theatermajormama

Has anyone had a similar experience and if so, what did you do?

Our son got into UCLA and was very pleased. He'd like to go there. Their financial aid award really left something to be desired. The amount we would pay is several thousand more than our estimated family contribution (EFC). I was also surprised to see that there was no Perkins loan or work-study offered, because I was sure we'd qualify for both.

He also got into UCSC, his second choice, and today we just were informed of their financial aid. There's about a couple thousand more in grants. There's also a Perkins loan and work-study. It's much better. The amount we would pay is much closer to our EFC.

We're confused by such a better offer at one UC than the other -- several thousand dollars. Has anyone ever had this experience? Is there any hope of negotiating better aid at his first-choice school? If so, how would we do this?

Thanks.

polarscribe

Perkins Loans and work-study are discretionary - each school has only a limited amount of each available, and often more students are eligible than can be funded.

You can always contact UCLA to see if they'd match UCSC's offer - it can't hurt anything - but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

theatermajormama

Thanks very much for the info, polarscribe. I had no idea those were discretionary. I thought if kids qualify, they qualify. After all, those are federal programs, and all of us pay our taxes. That's really odd.

HoneyFlower92

If he still wants to go to ucla I heard that u can write a letter to the financial aid and tell them the situation saying that what was provided wasn't enough and After reviewing they could give him more. You should look into it.

Sent from my Desire HD using CC

mom2collegekids

Just because something is federal aid doesn't mean that all that qualify will get it. Pell is an entitlement, the other aids aren't.


Actually, it's quite common for the lesser UCs to offer better pkgs to those who are beyond Pell and have strong stats. They do that so as to hope to get stronger students to their campuses.

Since you're not happy with your UCLA pkg that suggests to me that you're beyond Pell and were gapped. Pretty common for those who don't have low EFCs.

You can contact UCLA and ask for a review, but frankly, I'd be surprised if they'd offer more.


edited to add... I see that your AGI is right beyond B&G. You should read the very recent thread about that issue. Famlies like yours get hit really hard by UCs....making just a bit beyond $80k. Crazy that if you earned a little bit less, you'd get a big grant to cover UC-wide fees.

prouduscdad

My twins applied to several UC schools. The differerance in the offers between schools amazed me. The offers when compared to each others? : you would think two differerent families applied. Ended up at USC for one. It was way less expensive than the public UC schools.
Not complaining all offers made it affordable for me, just some were better with less debt at the end.

emeraldkity4

What is your EFC? Perkins loans are not offered at all schools and are generally for low income students. Work study is also generally reserved for low income students.

cptofthehouse

Yes, as others have said, it can vary all over the place. You can talk to one school and bring up the other's package and see what they can do, but often, all of the money is gone and it's rare, unless there has been an outright mistake that any substantial changes are made. But it does not hurt to try, and even a little bit can help.

Waverly

SC needs him more than LA, they pay for top stats kids or they'd have none.

Calreader

To explain why the amount you would pay is higher than your EFC - this is how I've heard it explained. The UC system pulls out the parent part of the EFC and adds to it $9400 for the student's contribution. This amount is a bit lower at some campuses, but that's the general expectation from each student. The idea is that it can come roughly half from work and half from loans. Together, this student contribution and the parent part of the federal EFC constitute the expected family contribution to a UC.

TKsmom

Is the work study that important? I mean can't you kid get an on campus job any way to bring in that same money? I have heard at my D's school that it's easier to get a job if you don't have work study yet the pay is the same. If that is true at UCLA, then the difference becomes a bit smaller.

romanigypsyeyes

TK, work study has a lot of benefits. In some places, lower taxes. Some jobs are work-study only. Work study funds don't count as income for EFC purposes next year.

For example, two of the work study jobs that I've done (my former job at AmericaCounts/AmericaReads and my current job at a domestic violence shelter) are only open to work study students. On the other hand, my two current non-work study jobs pay more than my work study jobs.

It also seems that work study eligible students have an easier time finding jobs.

prouduscdad

Waverly: OUCH Pretty hard on SC I am sure it was tongue in cheek. Or are you a cross town hater ?

cptofthehouse

I did not think the UCs guarantee to meet financial need. Anytime, with any schools that do not make that guarantee, it's going to be a total guess as to what anyone gets in aid packages. They can choose to gap you completely in terms of their own money that they give out, or meet your needs in full. Heck, throw in merit awards, and they can meet your needs and then some if you are a top applicant.

Work study has no tax advantages. The proceeds just don't get counted as income for next year's financial aid purposes. If the school is in an area that has lots of job possibilities, one might even find a better job in terms of fit and hours than what is available in the work study log. My SIL's niece has two jobs at college right now. One is a work study job she found by accident, and asked for it at Financial AId since she did have unmet need and the job was sitting there open with no one claiming it. She got it. But it is only a few hours a week--fits well in her schedule and she likes it, but she wants more hours and money, so she works a second job. But she is buoyant because they like her enough at the WS job that she will get it again next year, with as much WS funds as they can scrape up and the department will find more hours for her off the WS books as well. It'll be a true part time job for her then. Once you are at a school, intrepid students can scout out opportunities like this. My son was life guarding at the university pool for several dollars an hour more than what the top WS pay is, at his school.

romanigypsyeyes

cpt, my earnings statements would disagree with you. For example, my federal taxes were much lower and I paid no city taxes on my work-study earnings like I did in my private jobs. Just my experience.