advisor at your local ...

You need to contact a financial aid advisor at your local college. They will be able to help you make decisions and inform you in ways that nobody else can.

Answer: Well it doesnt matter how much debt you have. it matters how ...

well it doesnt matter how much debt you have. it matters how much your parents make or you make if you are over 25. its great you are getting workstudy. that will be a help. that should be enough to cover tuition and books. and if you have anything left over (like I did) dont waste it on stupid things. I was 17 when I went to college and I didnt really NEED student loan but I got one and guess what I did with it? well it lasted quite awhile. I went out to eat every day at nice restaurants and bought a new outfit almost every day. now ill be paying it back for years and years.

Answer: That EFC is what killed your chances for a Pell grant, mine ...

That EFC is what killed your chances for a Pell grant, mine was only half yours and I got denied for one. Take as few of the loans as possible, you can always apply for a loan again. If you're a really REALLY responsible person take them all and turn in the money you don't use after the quarter or semester is over as an early loan payment, but again it's sooooo easy to just say "hey, I've got cash, it's pizza and beer time" rather than do the right thing.

Answer: If you have a college savings fund you need to use it... I ...

If you have a college savings fund you need to use it... I would not "Save it" and hold on to it for later, you may decide you don't like college and never go back. A freind of mine ran into serious health problems in college and never returned. You want to utitlise/accept these fin aid in this order of preference.
1.College BONDS (free and clear money-no debt)
2. PLUS LOAN (this is a loan in your parents name and they are responsible for paying it back, they do not have to take this full amount if they don't want to)
3. WORK STUDY (This is not money that is given to you up front to pay for things such as tuition, but is rather an opportunity to find an on campus job and you "earn" up to this much money per year for you to spend as you wish.. just like a regular job.
If the parent loan pays for everything then you should stop there. LOANS in the students name should only be used as a last result and if you are only going to be a fresman should not be utilized at all. (Save the debt in your name until you are a jr and senior). If you MUST take these others out in this order of preference (based on lowest interest rates). Also remember, you can ask to have the loan amount reduced if you don't need the whole thing.
4.PERKINS
5. SUB LOAN (Stafford).
You do not qualify for Pell because your parents earn too much. Good Luck, hope it helps.

Question: EFC = $1666, question on Pell availability.?

Greetings all, Just completed 08-09 FAFSA, freshman this fall. My EFC = 1666. According the the community college I plan on attending, the average COA (cost of attend) is as follows:

Tuition/Fees $1,722
Books and supplies 1,200
Room and board 1,771
Transportation 1,400
Personal and miscellaneous expenses 1,571
Total budget $7,664
Now questions:

1) The community college I plan on attending doesn't even offer student housing, why do they have the 'room and board' estimation? Is it for #s sake?
2) Based on this info, with an EFC of $1666, will Pell cover tuition and books?
3) Any left over?
4) Assuming that Pell covers books/tuition, can I still get Stafford loans to cover other items like childcare, computer, etc?
I appreciate everyone's response very much!

Answer: Your EFC is how much YOU are expected to pay. Minus your EFC ...

Your EFC is how much YOU are expected to pay. Minus your EFC from tuition, Pell is basically saying they will only pay about 100 bucks of it. Room and Board isn't a real price neither are books and supplies or the other prices. They are all estimations, the only real price is tuition. Room and Board is them assuming that you will get an apartment/pay rent.. Transportation is their estimation of you going back and forth to the school ect... You actually don't owe them any other money besides the 1,722 in tuition. Seeing as they are not paying your full tuition, they will not pay for your books and you won't have any money left over.

Answer: First of all, an efc of 1666 does not mean you will have to ...

First of all, an efc of 1666 does not mean you will have to pay 1666 to the school. An EFC is just a code your school uses to determine what kinds and how much fin aid you will receive. The cost of a school is best determined by looking at the schools tuition and fee rates. 12 credit hours is full time. So is 21 credit hours, but the cost will be different.
Okay, that being said if you meet about a million requirements (all correct and no estimated info on your FAFSA, no bachelors degree, no defaulted student loans, not too many attempted hours and decent college grades etc.) with an EFC of 1666 you will likely qualify for $1,540.50 in the fall of 08 and another 1,540.00 in the spring 09 if you attend full time.
Your question about if Pell would cover all your tuition and books would be best answered by looking at your schools tuition and fee rates. Some schools would be totally paid for with $1540 a semester, some more expensive schools would not. If your tuition, fees and books are less than the 1540 you would get this money from the school to pay for other expenses like childcare, computer, etc.
If you do not qualify for enough grant money to cover your "cost of attendance - $7,664.00 " you can opt to take out student loans. As a freshman you can borrow up to 3,500 a year if you are classified as a dependent student.
Here is an outstanding book about the different kinds of loans, the max you can borrow, the types of grants you are applying for when you do the FAFSA and more. Hope this helps.

Question: I attended the spring semester and pell paid for it, but I didn't go fall cuz spring was my first year.?
Will I get what's leftover from last year(fall) ?it was the 07-08 FAFSA form. I already filled out for 08-09 year. Can I use it for summer. I started 1-2008 .

Answer: Yes you can use the semester that wasn't used up in Fall ...

Yes you can use the semester that wasn't used up in Fall for the summer and if all of it isn't used then they will give the rest back to you or put it towards an extra semester.

Answer: If you didn't attend last fall, that money would be sent ...

If you didn't attend last fall, that money would be sent back. Your summer tuition comes from your 08-09 elgibility.

Question: I am not eligible for a Pell Grant, why?
I am 26 years old and I am just starting back to college. I filled out FAFSA and just received SAR that tells me I am not eligible for a Pell Grant. Apparently EFC is $9500 and I am really confused. My gross income for 2007 was $31,000. I am an independent now and did not have to state parents income which would have automatically made me inelegible for most aid. Why is it that they expect me to pay almost half of net income?? I feel that this is strange, can anyone shed some light on this matter for me?
I completely understand that college is not for free. I have worked very hard to make the money I make and I am absolutely fine with putting some of money towards education, however, the Pell Grant is at the most $4,700. Please keep in mind that $31,000 is gross income which means that I only take home around $24,000. I live in San Diego and the cheapest apartment I can find costs me upwards of $800 a month. Not to mention I have a car payment and gas which is almost $4 a gallon and bills and I have to eat and provide school supplies, etc., etc., etc. I am not saying that I expect the Federal Government to fully pay for education BUT I think it is ridiculous that they are not going to even help.
If someone is struggling and making $11,000 a year then they are not making minimum wage OR working full time. I am where I am as a direct result of hard work so please refrain from comparing me to others who may not have worked so hard. NOTHING has been provided for me and I have taken time to be in a position to put myself through school. I make no apologies for expecting government, to whom I pay very high taxes, to help me out. I don't ask for any other aid and yet those who are on consistent government aid seem to have monetary opportunities thrown their way.
I am absolutely surprised at the response I am getting. I am in no way shape or form expecting them to give me free ride in school, however, why should someone who makes less income get a free ride if they are investing in their future as well, seems off tilt to me. I could have gotten married young and had five kids BUT I chose not to, I instead worked and rather than drained on the economy added to it. I don't feel sorry for people who have made their bed. All I am saying is it just doesn't seem fair. If you are going to help a student out then that same help should be available for all students. Don't you remember the golden rule of first grade, if you bring enough to share with everyone, don't bring any at all. If a persons choices put them in a poor financial position, why should they be any more eligible for the governments help? I started at the bottom with no help making minimum wage, EVERYONE has that ability, it is not fault if they do not take that opportunity!

Answer: They expect you to pay because college is not free nor is it ...

They expect you to pay because college is not free nor is it a right. If your gross was $31k last year, you are making a good income and should be able to contribute to your own education or take out loans, which based on your income you are in a good position to pay back, leaving the grants and awards for people who work their behinds off and still only pull in $11k a year or less or children who grew up in foster care and have no family to help, and so on. They have a limited amount of money and have to give it where there is the most need.

Answer: You're not eligible because you made too much money. My ...

You're not eligible because you made too much money. My wife and I made $23,000 last year and I didn't get a completely full Pell Grant either, and we have a family of 5!
Maybe you should look into a cheaper school. There are community colleges with tuition rates under $1000 per semester and state schools under $4000 per semester.
Also, you do realize that federal financial aid is not meant to pay for your school? It's meant to help YOU find a way to pay for school. There are still federal loans available to you if you need more help.

Answer: The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to ...

The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain postbaccalaureate students to promote access to postsecondary education.

Grant amounts are dependent on: the student's expected family contribution (EFC) (see below); the cost of attendance (as determined by the institution); the student's enrollment status (full-time or part-time); and whether the student attends for a full academic year or less.

Students may not receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time. Financial need is determined by the U.S. Department of Education using a standard formula, established by Congress to evaluate the financial information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to determine the family EFC.

The fundamental elements in this standard formula are the student's income (and assets if the student is independent), the parents' income and assets (if the student is dependent), the family's household size, and the number of family members (excluding parents) attending postsecondary institutions. The EFC is the sum of: (1) a percentage of net income (remaining income after subtracting allowances for basic living expenses and taxes) and (2) a percentage of net assets (assets remaining after subtracting an asset protection allowance).

Different assessment rates and allowances are used for dependent students, independent students without dependents, and independent students with dependents. After filing a FAFSA, the student receives a Student Aid Report (SAR), or the institution receives an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), which notifies the student if he or she is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and provides the student's EFC. http://www.ed.gov/programs/fpg/index.html

Answer: Don't take it so personal. I didn't qualify for any ...

Don't take it so personal. I didn't qualify for any financial aid after filling out the FAFSA and had to pay way through school. In fact, I'm still paying on it. However, education has helped me get a better paying job so I consider it an investment in myself istead of just another creditor. Most schools (and the government) believe it is up to the student and his/her family to pay for the cost of education. The government may supplement that cost, but they won't assume the entire cost. Students also have the choice of attending a school that they can better afford. I went to a community college for 2 years. I didn't have to borrow as much. My financial counselor told me that colleges expect students to pay for their education through three different resources: savings, current income and future income (loans). Your other choice is to not attend, or quit your job so you'd qualify for more financial aid.

Pell Grant FAQ 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

How to qualify for Pell Grant?
How different Student Loans are from Education Grants?