<p>I’m planning on attending NC Central University in the fall. When I applied, I qualified for their Rising Eagle Scholarship, which is a scholarship given to students who qualify on a first come, first served basis. This is for all four years, and covers my tuition, fees, room, and board. Since I’m Pell Grant eligible, I’m receiving up to a $500 stipend per semester.</p>
<p>They also say that if I receive any additional funds, internal and/or external scholarships, grants and/or awards, I need to let them know so that they can adjust and/or reduce my scholarship to prevent a refund.</p>
<p>Basically, I’m wondering if I get to keep my Pell Grant, because the way this scholarship works, it seems the only way I can afford to buy books, a laptop (I don’t have one), and other COAs is to get some part-time job, alongside my stipend. </p>
<p>The Pell is an entitlement grant. If you are eligible for it and it is in addition to your full ride scholarship, you get it. So if all of your other costs are covered, your bursar’s account will have a surplus in it…and it will be refunded to you.</p>
<p>BUT, you probably won’t receive this refund until several weeks into the fall term. Are you planning to work this summer? Can you use that money to buy your books for the fall term?</p>
<p>Also, you might want to get a small part time job… 5-10 hours a week to help fund your spending money.</p>
<p>Yes, I have plans on working this summer… hopefully I can find work, but I have trouble finding online applications because a majority of the places don’t list any locations near me as accepting applications or hiring, despite me asking if they’re taking applications in person.</p>
<p>So when would the stipend be awarded? I was planning on using that to pay for my books…</p>
<p>You would need to ask YOUR school. Most schools do not refund until several weeks into the term. They want to be sure you are actually enrolled full time. I don’t think you will have this money in time to buy your fall books.</p>
<p>I would suggest you do some in person job hunting as well as online. Both of my kids had much better success when they put on nice clothes, and went in person to places…and filled out applications.</p>
<p>You might also consider mowing lawns, baby sitting, house sitting, pet sitting, anything that will earn you money. These are best done through word of mouth.</p>
<p>Cograts on getting that great scholarship. Did they give you a financial aid statement listing the COA and the award? If you qualify for any Pell, it should be used for unmeet need. So look at the COA that is uncovered (books, transportation and personal expense are the usual components listed in COA) MINUS your expected student and family contribution. That equals unmet need. Depending on how much Pell you qualified for, you should get that amount as a ‘refund’ up to the unmet need, pretty sure.</p>
<p>note: some schools don’t have a separate allocation for laptop. But usually if there is extra funds, they will give you an allowance to use that. So let the financial aid office know that you have that expense and find out if they will ‘refund’ for that in your first year.</p>
<p>you do need to get a job this summer to give you some money for books, dorm stuff, etc.</p>
<p>As others have said, you really need to contact your school and ask. Do that as soon as possible, so there aren’t any surprises in the fall.</p>
<p>Check craigslist for temporary jobs doing landscaping, painting, etc. My son answered a craigslist ad last year for a “one day” job doing house painting . . . and ended up working for the guy all summer! (But do be careful about taking a job with anyone from craigslist without checking them out first!)</p>
<p>Congratulations on the scholarship!!!</p>
<p>Do you have your actual award letter so that you can see the breakdown of your package. Check your award letter to see if the pelll grant may be already incorporated into the package.</p>
<p>While Pell grant is an entitlement you cannot receive aid over the cost of attendance. </p>
<p>Cost of Attendance (COA): includes the total price of tuition, fees, room, board, books, supplies, transportation and personal expenses for one academic year of education.</p>
<p>If the scholarship is covering your room, board and fees. You have an unmet need;books, supplies, transportation personal expenses.</p>
<p>You will have to talk to your school. </p>
<p>At some schools, you are refunded money for books at the beginning of the semester. At other schools, you are given a book voucher to purchase books on campus or the books are billed to your account and then deducted from your financial aid. If your school operates on the voucher/billed to your financial aid system, find out if they will cover a laptop (it may not be the one you want, but they may allocate funds for the one that they give to the soaring eagle students). e-mail them so that you will have the answer in writing along with the name of the person who gave you the answer.</p>
<p>I agree with mom2k, that you will need to get a job because even if you do get a refund from Pell, it won’t happen until approximately mid-october.</p>
<p>Hmmm. If the student has received a merit aid award for the total cost of attendance, he CAN still receive the full Pell in addition to it (but yes…should check to see if it’s in the package already).</p>
<p>You can’t get need based aid that exceeds the cost of attendance.</p>
<p>
The cost of attendance at NCCU is, however, greater that the “tuition, fees, room & board” that will be covered by this student’s scholarship. For the 2012-13 academic year, the amount allowed at NCCU for books & supplies, transportation and other miscellaneous expenses was $3,810. It’s no doubt increased since then.</p>
<p>If only $1,000 of that amount is covered by the student’s scholarship (the $500/semester stipend), and the Pell grant has not already been included in the student’s award, the student should be eligible for a Pell grant for the remaining amount.</p>
<p>OP, the website for the college should have a breakdown of the cost of attendance. This is the total cost of attending the college and includes tuition, room and board, and also costs such as an estimate for books and travel. You will need to check with the school, but I think you are allowed to keep scholarships up to the cost of attendance listed on the website. Students are required to report all scholarships to the school so they can keep track of them, but I think they will only reduce aid to the actual cost of attendance. </p>
<p>This keeps people from taking more than they need to go to college and not depleting funds for other students who need them too. If your Pell Grant in addition to the Rising Eagle are not above the cost of attendance, then you should be able to keep both- but again- check with your school to confirm this.</p>
<p>I also agree that you should work this summer and also if you can during school- to the extent that it doesn’t interfere with your academics. There are many other costs of college beyond cost of attendance- dorm furnishing, and some ( not too much !!) fun like coffee and pizza breaks, movies, activities with friends- that you will want to do.</p>
<p>And congratulations on the scholarship!</p>
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It should, shouldn’t it? I had to run the net price calculator to find it . . . and the figures were still two years old!</p>
<p>Unless I’m reading this wrong…the student has a merit scholarship that pays his full cost of attendance. MERIT not need based.</p>
<p>A student cannot receive NEED based aid in excess of the cost of attendance. But a student CAN receive a merit aid award that is the full cost of attendance AND still receive the Pell in addition. BUT the student should absolutely check with the college.</p>
<p>The student needs to report any additional scholarships to the school if he receives any…and that will reduce his SCHOLARSHIP. I don’t think it will reduce his Pell, IF this is a merit award and not a need based award.</p>
<p>Best bet…contact the college.</p>
<p>In any event, he likely won’t receive the Pell refund until several weeks into the term.</p>
<p>A few things to keep in mind.</p>
<p>The Pell grant will be distributed in two parts. Half in the fall and half in the spring.</p>
<p>If the school is like UNC-CH, you will need to request that your bill be deferred until the scholarships are distributed.</p>
<p>Check to see if your school has grants for purchasing computers.</p>
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<p>Op scholarships pays tuition, fees, room and board.</p>
<p>Scholarship does not over the other cost of attendance items; books, supplies, transportation, misc. expenses.</p>
<p>Call the school. My daughter receives a Pell grant and attends Alabama. They release funds about 10 days before the semester starts. This included her first year.</p>
<p>Call the school.
They should have at least last year’s. Sometimes state schools have to wait for the legislators to settle the budget before they decide on the next year’s tuition. Don’t know where NC is in this process.</p>