<p>While I probably should have been more gentle in my explanation as to WHY his need wasn’t all filled with grants, politics has nothing to do with my explanation. How would it? Calif is a Blue state and it won’t promise grants that cover full cost (room and board) because not only would that be unaffordable, but the state expects students and families to pay for much/most of those expenses thru loans, work-study and summer earnings or to commute from home (which is why the most/all CSUs give preference to those who live in the area.) </p>
<p>That’s not really a left or right wing idea. If it were, then surely Calif would have long been funding the full COA in grants. </p>
<p>The issue was that the OP did think he should be given grants up to his EFC. He didn’t think he should be given loans. He was dismayed that he “only got” $18,000 in free money. And, the $18k DOES cover more than just UC system fees - so the promise was fulfilled. </p>
<p>When he was told that Blue and Gold didn’t promise that need would be covered with grants, he disagreed. I guess I should have just said, “Ok, if that’s what you believe, fine. Call your school up and insist that they take out those loans and replace them with grants.” Now, if he had called the school up and he was told that he’s expected to pay for those costs with loans and such and explained why, would you have said the the person had some kind of political agenda???</p>
<p>Getting $18k in grants (times 4 years) is not “small potatoes” when someone has a $5k EFC. It’s an incredibly generous gift from taxpayers. Are you suggesting that only people who are “right of center” think that it’s OK to put loans in the FA packages and all of those who are left of center would fill all need with tax-payer funded grants? I don’t think so, because if that were true, it would have happened a long time ago. </p>
<p>And, jturley…he doesn’t have a “complex problem”. He didn’t think he should have loans in his FA pgk and he was told that the B&G promise doesn’t include covering all need with grants. That’s hardly complex.</p>