<p>Greetings, My son has just been accepted to The Citadel in South Carolina and Im in a quandary I am medically retired from the Dept of Justice and am currently on medical retirement. I have the option to find a job and return to work as long as i dont exceed 80% of my previous salary. But if I return to work it will screw up the FAFSA right? because I will be making more money? any input is appreciated! Thanks!!</p>
<p>Not sure if you are from SC but the cost is anywhere from $25-44K/year. Their average FA offer is $12K and they don’t meet need (only 54% met). Are you able to afford paying $30K (my guess) per year? If not then I would see about getting another job.</p>
<p>Did he just get in off a wait list? What was his FA offer? You should be able to go into the Net Price Calculator on the school’s web site and see how much the aid will be affected by a new job.</p>
<p>No I am from California no waiting list we just got his academic acceptance letter as they are waiting for medical papers that i already sent once received they will issue another acceptance letter. I just wasnt sure what the FA would be and what my “portion” would be?? Surely it couldnt be 30K ?? Could it?? if so I may need a couple of jobs!!! LOL</p>
<p>There should be a Net Price Calculator at their website. Run it with your current figures to get an estimate of what your costs might be. Then run it with your best guess for your income if you return to work to see what the increased costs might look like. But please do remember that this will be an estimate. For real figures, you will have to have a nice long chat with the head of the financial aid office.</p>
<p>Thanks I’ll do that!!! This is new to me so I dont have a clue all I know is this was my sons first choice for schools… so now dad has to make it happen LOL</p>
<p>“I know is this was my sons first choice for schools… so now dad has to make it happen LOL”</p>
<p>If you do choose to make it happen, that is your decision. But please don’t feel that you are obligated to do so.</p>
<p>Both of you should have a plan to fall back on if it proves to be unaffordable, as well as a vague notion of his options if he should change his mind about enrolling before next fall or if he should decide to transfer out at some point in the future. Back ups for the back ups so to speak.</p>
<p>Hahaha ya I know I was just joking… We shall see what happens!! He also applied to the Army and Marine Corp for scholarships, so we are waiting to hear on that. If he doesnt get that he will join the ROTC unit at the college and shoot for a 3 year or 2 year scholarship… we have a few plans…</p>
<p>FAFSA is an app for federal aid. </p>
<p>Free money from the feds requires a low income AND isn’t much (certainly not nearly enough to pay for the Citadel). </p>
<p>just wasnt sure what the FA would be and what my “portion” would be?? Surely it couldnt be 30K ?? Could it?? if so I may need a couple of jobs!!! LOL</p>
<p>Yes…it could be. Your EFC is irrelevant to an OOS public. They’re not obligated to meet your need. you’re OOS. They don’t charge high OOS rates and then cover it with aid…what would be the point of charging OOS rates?</p>
<p>The Citadel is an OOS public for you. It will expect you to pay the OOS costs because you don’t pay taxes in that state. </p>
<p>Even if your EFC is below the cost of the Citadel, you may not get any “free money” at all. </p>
<p>The term EFC is a misnomer. It really isn’t how much you have to pay.</p>
<p>I agree with HappyMom…If you can afford to make it happen then great, but don’t feel that “dad has to make it happen”</p>
<p>As an aside, my son made it to the last round for an ROTC scholarship his senior year of high school and did not get it. After one semester, he got a 3.5 year scholarship, so it can happen. His school also pays his room charge and he can earn his board. I have no expertise about the question you asked.</p>
<p>Work. You will not only have more money, but you will feel better about yourself.</p>
<p>Correct me if I’m wrong, but, basically, FAFSA money will not be reduced by more than your take-home pay. In other words, working always makes you more money than any resulting reduction calculated from your FAFSA.</p>
<p>i agree with the above.</p>
<p>Moreover, this dad’s chiild wants to go to an OOS public, so their FAFSA EFC is probably irrelevant. Even if the family now has a EFC 0, the school likely costs $40k+. With an EFC 0, he’d get a $5600 Pell Grant and a $5500 loan. Maybe he’d get some instituional aid. But, likely they’d still have to pay far more than their EFC. </p>
<p>An OOS public has little incentive (and no requirement) to meet their need. The state’s tax-payers aren’t going to contribute because the family doesn’t pay taxes there.</p>
<p>The feds really need to change the acronym EFC. It misleads people into thinking that their EFC is what they’ll pay. </p>
<p>The dad should certainly work if he wants his child to attend.</p>
<p>Is your son accepted for Fall 2013 or 2014???</p>
<p>have you done FAFSA - do you know your EFC?</p>
<p>To get the Pell, the main Federal grant, requires you to have very low income. The max pell is around $5750 which will hardly be a bite out of the tuition bill you are facing. The max requires an EFC of 0. As the EFC goes up, the Pell goes down until at around 5000 EFC there is no Pell.</p>
<p>As others have said, the school is OOS for your son so you will likely have to pay a considerable amount out of pocket. With an OOS COA of $45,000+, you may find the $30k out of pocket is a reality.</p>
<p>Umm Glido…are you a psychologist?? Make me feel better? WTH does THAT mean!?! I feel fine!! I was shot 3 times chasing a fugitive and medically retired. I really have no idea where that comment came from?! Thank you for all your help and info but its been resolved.</p>
<p>Can’t really speak for Glido, but I do not think that comment was meant to offend. Just a comment that most people do like to work if they can. YMMV</p>