The Whining and Bitching Thread

[Pessimism]

I practically forgot about that when filling out FAFSA and so on, but its to late for this year seeing as my dad claimed me as a dependent. In the next year however, that would definitely change things, thanks for the reminder!

Being claimed dependent is going to fuck a lot of shit up for you no matter where you go. My experiences with it result in either very little financial aid (rare) to almost none (common). Then again, the richest, spoiled, most horrible people I went to highschool with got FAFSA when their parents made over $160k combined, so maybe if you are all of those things you will be fine.

Fucking undeserving bitches.

 

[Srontgorrth]

Being claimed dependent is going to fuck a lot of shit up for you no matter where you go. My experiences with it result in either very little financial aid (rare) to almost none (common). Then again, the richest, spoiled, most horrible people I went to highschool with got FAFSA when their parents made over $160k combined, so maybe if you are all of those things you will be fine.

Fucking undeserving bitches.

Well I'm not rich, spoiled or horrible so I don't really fit the criteria. My dad made $71,000 (I wrote 79k accidentally) but given the amount of debt he is in, he lives paycheck to paycheck, and my parents are divorced as well.

 

[Pessimism]

The government won't look at that, which sucks. My parents when I applied were making $60k combined in 2004, and I was shot down. This last year they had made prob $40k total and I finally got it.

What sucks is I've been independent for five/six years now, and the government doesn't stop looking at how much your parents make until you hit 25 now (for some reason, their income = your income, regardless of dependency status).

 

[Addo_Of_Nex]

Yo Pessimism, how accurate has the EFC value been in your past experience/s? I got a value of 0 because due to my mother and I making about 28k combined last year; but I'm not sure what to expect and I'm frankly getting a bit worried because I have yet to receive any sort of follow up info in the mail yet. I thought I read somewhere that the financial aid offices of universities don't even ship that shit until early April, but the amount of pamphlets and bullshit on the subject I've read ever since being accepted last winter is a bit too much to keep up with, so I may just be delusional.

 

[Srontgorrth]

Yo Pessimism, how accurate has the EFC value been in your past experience/s? I got a value of 0 because due to my mother and I making about 28k combined last year; but I'm not sure what to expect and I'm frankly getting a bit worried because I have yet to receive any sort of follow up info in the mail yet. I thought I read somewhere that the financial aid offices of universities don't even ship that shit until early April, but the amount of pamphlets and bullshit on the subject I've read ever since being accepted last winter is a bit too much to keep up with, so I may just be delusional.

My gf's EFC was 32 and she got her UCI aid info, so here it is:

Gift Aid
Academic Competitiveness Grant for First Year $750.00 Unconfirmed
Federal Pell Grant (01) $5,500.00 Confirmed
UC Irvine Grant $13,910.00 Accepted
Total Gift Aid $20,160.00

Student Work-Study
Federal Work Study $1,500.00
Total Work Study $1,500.00

Different Types of Loans (a 2.5% interest loan, a .5% interest loan, an unsubsidized loan, and a 5% interest university loan.)
Total Loans $29,254.00

The actual tuition at UCI is about $31,000 I think, and they only gave her $20,000 despite her EFC of 32 or so. Plus there is the cost of housing, personal expenses and so on.

But I'm pretty sure if she, or anyone with that low of an EFC applied to a university that matches 100% of need (i.e. UChicago, Harvard, Yale), it wouldn't be a problem

@Pessimism: Yeah it really sucks that debt isn't taken into account at all, but if I can I'll appeal for more or something if possible.

 

[Addo_Of_Nex]

Thanks for posting. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see what happens, though I should be okay because the presidential scholarship I get from the school right away takes care of half of the tuition, and I have a few thousand dollars stashed away anyways. This fucking fall semester just needs to get here.

 

[Pessimism]

My experience with the EFC is biased as I have been flat out denied to colleges a few times due to money that the federal formula accounts for but doesn't exist. It's also written in such a way as to account for everyone under the broad umbrella, which is a fucking mistake.

Here is a personal example:
The average cost of attendance at UCR is about $25k, and here is how they broke it down:
Determination of Financial Need
Fees $9,726
Room and Board $9,400
Books and Supplies $1,750
Transportation $2,100
Personal Costs $2,000
Total Cost of Attendance $24,976
Parent Contribution $11,638
Student Contribution $3,486
Total Family Contribution $15,124

Obviously some things will be inapplicable for me (in my case, things like room and board). Unfortunately, the formula actually assumes that I will receive help from family members - something that is not possible. In the end that means that the parental contribution is just another variable that I have to pay that is being misrepresented by the formula; and since it is being misrepresented, it doesn't help me get a better gift-aid. The difference between my student contribution and my parents is ridiculous & staggering, and it should be obvious why the amount of aid I would receive would differ greatly compared to what I actually need.

 

[Srontgorrth]

Thanks for posting. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see what happens, though I should be okay because the presidential scholarship I get from the school right away takes care of half of the tuition, and I have a few thousand dollars stashed away anyways. This fucking fall semester just needs to get here.

Yeah at UNLV I automatically get two scholarships based on ACT and GPA, leaving me at about $500 a semester or so. That, and all my community college credits transfer for sure.

 

[Mort Divine]

Broken Social Scene had to cancel their show tonight due to an illness in the band Fucking bummed out big time, hopefully everyone gets better and they can reschedule!

 

[mutantllama]

Fuck this two week long cold is really pissing me off. I just want to go to sleep right now.

 

[st3333phani3333]

I'm sick aswell and I wish I was not. I am pretty sure I have strep throat. Going to the hospital tomorrow morning. It will be something I am not looking forward to do. The wait is so long and you get some of the most weirdest people.

 

[Deity]

My experience with the EFC is biased as I have been flat out denied to colleges a few times due to money that the federal formula accounts for but doesn't exist. It's also written in such a way as to account for everyone under the broad umbrella, which is a fucking mistake.

Here is a personal example:
The average cost of attendance at UCR is about $25k, and here is how they broke it down:
Determination of Financial Need
Fees $9,726
Room and Board $9,400
Books and Supplies $1,750
Transportation $2,100
Personal Costs $2,000
Total Cost of Attendance $24,976
Parent Contribution $11,638
Student Contribution $3,486
Total Family Contribution $15,124

Obviously some things will be inapplicable for me (in my case, things like room and board). Unfortunately, the formula actually assumes that I will receive help from family members - something that is not possible. In the end that means that the parental contribution is just another variable that I have to pay that is being misrepresented by the formula; and since it is being misrepresented, it doesn't help me get a better gift-aid. The difference between my student contribution and my parents is ridiculous & staggering, and it should be obvious why the amount of aid I would receive would differ greatly compared to what I actually need.

Tell them you're homeless. That's what I'm doing. That'll take your parents out of it, and FASFA will be more likely to give you moneys.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Lying to the government is never ever a bad idea, right guys!?

 

[cookiecutter]

Broken Social Scene had to cancel their show tonight due to an illness in the band Fucking bummed out big time, hopefully everyone gets better and they can reschedule!

You should just finally move to Canada. BSS are related to like 50% of the bands here.

 

[Pessimism]

Lying to the government is never ever a bad idea, right guys!?

Not so sure anymore, many people I went to school with who were well off flat out lied on their FAFSA's and got high returns... I know my lot though, as soon as I fib it will all be over.

 

[Episteme]

I'm hungry. RAGH.

 

[Mort Divine]

You should just finally move to Canada. BSS are related to like 50% of the bands here.

Haha, yeah BSS is basically the Canadian super group of sorts.

 

[damnromulans]

I'm hungry. RAGH.

Me too. But I just finished eating lunch. This "no rice with lunch" business sucks but it is for the best.

I have to give a presentation in front of the whole school in like half an hour. Nervous.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Not so sure anymore, many people I went to school with who were well off flat out lied on their FAFSA's and got high returns... I know my lot though, as soon as I fib it will all be over.

Well it certainly doesn't help to discuss plans to do so on a large Internet forum.

 

[damnromulans]

This shit is public. Careful.