<p>I am currently an undergraduate student at UC Santa Cruz. I entered in fall 2010, and I am using my transfer credits to graduate a full year early: at the end of spring 2013. I have a ~3.5 GPA. I have received Cal Grant the past two years and thought I would receive it for the rest of my college career. However, my dad has been continually getting raises at his job (very happy for him), and this past year it put us over the edge. The cut-off for a family of 4 is $80,200 and my family made $82,448. I just found this email today (it was in my alternate email account rather than my school email). There is another aid program through the UC system (Blue and Gold), but their cut-off is also $80k. I will call the financial aid office tomorrow to talk about my options, but I’m afraid of what’s going to happen because I have never had a good experience with them (they always ask me to verify my FAFSA or my sister’s enrollment in college, and something will get messed up in the middle and I have to fight them to get the aid I actually qualify for).</p>
<p>What can I do from here? Is there any way that I can get that $12k back? My parents help me a bit (books and health expenses), but I’m on my own for housing, and I don’t know what to do about tuition. I already have a job and I’ve been trying to keep my loans at a minimum. Taking out loans to cover tuition for next year would mean more than doubling the amount I already have out. I could potentially take extra units and finish within the next two quarters rather than three. That would save some money. Or I could minimize my units for the next school year and take on more hours at work. None of these options are necessarily desirable, but it’s all I can think of right now.</p>
<p>I’ll have a better idea of what to do after I speak with the financial aid office at UCSC, but for now everything is up in the air. Any tips for what to say to them when I call tomorrow? And any advice for how to fund my final year? I’ve been doing so well in school (decent GPA, lots of research opportunities and connections with faculty), and I really don’t want to have to take time off school just because I can’t afford it.</p>