Financial Aid NEed Advice plz

jollyjenny · Jul 3, 2007

I know exactly what you're going through. It's hard on my husband and I because he's the only one that's working right now while I'm in school, and he works off commission (car salesman). FAFSA obviously doesn't take commission into consideration. He may do very well one month, but business might be terrible for 3 months in a row. For example, last year he made 45K, but most of that was made in the beginning of the year. Still, my EFC was $4500, so I don't qualify for very much grant money, if any at all.

I definitely think that since FAFSA is revising your information, your EFC will be much lower, given your circumstances, and therefore, you should qualify for plenty of grant money.

Hang in there! I know how you feel!

jollyjenny

justme1972 · Jul 3, 2007

This is what you need to do....what the system kicks out when you do the Federal Aid forms online, is obviously based on LAST year's income.

However, you need to personally meet with the financial aid officer (not the assistant, but the person who actually makes the decision), they have the full authority to alter the award based on UPCOMING circumstances, such as a student who works full time at a good salary, but will not be working at all during school.

If your award officer is not doing this for you, then they are giving you the incorrect information, and you need to insist that they double check on it.

jaismom · Jul 12, 2007

I was just accepted into the ASN Nursing program at Santa Fe community college in Gainesville FL. The only problem is I need to get financial assistance. As of right now my EFC # is about 4900 (last yr income tax). My husband and I moved to Gainesville because he was accepted into UF (electrical engineering program). My husband did not work from August06-March07 and my income was reduced to $7 an hour. So far we have been living off my husband's grant and student loans and he has a pt job, 20 hours that he started in May 07 but that barely helps. I will not work during nursing school it's not possible. Counting from Aug06 to this month, we have only made about $7000. I will stop working in Aug 07. I will be doing a special condition (fafsa) so they can revise it and hopefully they will count this yr instead of last yr. If my income is less then 8,000 for both I and my spouse how much do you think I will receive in aid? We only have $900 left in saving and $1000 in checking!!!!... and we have a mortgage too. I don't know what to do. Not to mention we owe a lot in credit cards about $14000. We keep transferring them to 0% interest rates but soon enough the banks will catch us.

Hi i am in the same boat as you. I have been accepted but having a hard time with financial aid. Did they help you when you went in? What did they say that could be done?

MB37 · Jul 12, 2007

Just FYI - My EFC was more than the estimated cost of attendance to my school, and actually a fairly ridiculous number - it was about half of our aftertax income from last year, when we were both working full time and DH's is partly commission based too. I was scared to death of not getting any aid, but I was eligible for loans to cover tuition, books, plus an extra few hundred/month to cover what I could have made at a crappy part-time job. You might be eligible for grants too, or at least subsidized federal loans - mine is 2nd degree so I'm not. Don't rely too much on that EFC is all I'm saying. Also - see if you can find out what type of scholarship/tuition reimbursement plans area hospitals have. You may be able to get your tuition paid entirely while working very part-time, and then bring in a little extra cash too in the bargain.

casi, ASN, RN · Jul 12, 2007

http://www.fastweb.com and http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/ are good places to look for scholarships.

jaismom · Jul 12, 2007

Just FYI - My EFC was more than the estimated cost of attendance to my school, and actually a fairly ridiculous number - it was about half of our aftertax income from last year, when we were both working full time and DH's is partly commission based too. I was scared to death of not getting any aid, but I was eligible for loans to cover tuition, books, plus an extra few hundred/month to cover what I could have made at a crappy part-time job. You might be eligible for grants too, or at least subsidized federal loans - mine is 2nd degree so I'm not. Don't rely too much on that EFC is all I'm saying. Also - see if you can find out what type of scholarship/tuition reimbursement plans area hospitals have. You may be able to get your tuition paid entirely while working very part-time, and then bring in a little extra cash too in the bargain.

Great advice, that makes me feel better. Thanks

JoAnnS · Jul 12, 2007

This is what you need to do....what the system kicks out when you do the Federal Aid forms online, is obviously based on LAST year's income.
However, you need to personally meet with the financial aid officer (not the assistant, but the person who actually makes the decision), they have the full authority to alter the award based on UPCOMING circumstances, such as a student who works full time at a good salary, but will not be working at all during school.
If your award officer is not doing this for you, then they are giving you the incorrect information, and you need to insist that they double check on it.

Yes.. this is a true statement. I just met with my financial officer. I am not working this year. Was laid off in 12/06. The financial officer has changed my information from last year's earnings. I now have no money in my savings and haven't figured out how to pay the mortgage as of yet.

But yes, go see the financial aid officer, I'm sure he/she will work everything out for you.

Good luck