For some reason, my aid received has drastically dropped this year. For example, I used to get at least $12,000 for the Cal Grant. I think it has something to do my academic status. My GPA, academic pace, and units are all fine. However, for some reason, my remaining terms for federal aid is only 0.5. That is really strange considering I have only attended UC Irvine for 3 years. Everyone else I know (within my grade level) that have attended UC Irvine for 3 years have a lot more than 0.5 for that slot. Then, I noticed how the 0.5 was calculated (note this 0.5 is only for the federal aid – the same issue applies with institutional aid). It seems to have included transfer terms that they assumed I received financial aid for. I absolutely have no idea why transfer terms are included in the calculation because I entered UC Irvine as a regular freshmen and not a transfer student. My high school, which was called Middle College High School, made us take community college classes during high school, but I never applied for FAFSA or received financial aid of any type at this particular high school. I am nervous because I really need the financial aid for my last year and I really do not think it is appropriate that a huge portion of it is taken away despite never receiving financial aid (institutional or federal) during my high school years (2008 – 2012). I called my financial aid office and they said they cannot do anything about this, but it is really upsetting because I do not know why I am being denied my full amount of aid despite not using the amount they are deducting during my high school years. What should I do? I feel so defeated. I might have to drop out if I do not get the funds to cover winter and spring quarter.
How many quarter units of college credit did you transfer in?
http://www.ofas.uci.edu/content/pdf/SAPDisclosureForUndergraduates.pdf page 5 lists the number of quarters you are eligible for institutional and federal aid, based on the number of units of college credit transferred in.
Note, however, that the bottom of page 5 indicates that AP and IB credit is excluded for this purpose. College credit earned while enrolled in high school is excluded for institutional aid, but included for federal aid.
You probably need to check that the financial aid office knows that some or all of your transferred-in college credit was earned before high school graduation, if there are issues with remaining institutional aid eligibility.
I came in with 99 units. I told them my units were earned before my high school graduation in my appeal and they said the financial aid counselor said she cannot do anything about, but she said she will talk with her advisor for further advice, then she will call me back. Is there anything that I can say to help my situation? You said college credit is excluded from institutional aid, but for some reason, I am only receiving $3000 from Cal Grant for the whole entire year. This is really gut-wrenching. I do not know how to fix my situation.
Sounds like the problem is that you have too many TOTAL units.
How many units have you earned at UCI over the last 3 years? Sounds like you have well over 200 quarter units by now.
If I remember correctly, you needed about 180 units to graduate…maybe about 12 more if eng’g. Right?
If you came in with so many credits, why haven’t you been able to graduate after THREE years at UCI. What has your college adviser been saying during this time. He/she had to have seen how many cum credits you had.
I realize that you didn’t use Cal Grants or fed aid for those first 99 credits, but there seems to be an expectation that when you came in with so many credits that you should have been able to finish your degree within 3 years.
@Trantrum: Did you or your parents paid for those 99 Units while you were still in High School? Was this part of a Dual Enrollment (DE) Program? My guess is those 99 credits was paid for (Tuition, Fees, Books, etc.) by the state and/or local school board at no cost to you. Someone paid for those 99 units!! In addition to offering challenging courses to HS students, the expectation is that DE courses would lead to early college graduation, which will result in significant cost savings to the State/Federal government. You transferred in 99 units (equivalent to ~ 60 semester credits?) or 2-years’ work of credits. You should have graduated a year ago. Doesn’t California have in place a system whereby students will start paying a significant tuition penalty for excess credits above pre-determined upper limits?
You may want to go to the financial aid office with a print out of http://www.ofas.uci.edu/content/pdf/SAPDisclosureForUndergraduates.pdf (or that on your phone or tablet) and ask them why non-federal aid is being stopped even though your 99 quarter units (= 66 semester units for those wondering) were earned while in high school.
http://www.csac.ca.gov/training/calgrant101.pdf may have more information. It indicates that Cal Grants eligibility is up to four academic years (12 quarters or 8 semesters) of studies.
The other thing to note is that financial aid grants may end if you have fulfilled all requirements to graduate with a bachelor’s degree, even if you do not indicate intent to graduate.
@ucbalumnus Someone else posted a similar UC aid problem a year or two ago. Lots of units earned during HS years and somehow that reduced number of aid years.
OP- I would meet with my academic advisor before sitting down with financial aid.
You need someone on the academic side of the house to explain why you didn’t graduate last year.