Financial Aide (FASFA) for college.. a complete joke?

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Staind204

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Is it just me or is college financial aide from the government a joke? In high school they always say oh if your parents dont make much money the government will give you grants and scholarships for college. Well I had a 3.8 in High School GPA and I'm going into my 3rd year of college in the fall with a 3.82 GPA and guess how much financial aide and scholarships I'm receiving for next fall... $0! I filled out all the necessary scholarships and the Fasfa and still didn't receive anything but loans. My whole family income is >$20,000 so I dont see how I dont get ANY grants. Also I would think a 3.82 gpa after 2 years of college should amount to some sort of scholarships but I guess not. Anyone else find that financial aide is a joke? If I wanted loans I can go to the bank and get one for college and save the hours it takes to fill out the Fasfa form.


EDIT: Well I did get nearly 6 grand from OU but almost all of it was through transfer scholarships NOT fasfa. Even after saving that much money ,it will still cost roughly $11,000 for tuition/room and board but its much better than 17,000+ :)
 
The Bush administration has routinely reduced grants and loans over the past few years. They did increase pell grants marginally a year or two after cutting them drastically, but, of course, they championed themselves as being for education.

Strell is absolutely correct. I'll leave with enough debt to buy a house in a rural area, though I will have my doctorate by then. I've accumlated enough debt to not do FAFSA this year. I don't need anymore.
 
oh lordy

i graduated in 2000, had to finish up some classes they tacked on so i offically finished school in spring of 2001... fast forward to 5 years later and guess what? still no job in my field :( and im still paying off the damn thing.. now im going back to school for another thing and im going to call the place that i am paying this damn loan to and see if i can defer it for awhile (like another 5 years :( ) cause its sucking the life out of my bank account. :(
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']oh lordy

i graduated in 2000, had to finish up some classes they tacked on so i offically finished school in spring of 2001... fast forward to 5 years later and guess what? still no job in my field :( and im still paying off the damn thing.. now im going back to school for another thing and im going to call the place that i am paying this damn loan to and see if i can defer it for awhile (like another 5 years :( ) cause its sucking the life out of my bank account. :([/QUOTE]


What was your major? Right now mine is Strategic Communication , seems like a degree with many options but who knows. The main thing I'm pissed about is I've worked hard to get such a high GPA (I've only had 1 B in 3 semesters and the rest were A- or above). I also have all A's this semester. Not getting ANY grants or scholarships tell me that I've wasted my time getting A's. I might as well just half-ass things and get B's and C's.. they'll get the same degree as me and I'm not getting any scholarships for my trouble. :whistle2:(
 
I've received quite a bit of financial aid from fasfa. Nothing mind boggling, but a few grants here and there that I was surprised to get which cut my tuition in half.

And I'm not to be a dick or anything, but have you tried applying for scholarships? Money doesn't just fall into your lap by filling out a form - there are plenty of scholarships around for students just like yourself, but you need to apply for them. Hell, I knew a few guys in high school who applied for every scholarship they could get their hands on, even ones they weren't even qualified for, and they're tuitions are basically paid in full.
 
I've got a $10,000 loan out right now and some federal subsidized loans (which is nothing compared to most). I'll be a junior next semester, but I was lucky enough to go to a college that gave me a half-tuition scholarship and I also got about $600 or $800 a semester with some grant for having low enough income and having some good grades or something (I think mostly because my brother was also in college, my parents' combined income is about 60 grand before taxes since my mom doesn't really work, I guess I'll see if I still get it for junior year). I've paid about $600 a semester for college so far after that scholarship and grant, but I commute so I have to pay for gas, upkeep, etc. for my car with the loan money. So, I know FAFSA got me something, I dunno why you didn't, they just blow ass.
 
Luckily for me, I went to college when Clinton was in charge. Bush wants you to join the military, so he has reduced financial aid in order to make college less attractive for the poor.
 
My EFC on the FAFSA last year was $99,999. My friend's was $75,000 and her father had just gotten laid off. Needless to say, I didn't even bother this year. It really is a complete joke.
 
Problem around me is that people take advantage of it. When I was at the junior college, people enrolled just to get the grants and then just dropped out once the money came through. People around here see it as a free paycheck. I don't qualify for a penny of it, but it makes me sick seeing people take advantage of the system. Once the checks came in the classes would drop to about 50% attendance.
 
FAFSA was a joke before Bush was in office, just an FYI. i.e. when I was applying to schools in 98/99 and my sister was applying to schools in 95/96. My parents made enough where I didn't expect to get any money, but I knew plenty of friends who seemed like they should have qualified and got nothing.
 
[quote name='rodeojones903']Once the checks came in the classes would drop to about 50% attendance.[/quote]

I dunno, I don't think I've had a class that didn't drop to 50% attendance anyway, I'm pretty sure that at least 50% of college kids just don't go to classes :p.
 
My next big worry is transfering my credits. I am going to Miami Oxford (Ohio)'s branch campus right now. They are on semesters. The college I am transfering to is on quarters. I did the Ohio Transfer Module but I have also done some classes not on there. I went to transfer.org to see what Com requirements Wright State has and took Miami's equivilant to them. Hopefully I won't get screwed over on this too. I have tried to get help from both schools but no one seems to care. If I try to get help from advisors at Miami they are no help since I'm transfering to another school. If I try to get help from Wright State they don't help either, they just say to take the classes and see how they evaulate. I hope I can make it another 2 years.. college seems to be a joke.
 
Well, I don't have any loans or grants or any thing of that type. I was planning to try to get some type of assistance for the fall but this thread has got me worried. I have no idea what my parents make but I can't imagine it matters being as they don't claim me, I don't live there, and support myself. My income is about $12,000 a year and my GPA is 3.8 or so. Does anyone think I can get assistance or am I screwed like the OP?
 
I was going to go to college but in my area with the annual income under $30,000 I don't think my chances are that good. My family income is under $20,000 as well like OP. Plus the help of a fellow CAG (jimmiemac) I have saved two years in my field and was truly worth it.
 
I don't get shit. My parents make a combined total of under $50,000 a year, and they took away my Pell grant. I mean, seriously, what the fuck? My EFC is always low, so every year I get audited and they raise it without telling me why. I've just learned to accept the ass-raping and the fact that I'll have a debt in the tens of thousands.
 
In my honest opinion....fuck fafsa. Its just me and my pops and my dad is a cop so he doesnt make jack squat. His and my income together is only 23k a year.....my school 18k a year.

The only reason why i stayed for 2 years (before i got the balls to transfer) was because they kept telling me over and over, "Dont worry Mr.Soodmeg based on your income you will only have to pay half the other will come in grants and schoolarships."

I got out of high school with a 3.5 with honors and i didnt get a damn thing but a few strange ass low low low budget schoolarships...1k or so. Now i am 36k in the hole.....so depressing.



Honestly college as a whole is a joke you can party anywhere you dont need college to party. Trade schools are the way to go if you actually want to get on with your life and make some money.
 
[quote name='rodeojones903']Problem around me is that people take advantage of it. When I was at the junior college, people enrolled just to get the grants and then just dropped out once the money came through. People around here see it as a free paycheck. I don't qualify for a penny of it, but it makes me sick seeing people take advantage of the system. Once the checks came in the classes would drop to about 50% attendance.[/QUOTE]

This might mark the first time I agree with you. I was chatting with an acquaintance a month or so back who works with admissions at a community college. Even though he *always* strongly suggested those taking out loans only take enough to afford tuition and text, without exception everyone took the max. Then they showed up to class wearing nice gear and complaining b/c they didn't have money for the textbooks.

[quote name='Staind204']My next big worry is transfering my credits. I am going to Miami Oxford (Ohio)'s branch campus right now.[/QUOTE]

Shame you're leaving. I'll be doing some adjuncting there in the fall (on the Hamilton campus anyway). I've heard wonderful things about Miami students (they show up, are knowledgable, and interested; it's not too hard to recognize that's a rarity among college students ;)).
 
I got 700 dollars in pell grants for the last 2 semesters at Community College(Even though I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to recieve said mOOOOOnies). 700 is better than nothing.
 
Both of my parents are blue collar workers. I don't think it helps that I worked full time throughout high school and I still work now; it doesn't raise our income much but it raises it enough that I don't get grants. I get a lot of loans though; I try to make myself feel better by telling myself that the debt I'm getting into now as an undergraduate isn't going to be as bad as the debt I'm going to accumulate in med school and residency :wall:
 
Reality's Fringe]I don't get shit. My parents make a combined total of under $50 said:
You know...everyone says, "stay out of debt...debt is bad try your best to stay out of debt." WTF MAN. How are we suppose to do that? Everything and everyone is out to rape the shit out of us strictly because we are college students.

Books? Rape
Living on campus? Rape
Random classroom equipment expenses? Rape
Parking permit? Rape


Seriouly if you plan on going to college.......make sure you bring lots of lube.


[quote name='Graystone']I was going to go to college but in my area with the annual income under $30,000 I don't think my chances are that good. My family income is under $20,000 as well like OP. Plus the help of a fellow CAG (jimmiemac) I have saved two years in my field and was truly worth it.
Click to expand...

What field?
 
Yeah, this is what happens when everyone wants to go to college.

My only suggestion is try to find a cheap instate public school and to make sure you get out in 4 years, somewhere close to your parents house or a cheap rent district would probably also be good.
 
I had about 25K in student loans when i graduated college. The crazy part is that it is all room, board, and living expenses. Granted I didn't work at all at college to help pay it down, but still kinda nuts. Luckily i had a full ride tuition wise, otherwise it probably would've been another 75K on top of it all.
 
That sucks man. I think my parents make around 45k and checking my Financial Aid now, I only get about 750$ a semester. But I also have 100% paid tuition and books (thank you florida lottery players). On top of that I take out 1.5-2k per semester in loans.
 
I forgot to mention that my brother had a full tuition scholarship to a college, but he didn't want go to that one. Now he's out, living here (with parents) graduated with a 2.7 I think, works for my girlfriend's dad making about $1k a week and a little over $60k in loans to pay back. He's probably gonna be living here until he's 30.
 
[quote name='SpazX']I forgot to mention that my brother had a full tuition scholarship to a college, but he didn't want go to that one. Now he's out, living here (with parents) graduated with a 2.7 I think, works for my girlfriend's dad making about $1k a week and a little over $60k in loans to pay back. He's probably gonna be living here until he's 30.[/quote]

1K a week isnt too horrible?
 
[quote name='Staind204']What was your major? Right now mine is Strategic Communication , seems like a degree with many options but who knows. The main thing I'm pissed about is I've worked hard to get such a high GPA (I've only had 1 B in 3 semesters and the rest were A- or above). I also have all A's this semester. Not getting ANY grants or scholarships tell me that I've wasted my time getting A's. I might as well just half-ass things and get B's and C's.. they'll get the same degree as me and I'm not getting any scholarships for my trouble. :whistle2:([/QUOTE]


My major was Computer Animation... Originally I went to school down in FL to get an AA, then a BFA program was introduced to us towards the end of our AA, so we stayed for it, towards the end of our BFA, they offered the masters program, but by that time 95% of us were pissed off we weren't learning much from the school or getting our money's worth so we all left. After carefully analizing the market, it was determined that OUTSOURCING to places like canada, europe, asia and india were the places getting the jobs and anything in USA was just too high requiments to get into..for example the things I have been told, "Although your demo reel is outstanding, you lack any professional/work experiance that can warrent us from hiring you" in other words they wont hire you unless you've worked for someone else before..catch 22 type of thing :(

Anyways now im in the public education system trying to go back to school to teach graphic design (i want to lean towards motion graphics). the school system has offered in the beginning to help pay for the classes, but when it came down to actual numbers, they only pay about 800$ a YEAR...so basically 1 damn class, out of the 6 or so i will take a year, and classes run about 750 for 3 credit hours :(

As for my fellow classmates who graduated with me, 98% of them moved on to something else, and the 1.5% found a job in graphic design and the 0.5% found a job in animation. This was in a class of about 100 or so of us in 2000.
 
I found that most of the money I got for school came from the university itself and not the federal government. Sure, I was able to get a few subsidized loans, but most of the rest of the money came from the school itself (and it's a decent chunk of change considering I go to a private school).

They key is to apply to a lot of different schools, see what money they offer you, and try to play them off of each other. By telling my first choice school that my second choice had offered me $3k more, they upped my aid money by $4k as an enticement to get me to come here.

Right now I'm taking out around $5k a year in loans and my parents are paying about the same. Since I wanted to save a bit of money, I've been working pretty hard the past few years and should be graduating a semester early.
 
[quote name='Pookymeister1234']1K a week isnt too horrible?[/quote]
EDIT: oh damn, I was just thinking, he gets around $1k every two weeks, lol, my bad. So he gets about $2500 a month or so and only wastes around $700-1000 a month I guess, I was just thinking 1k sounded too high....he gets about $35k a year I think, so he gets something over $1k every two weeks. Paying his loans off at $1k a month though so it'll take him about 5 years from now and he's turning 23.
 
Here's my "FAFSA is a screwjob" story:

I got married in 2004 while still in college. I'm a full-time student working on my education degree, and my wife is an accounting secretary. The first year of marriage, I apply for FAFSA. Our income that year is about $21,000. The FAFSA report comes in, and my estimated family contribution is 0. I got about 2,000 in Pell Grants and the rest in loans without interest.

The next year, my wife changes jobs, and our income rises from $21,000 to $23,500. I filed my FAFSA in February, and when the report came back, my estimated family contribution is over $8,000.

Basically, the federal government is telling me that I need to take over 1/3 of our entire income and put it into the university system. It was one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen. Needless to say, when I graduate next year, I'll have around $35,000 in loans--plus, I'll be a teacher, so I'm sure those will be paid off some time around age 50.
 
[quote name='Plinko']Here's my "FAFSA is a screwjob" story:

I got married in 2004 while still in college. I'm a full-time student working on my education degree, and my wife is an accounting secretary. The first year of marriage, I apply for FAFSA. Our income that year is about $21,000. The FAFSA report comes in, and my estimated family contribution is 0. I got about 2,000 in Pell Grants and the rest in loans without interest.

The next year, my wife changes jobs, and our income rises from $21,000 to $23,500. I filed my FAFSA in February, and when the report came back, my estimated family contribution is over $8,000. [/quote]

Well that makes no god damn sense, how the hell can you make $2500 more and then have to pay $8000 more, you never should've made more money :p.
 
I'm still paying off my loans-- and will be for quite some time, When I got out of school I owed about 36 thousand to a few different agencies. Was the education worth it? Sure. However, I'll probably be paying them off until I'm 30.
 
[quote name='SpazX']Well that makes no god damn sense, how the hell can you make $2500 more and then have to pay $8000 more, you never should've made more money :p.[/quote]

Exactly. If I knew it was going to happen, my wife wouldn't have switched jobs. The whole FAFSA system is a huge joke. It's too bad the college system is a business instead of an education system like it's supposed to be.
 
[quote name='Plinko'] It's too bad the college system is a business instead of an education system like it's supposed to be.[/QUOTE]

Bingo.
 
[quote name='RacinReaver']I found that most of the money I got for school came from the university itself and not the federal government. Sure, I was able to get a few subsidized loans, but most of the rest of the money came from the school itself (and it's a decent chunk of change considering I go to a private school).

They key is to apply to a lot of different schools, see what money they offer you, and try to play them off of each other. By telling my first choice school that my second choice had offered me $3k more, they upped my aid money by $4k as an enticement to get me to come here.

Right now I'm taking out around $5k a year in loans and my parents are paying about the same. Since I wanted to save a bit of money, I've been working pretty hard the past few years and should be graduating a semester early.[/QUOTE]

QFT
I just laughed at the schools that tried to give me nothing but loans. Instead, I go to a school with about $5,000 a year in loans and $3,000 left to pay after scholarships and loan money.

Also, all of my loans and scholarships are cashed directly by the college, so I'd have no chance to take the money and leave.
 
My mom is a lawyer.
Albiet, she's a single mother of two children who recieves no aid from my father (also a lawyer).

This past school year, I paid -$1,200 in school fees.
That's right, I was paid to attend college.
NYIT. $10,000 (or maybe it was 12) presidential scholarship from the school, then a random grant and scholarship from the US government. Totaled, I got around 23k.

I don't know why.
I don't care.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']This might mark the first time I agree with you. I was chatting with an acquaintance a month or so back who works with admissions at a community college. Even though he *always* strongly suggested those taking out loans only take enough to afford tuition and text, without exception everyone took the max. Then they showed up to class wearing nice gear and complaining b/c they didn't have money for the textbooks.[/QUOTE]

Actually, I've always taken out some extra from loans, moreso for emergency money (broken car, etc) than for petty purchases. Though I've never taken the max loans... that's just plain stupidity.
 
it's a joke...

if your family's total combined income is over like $15k per person, you won't get anything because you have enough money (in the gov't's opinion) to attend college. if you make under $15k, welcome to poverty. get used to doing manual labor unless you can work your way through college, find loans, grants, etc., or get tuition reimbursement from an employer (highly recommended if and when possible).

you can always go military. if you survive they might send you to school on the g.i.bill.

it's not in the government's interest to have a well educated public. they'd realize how bad they're getting screwed and do something about it. keep them dumb and happy, like a flock of sheep.
 
You gotta look into private scholarships. Granted, I graduated when most of you were starting kindergarten, but I went to a private school then that came to over 40K for all four years, and I only took out 10K in loans. I had $500 scholarships for people who were left handed and one because my dad served as an officer in the Navy. Granted, at that point I hadn't spoken to him in over 7 years, but they didn't need to know that. I was a total scholarship whore and made my essays sound like whatever it was I was TOTALLY into.

Go to fastweb.com and fill out the profile. They have some listings. And there are these giant blue books in the reference section. They all relate to college and programs, but one is devoted to scholarships and grants. I'm telling you, you will find EVERY kind of nutty scholarship in there.
 
i gave up on government aid personally. My parents made too much money, not that I saw a dime of it but they continued to claim me on their taxes so my fasa was screwed, fasforward 2 years at a community collge with a couple of good grades scholarships that covered about 20% of the cost i worked to pay for the rest never had to take a loan but it was close then i got married, i figured being as my hsuband was new to the military and our taxable income was below 20000 i could get aid, nope you have to wait one year after your married for them to consider your husbands income instead of your parents on your fasa, but even after that year hubby was making about 20000 taxable and our expected personal contribution to my education says fasa was 10000 dollars... half of his income was supposed to go for my school w/ 10000 to live on, they only offered loans :( i still took random classes but could never bring myself to get a 20000 loan so i could be a teacher but now through random classes i have more credits than any school will accepet in transfer :(
don't expect anything from the gov of the rich by the rich for the rich
 
I'm currently in college and due to finanical aid, I only have to pay $3,000 back, as opposed to $25,000. It works for me hah.
 
lol, i got a 500 dollar scholorship through bowling... never bothered going through FAFSA. Probly shouldve since both my parents are currently unemployed.
 
It pays to check out various scholarship opportunities. You'd be surprised at how many there are and since alot of people don't know about them there's not that much competition for them. It would be worth your while to borrow or buy a scholarship listing and see what's out there. As a shot in the dark, I applied for a $10,000 scholarship during medical school since I happened to fit the criteria and I was shocked to have gotten it and it was a huge help.
 
My parents make under 50k a year combined. I have an older brother and a younger sister. I'm going to college next year, and my EFC is nearly $6,000.

The funny part is I don't qualify for any pell grants, and haven't heard shit about scholarships. FAFSA might say that my parents can afford to give me 6,000, but living with my parents right now, I know for certain that they could barely afford to give me $1000.

My total cost for next year is going to be around $20,000, 18000 of which is going to have to be loans. Funny how quick they were to tell me that I didn't qualify for grants or anything, and in the same letter, they said we could get a 19000 PLUS loan.
 
Thanks to the scholarships I've gotten I've only had to pay a few dollars towards college so far. However, I may have to take out a loan soon, since that money is running out and I've only applied for a few new scholarships.
 
[quote name='Staind204']Is it just me or is college financial aide from the government a joke? In high school they always say oh if your parents dont make much money the government will give you grants and scholarships for college. Well I had a 3.8 in High School GPA and I'm going into my 3rd year of college in the fall with a 3.82 GPA and guess how much financial aide and scholarships I'm receiving for next fall... $0! I filled out all the necessary scholarships and the Fasfa and still didn't receive anything but loans. My whole family income is >$20,000 so I dont see how I dont get ANY grants. Also I would think a 3.82 gpa after 2 years of college should amount to some sort of scholarships but I guess not. Anyone else find that financial aide is a joke? If I wanted loans I can go to the bank and get one for college and save the hours it takes to fill out the Fasfa form.[/quote]
But if you were an unmarried Mexican woman with 3 kids, they would have paid for pretty much everything.

My brother went to college for about 3 years to become a cop, and by the sounds of it, he was able to get all these different kinds of grants and stuff. Then, of course, he realized he could make way more money at his current job (which only required a high school diploma) than he could being a police officer, thus rendering his 3+ years of school useless. Go figure.
 
[quote name='Morrigan Lover']Luckily for me, I went to college when Clinton was in charge. Bush wants you to join the military, so he has reduced financial aid in order to make college less attractive for the poor.[/QUOTE]

Clinton didn't do anything for my College career. College is a PRIVILEGE. Scholarships are a PRIVILEGE. If you want to complain about other people getting grants/scholarships who were less qualified than you, fine. But don't complain that MY taxes weren't spent on you just because you stood there with your hand out.

I perceive Republicans as believing people should have the right to EARN things.

I perceive Democrats as believing people DESERVE to have things handed to them.

This is why I get so worked up about statements like the one above. We work HARD for the taxes that go to the government. I don't even mind that there are students out there with their hands out hoping for a helping hand. That's fine. But when you start talking about it like you have some kind of birthright to that money just because you want to go to school - how ungrateful can you be?
 
I get 0 grants, granted my EFC was over 100k, but I get a lot of scholarship $$ for my high school grades, college grades, and my SATs. I believe roughly 75% of my tuition is funded by scholarship I receive by being proactive and applying for them. That's a lot, especially considering I'm at a private university. My parents are paying the rest, They had debt from college and they hated it and won't let me do it. I keep telling them to take out student loans for me and spend the money on themselves and let me repay it...
 
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