Does FAFSA pay more if living on campus?

dodgersmom
Sun, 25 May 2014 08:38:18 +0000

If you’re attending a CSU, take the grant they offer. They do the calculation themselves to figure out which one will net you more money. If you were entering as a freshman, instead of as a junior, Cal Grant B would generally be more advantageous at a CSU, but that may not apply when you enter as a junior.

A four-year CSU student receiving Cal Grant A would receive $5,472 each of the four years.

Here’s what a four-year CSU student gets with Cal Grant B:

Year 1 = $1,473
Year 2 = $5,472 + $1,473
Year 3 = $5,472 + $1,473
Year 4 = $5,472 + $1,473

I don’t know what happens when you transfer into a CSU in your junior year. If, when you enter as a junior, you just get the Year 1 and Year 2 amounts, that would be lousy. If you get the Year 3 and Year 4 amounts, then that would be more. Talk with a counselor at the CPP financial aid office and ask them to help you figure out what your awards would be. You can also contact the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) directly and ask them: (888) CA GRANT (888-224-7268).

And, yes, you should absolutely commute if you can. Taking out loans just to pay for room and board is a really bad idea if you can possibly avoid it. Commute, and don’t don’t take on more hours of work than you can handle. In order to commute, you need to be getting enough sleep to be able to drive safely.

@BrownParent - The recommendations for a UC student do not apply to a student attending a CSU. The costs and awards are quite different. And your statement that this student "will get $11,230 and not have to take loan” does not make any sense. The Cal Grant awards for a CSU student simply aren’t that high