Can I "lie" to receive the pell grant in the summer?

Paying for College
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<p>I’m staring as a freshmen at a four year university in the Fall semester of 2014. I’m going to be taking 12 hours of courses at a local community this summer to transfer to my university. I applied for summer financial aid at the CC and they basically told me that because I’m not a degree-seeking student, I’m not elligible to receive the pell grant for the summer. So can I lie to them and say that I will be seeking a degree so that I can get the pell grant for the summer? It shouldn’t affect my financial aid at th university because summer is part of the 13-14 school year. What are the consequences of lying about seeking a degree?</p>

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<p>It’s basically like I’m transfering after one semester right?</p>

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<p>It’s basically lying…</p>

<p>Lying to get federally funded need based aid is FRAUD. This is a crime. The consequence could be repaying that summer Pell, being fined, and risking losing your need based aid and admission to your fall school.</p>

<p>Colleges and the federal government frown on dishonestly.</p>

<p>And really…you have ALREADY committed as a matriculated student for,the fall term where you are presumably receiving a Pell for 2014-2015. </p>

<p>You can indicate that you will be a matriculated student at more than one place at the same time. You have already made your choice in the four year school.</p>

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<p>Sure, go ahead and lie. If you can afford four years at the school you have all ready matriculated to (not PLANNING to transfer) without any federal aid. </p>

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<p>Alright. Guess I’ll just have to pay out of pocket. It’s kind of a silly rule though, don’t you think? It shouldn’t matter where I’m taking classes as long as they will be counting towards a degree somewhere. Might it be possible to receive the pell from my home uni for the classes i’m taking at the CC?</p>

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<p>No, actually I do NOT think it is a “silly rule”. The federal government is GIVING you grant money so that you can complete ONE degree at your matriculated school. Period.</p>

<p>And just FYI, in case you don’t know…there is a six year limit on your Pell. Don’t you think it would be wise to use it for your four year school…just in case it takes you more than four years?</p>

<p>Oh and to answer your other question.NO I do not think YOUR four year school will give you a Pell to enroll elsewhere. Actually…they cannot do not do that.</p>

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<p>“The federal government frown[s] on dishonesty.” LOL</p>

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<p>To answer your question directly, you do have to be accepted as a matriculating student in order to get PELL. Whether that can be achieved at that CC or not, I do not know. You would have to ask the financial aid officer of that school if that is possible. So it’s not a matter of you “lying” about your status; your word alone is not taken for that but you have to be officially so declared by the college. The college will have a process that you have to undergo in applying as a matriculating student.</p>

<p>Alos as Thumper has said, there are limits to PELL money, so you had better be very careful about using it. Those courses that you pick at the CC should be sure things in terms of usefulness in getting your degree. The college where you are intending to start in Fall might have rules about transfer credits received in this fashion. Some schools do require all four years and will NOT accept courses without prior approval after you are accepted just so students can’t do just what you want to do. A friend of mine was quite upset to find out her son could not graduate a term early by taking a class or two at a SUNY over the summer, for example The college, Holy Cross, did not permit that sort of thing under those circumstances. Many a student has spent time and money on classes that are not accepted by another college. If you can afford it, it 's one thing, when you are on PELL and every dollar can count, a whole other.</p>

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<p>@cptofthehouse‌ Thanks for this. Maybe “lie” wasn’t the best word for this. The fact of the matter is that I’m just trying to receive money that would be rightfully mine in the first place. It’s truly a financial burden for me to have to pay out of pocket. I’m not planning on taking more than 5 years on my degree anyways.</p>

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<p>

No you were trying to get more than your share.</p>

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<p>Lie is not the term to use. You should first find out if the college to which you are attending will take those credits from this community college if this is the intent. If you just want to take the courses without regard to the applicability to that school accepting them, and you want to get PELL money for them, you can go to the CC and find out what the application process is to be a matriculating student and so apply.</p>

<p>I live right near a state school that accepts anyone when it comes to taking courses there. You can also get instate tuition without a murmur, just have an instate address. But…once you apply as a matriculating student, it’s a whole other story. You have to got through an application process, pay certain fees (though cost per course, I believe ends up less if you take certain credit hours) and be vetted. It doesn’t matter what your intent there is, you have to go through the process. Many people start out at a CC or local school with absolutely no intention of matriculating there. That’s what you have to do to get aid.</p>

<p>I have no doubt that you are not planning on taking more than 5 years on your degree. Few students do. But it happens. Things happen. You decide to change your major, opportunities arise, a lot of things can happen. When every dollar can count, to use it up in the early years is often a mistake, and I’ve seen that so many times, as have many college counselors. Kids finally ready to get a degree, finally finding a program that works, and they’ve used up their PELL and their loan money. Wasted it as teenagers and early 20s. No one thinks that’s going to happen. It just does. A lot.</p>

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<p>To make it not a lie, withdraw your enrollment from the college you have committed for Fall, attend the community college with the aid, and apply again to transfer to a 4 year college after you have enough credit and fulfilled the transfer requirement. Otherwise, it is a fraud, not a silly rule.</p>

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<p>OP…if you cant afford to pay for these classes, then work this summer instead.</p>

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<p>Um…if you are taking summer courses, then you ARE taking more than the four years. I agree. Since you clearly are low enough income to receive a Pell. Perhaps getting a job would be a better use of your time than taking summer courses.</p>

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<p>OP, are you sure the college you’re attending this fall will still consider you a freshman if you take summer classes somewhere else? You want to be careful not to cause a problem with your admission or any financial aid package you may be getting from the 4-year university.</p>

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<p>@4kidsdad‌ How so? If these were hours I was taking at my home university, there would be no problem in receiving the money. But instead because I’m taking them at a different college (in an attempt to save money, mind you) I’m suddenly trying to get “more than my share”? I can understand why this regulation is in place, but it should be noted that some students don’t take hours towards their degree at a SINGLE college. </p>

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<p>

See <a href=“https://studentaid.ed.gov/glossary#Award_Year”>https://studentaid.ed.gov/glossary#Award_Year&lt;/a&gt;

Summer of 2014, Fall of 2014, & Spring of 2015 are in the same Award Year, you can only receive two Pell Grants in an Award Year. See <a href=“http://www.cuny.edu/admissions/financial-aid/GuidetoYearRoundPell.pdf”>http://www.cuny.edu/admissions/financial-aid/GuidetoYearRoundPell.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>@4kidsdad Yes, but I hope you’re aware that this differs from college to college. As previously stated, for both my CC and Uni, summer 2014 is part of the 13-14 school year.</p>

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<p>@4kidsdad‌
<a href=“http://www3.austincc.edu/it/eforms/forms_int/STAS.001.2014.pdf”>http://www3.austincc.edu/it/eforms/forms_int/STAS.001.2014.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>“Summer aid applicants must complete the 2013-14 FAFSA at <a href=“http://www.fafsa.gov”>www.fafsa.gov</a> and Summer 2014 Financial Aid Application.”</p>

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<p>We’ll even ignore all the ethical issues here. </p>

<p>You, presumably, applied as an incoming freshman to your U. If you are suddenly a degree seeking student at the cc, you are no longer an incoming freshman. You’d be a transfer student and that would very likely change the fa package from the U. </p>

<p>Go ahead and tell the U that you’ll now be a transfer. See what they say. You likely won’t like what they have to say but hey, you’ll still get both Pells!</p>