Is free/reduced lunch going to look bad on my college app/acceptance?

Paying for College
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<p>I’m going to be a senior in high school and my family qualifies for reduced lunch.
I didn’t apply for the reduced lunch yet because I’m not sure if it’s going to help me or hurt me in my chances for getting further financial help.</p>

<p>Generally, is it going to be a plus or minus factor in getting other grants/financial help?
I’d like to, as everyone does, save as much money as possible.</p>

<p>I’m not the brightest student in the world, but I’d like to have a nursing job in the future.
I’m thinking of applying to UCs, Cal States, and Privates. </p>

2

<p>The reduced lunch should not hurt you on the financial aid</p>

3

<p>You should apply. Being eligible for free or reduced lunch shows need and could help with getting need based grants.</p>

4

<p>No it should not affect anything at all. Colleges understand that people have different financial needs.</p>

5

<p>No it should not affect anything at all. Colleges understand that people have different financial needs.</p>

6

<p>What is your family income? If it is low enough, receiving free or reduced lunch could result in either an auto $0 EFC or qualification for the simplified needs test.</p>

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<p>Also I think that having free lunch is one of the questions asked to get free application for UC (up to 4 campus, I think.) Maybe reduced is the same. Not sure if it works the same way for CSU but likely. Also answer thumper1 as that is another relevant point.</p>

8

<p>Does having Medi-cal qualify me for EFC? Because I have that.
And for EFC, do I need reduced lunch AND IRS form 1040 (A or EZ) or just either one?</p>

9

<p>Being on free or reduced lunch gets you free SAT fees and four extra free scores to be sent to colleges. Also, it can qualify you for free college application fees on the common app. This can be a savings of hundreds of dollars, which is an enormous help when money is tight.</p>

10

<p>Piggybacking on mdcmom’s post you absolutely should apply for free or reduced lunch. If you are eligible you will get fee waivers for the SAT/ACT fee waivers along with college application fees (8 applications). In addition you will be eligible for 4 NACAC fee waivers.</p>

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<p>It will not hurt your college application to apply for free/reduced lunch. Do not wait to apply. A student I know had the same concerns as you have and hesitated to apply, but then could not get the voucher needed for the ACT until the paperwork was processed. If you qualify, you can get vouchers for SAT, ACT, and college application fee waivers, and this is a big savings on applying to college. </p>

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<p>For an auto $0 EFC, you need income below a certain threshold (I think it’s $27,000 a year or so), AND one of the following…means tested benefit (like free lunch), 1040a or EZ IRS tax form, dislocated worker.</p>

<p>For simplified needs test (assets not considered), you need a low income (I’m not sure the amount…), ANF one of the following…means tested benefit, dislocated worker or 1040a/1040 ez form.</p>

<p>But keep this in mind! All those will do is give you federally funded aid up to a certain point. You would be guaranteed a Direct Loan of $5500 (with a portion to up to $3500 subsidized depending on your need), and any portion of the $5700 or so Pell Grant (the amount depends on your EFC).</p>

<p>The EFC itself gives you NOTHING. It determines your eligibility for these federally funded need based aid items.</p>

<p>This does NOT mean that college will be fully paid for. The vast majority of colleges cost more than $11500 a year, and do not meet full need for all students.</p>

<p>Really, you need to run the Net Price Calculators on the college websites for a better estimate of the type of aid at EACH college you are considering.</p>

<p>You don’t mention your circumstances…but if you have parents who are divorced, parents who are self employed or own their business, or parents who own real estate other than your primary residence…you may find the NOC to be inaccurate.</p>

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<p>As for my family circumstances, my parents are married and we have a single parent who earns money. Our family consists of four members including myself.</p>

<p>I have medi-cal, but recently, they told us that we don’t have to pay anything for it since they’ve changed their policies or whatever.</p>

<p>We live in California and I’m not planning on going out-of -state for college :D</p>

<p>I never knew that 0 EFC would not give me full coverage until I read what thumper1 just wrote.</p>

<p>And I guess according to this:<a href=“http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/091913EFCFormulaGuide1415.pdf”>http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/091913EFCFormulaGuide1415.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
I don’t qualify for 0 EFC but I think I do qualify for simplified.</p>

<p>How much help would simplified coverage give me?</p>

<p>And could I get Pell Grant, Cal Grant, and lots of other grants? I’m confused on how many grants maximum I could get and how much the schools would cover me.</p>

14

<p>Which students qualify for an automatic zero EFC
calculation?</p>

<p>Certain students are automatically eligible for a zero EFC. The requirements for receiving for
receiving an automatic zero EFC are the same as those for the simplified EFC calculation except
for these differences:</p>

<p>• The income threshold for the parents of dependent students and for independent students and
their spouses is $24,000 or less (for an automatic zero EFC) instead of $49,999 or less (for
the simplified EFC calculation), and</p>

<p>• For independent students, those without dependents other than a spouse cannot receive an
automatic zero EFC.</p>

<p>Note: The income threshold for an automatic zero EFC has not changed from $24,000 for the
2014–2015 Award Year.</p>

<p>For the 2014–2015 Award Year, a dependent student automatically qualifies for a zero EFC if
both (1) and (2) are true.</p>

<p>(1) Anyone included in the parents’ household size (as defined on the FAFSA) received
benefits during 2012 or 2013 from any of the designated means-tested federal benefit
programs: the SSI Program, SNAP, the Free and Reduced Price School Lunch Program,
the TANF Program7, and WIC; OR</p>

<p>The student’s parents:</p>

<p>• filed or were eligible to file a 2013 IRS Form 1040A or 1040EZ8,</p>

<p>• filed a 2013 IRS Form 1040 but were not required to do so9, or</p>

<p>• were not required to file any income tax return; OR</p>

<p>the student’s parent is a dislocated worker.</p>

<p>AND</p>

<p>(2) The 2013 income of the student’s parents is $24,000 or less.
• For tax filers, use the parents’ adjusted gross income from the tax return to
determine if income is $24,000 or less.</p>

<p>• For non-tax filers, use the income shown on the 2013 W-2 forms of both parents
(plus any other earnings from work not included on the W-2s) to determine if income
is $24,000 or less.</p>

<p><a href=“http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/091913EFCFormulaGuide1415.pdf”>http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/091913EFCFormulaGuide1415.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>

See <a href=“Financial Aid Programs - California Student Aid Commission”>Financial Aid Programs - California Student Aid Commission; for California financial aid; and <a href=“https://studentaid.ed.gov/”>https://studentaid.ed.gov/&lt;/a&gt; for Federal financial aid</p>

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<p>The only thing the simplified needs test does if your family meets the requirements is not count your assets. Some things to keep in kind:</p>

<p>Does you family own their own business?
Is your family contribute to their retirement accounts? These could skew your numbers. </p>

<p>Whilst you may be eligible for the simplified means test it it will be your EFC that will determine your eligibility for Pell grants. The higher your EFC is the lower the amount of Pell you will be eligible to receive. Have you run your numbers through the Net Price Calculator</p>

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<p>If you are a California resident and qualify for the Calgrant (sounds like you would from what you have posted here…but check), you should look at the public universities in CA where your Calgrant will provide the bulk off your costs. Typically the Calgrant covers tuition and fees. Students are usually expected to contribute their own contribution via Direct loans and work earnings…often $9000 or so.</p>

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<p>Are you a single parent? Does the 4 family members consist of your two parents, you, and your child? </p>

19

<p>< Piggybacking on mdcmom’s post you absolutely should apply for free or reduced lunch. If you are eligible you will get fee waivers for the SAT/ACT fee waivers along with college application fees (8 applications). In addition you will be eligible for 4 NACAC fee waivers. ></p>

<p>Our kids qualified for free/reduced lunch, but how do you get the benefits stated above? </p>

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<p>

See <a href=“The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board;