I’m transferring to UC Davis this fall as a junior, and after receiving Financial Aid I will have to pay $11,000 per year.
I read that the max I can take out in loans is $7500, which leaves me with around $4000 to pay off on my own.
Is there a way for me to take out another $4,000? I don’t have a parent that can cosign for me - are scholarships my only option to pay off the rest? When will I have to pay this by, and if I’m unable to pay for it by myself does that mean I won’t be able to attend UC Davis?
Total Estimated Cost of Attendance (Off-Campus) - $29,715.00
Student Self-Help - $3,500.00
Expected Family Contribution - $0.00
Total Contributions - $3,500.00
FINANCIAL NEED - $26,215.00
Fed Direct Subsidized Loan - $5,500.00
Fed Direct Unsubsidized Loan - $3,259.00
Federal Pell Grant Program - $5,775.00
TOTAL ESTIMATED FINANCIAL AID - $14,534.00
REMAINING COST - $11,681.00
So if the loan is already included, I have to pay $11,000 on my own without the help of loans?
My parents will not apply for anything, and will not cosign for me they are against the idea of borrowing money to go to school.
I expected to receive a lot more financial aid - my family income is under $30,000. Does it make sense that they are only helping me out with $5,000 out of $30 grand???
There is no aid from the school here, that’s just federal aid (and it can’t be more, that’s the max). Where are you going to live? Are you not eligible for any California aid?
What we’re all wondering is why there’s no Cal Grant in your aid package. You’re paying in-state tuition, but did you not attend high school in California?
@DmitriR - The OP stated that the COA is $29,715, which agrees (more or less) with UCD’s posted COA for a student living off-campus.
@twoinanddone - I’m planning on living with a friend that is renting out an apartment there. I thought I was eligible for California aid but now I am confused.
@dodgersmom - I did attend a high school in California. Does it mean that this information is missing from my FAFSA application if Cal Grant isn’t included in my aid package?
@BrownParent - I did turn in my FAFSA application on time. Or is it separate from Cal Grant?
The website said: “There are three kinds of Cal Grants — A, B and C — but you don’t have to figure out which one to apply for. Your eligibility will be based on your FAFSA responses, your verified Cal Grant GPA, the type of California colleges you list on your FAFSA and whether you’re a recent high school graduate.”
So I thought it meant that when you apply for FAFSA, it automatically applies for Cal Grant but I’m now realizing that they have different deadline dates. Is it too late for me to find a way to apply?
That makes sense. The reason I ask about those costs specifically was because the student wanted to know what they have to pay and when. They really only have to pay tuition and fees and room and board (or in this case, the first month of rent and any related security deposit, if they are living in an apartment or something) by a certain date; the other expenses that are lumped into the Cost of Attendance such as transportation and personal expenses can be paid throughout the semester so the student doesn’t really need to have the money for them immediately.
It’s definitely a good idea to contact the financial aid office to ask questions about those other grants since they could be really helpful in covering most of these costs.
@mvara742 - FAFSA is your application for federal student aid. The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) simply uses the FAFSA to calculate your eligibility for state aid. (And you’re correct - you don’t need to submit it a second time. They just access the one you submitted for federal aid.) But both your FAFSA and your GPA verification need to have been submitted by the March 2 deadline. It looks like Pierce submitted the GPA verification on time. When did you file your FAFSA?
What does [url=<a href=“https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov/logon.asp%5DWebGrants%5B/url”>https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov/logon.asp]WebGrants[/url] say about your Cal Grant status? If there’s really no info at all, then you need to contact the CSAC on Monday and ask: (888) CA GRANT (888-224-7268).
Please let us know what you find out. And ask about Blue and Gold Promise. You’re a 0 EFC student, you should also have some UC grant money, which could be replaced with the Cal Grant.
It could be. Call the UC Davis financial aid office on Monday and ask why you didn’t receive any grants. I have talked to them many times. They are very helpful and easy to reach.
On the FAFSA website it said “Submit your application as early as possible, but no earlier than January 1, 2015. We must receive your application no later than June 30, 2016.”
So I was under the impression that there is a lot of time. When I filed it March 21st I thought I was applying early but how wrong I was…
You don’t want a parent to cosign for you because your aid should be better.
You need to call Davis and find out what the situation is with Cal Grant and Blue and Gold.
Also…did you work with the transfer office at your CC? If so, did they say anything to you about the Cal Grant? and what you needed to do?
If you can’t get the GRANTS (not loans) that you need, you’ll have to ask UCDavis if you can delay enrollment for a year since you missed out on the needed aid. They may decide to give you a UC grant instead…who knows.
No way should you be borrowing all that money anyway.
I don’t know exactly how Cal Grants and B&G work, but I’m concerned that if you don’t have it for junior year, you won’t have it for senior year…so that’s why you need to get this fixed NOW, or delay enrollment for a year.
