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OK so I just applied for a grant from the Gov for school... can anyone give me some insight as to how this all works?? Any tips etc...

I (apparently) am approved for $5,550 worth of grants. Is this alot?? I need to calculate how much my program is gonna cost me... Hmmmmm.... any info you can help with would be LOVERLY!

TIA!
 
MrsPiggy said:
OK so I just applied for a grant from the Gov for school... can anyone give me some insight as to how this all works?? Any tips etc...

I (apparently) am approved for $5,550 worth of grants. Is this alot?? I need to calculate how much my program is gonna cost me... Hmmmmm.... any info you can help with would be LOVERLY!

TIA!
Click to expand...

Is that amount for one semester, an academic year, or the whole length of your program? How far it will go will largely depend on what school you go to. If you go to a state school, it would probably go pretty far. A private school, not so much.
 
I am not sure....

My confirmation says Based on your EFC of = 0
You are eligible to receive A Federal Pell Grant of up to $5550.00. Grants do not have to be repaid.... yada yada yada
 
First off -- CONGRATULATIONS!!! That is awesome and money toward your future that you don't have to pay back! Check in your application documents and see if it has the fine details somewhere on there.
 
Congrats!! Not sure what program you are looking into; but I would suggest making it go as far as possible. Like taking classed at a junior college and then applying the credits to the school of your choice later. Just try to make sure the credits transfer.
 
Where are you going to school & what is your area of interest?
 
I am going to school to be a Medical Assistant. So it's a Certification Course.... it's roughly $4000.00 for the Credit hours alone... then there are books and such which I have also heard that grants can help pay for.

THEN also the WIA program through un-employment is going to give me $5,000 - $6,000 . But I am not sure I will get anything from them after they here how much the Feds are giving me... meanwhile I will be paid my unemployment check while I am going to school! Talk about a SWEET deal!

I am super excited... ultimately I would love to be become an ultrasound tech or an xray tech. :9: We will see! Pretty excited though!
 
Good luck. I think you picked a great profession to enter.There's always a need for medical people. I swear it's like 1000's of people work in the hospital.When i go for bloodwork it seems the staff out number the patients.
 
I hear ya.... ALWAYS waiting! :)
 
You got the max allowed. That is great. In IL to get the map grant you have to have application in by April 30th (the map grant though the state isn't always paying it--is for state to state--not the same as the federal grant)
There should also be papers if you want a student loan at a reduced rate.
To get EFC to 0 is wonderful--EFC is Expected Family Contribution.
Books will nail you--but you can check all sorts of different places to get them less expensive
There is chegg.com--which rents you books
Some schools (our local community college just started renting the books for a lot less than buying them--telling us we can highlight etc--just have to be in tact when we return--no bindings ripped)
Ordering books on line--half.com amazon.com e-bay--- and even borders with their discounts---so make sure you get the list
You can check craigs list--or other colleges--many post their used books--to buy at a discount.

(can you tell I have 3 in college now--all got the max for Federal Grant-so I do know FAFSA!)

ALso, from my experience--they did divide the FAFSA money up between semesters---so they paid the first part---then when we enrolled for the second half they paid that--EXCEPT_-when we transferred to a four year school--then they just sent the entire amount to the school--and the school gave us our difference---to which my child had to take out a loan

Check into different scholarships---there are a lot out there---for all sorts of different things--surprising ones--odd ones etc
I think I just did a search on college scholarships--and then researched--there is one that if your parents didn't go to college--they pay your books---one for designing a prom dress out of duct tape or starburst wrappers--
They have them in all sorts of categories--
So check those out
GOOD LUCK__AND CONGRATS FOR GETTING INTO THE PROGRAM AND GOING TO SCHOOL
 
kmjlovesjesus said:
You got the max allowed. That is great. In IL to get the map grant you have to have application in by April 30th (the map grant though the state isn't always paying it--is for state to state--not the same as the federal grant)
There should also be papers if you want a student loan at a reduced rate.
To get EFC to 0 is wonderful--EFC is Expected Family Contribution.
Books will nail you--but you can check all sorts of different places to get them less expensive
There is chegg.com--which rents you books
Some schools (our local community college just started renting the books for a lot less than buying them--telling us we can highlight etc--just have to be in tact when we return--no bindings ripped)
Ordering books on line--half.com amazon.com e-bay--- and even borders with their discounts---so make sure you get the list
You can check craigs list--or other colleges--many post their used books--to buy at a discount.

(can you tell I have 3 in college now--all got the max for Federal Grant-so I do know FAFSA!)

ALso, from my experience--they did divide the FAFSA money up between semesters---so they paid the first part---then when we enrolled for the second half they paid that--EXCEPT_-when we transferred to a four year school--then they just sent the entire amount to the school--and the school gave us our difference---to which my child had to take out a loan

Check into different scholarships---there are a lot out there---for all sorts of different things--surprising ones--odd ones etc
I think I just did a search on college scholarships--and then researched--there is one that if your parents didn't go to college--they pay your books---

one for designing a prom dress out of duct tape or starburst wrappers-- LOL :giggles:

They have them in all sorts of categories--
So check those out
GOOD LUCK__AND CONGRATS FOR GETTING INTO THE PROGRAM AND GOING TO SCHOOL
Click to expand...


I am so glad you know all this info! So these scholarships... can you still get them even if you've gotten the others?? THANK YOU SO MUCH!
 
Yes, the grant money-is from the government
You do not have to pay it back--There is the hope lifetime living--which you might qualify for-0-that one you do have to declare on taxes--but the school will send you forms if you get that one

We haven't received any scholarships--so we went just on our FAFSA money--but friends have received scholarships after the FAFSA--and they got both--
I can't remember now if there is a place on the FAFSA form that asks about scholarships--because if there is--that might change things--but friends have told me they received both--but you might want to check it out--since FAFSA is a federal document--you can get in trouble if you don't declare something
You can always ask your school too--what scholarships might be available--most are wonderful and will tell you about programs etc---then also ask them how that affects your FAFSA--I do think though that you can have both--and that is how numerous people go to college---between the FAFSA and the scholarships
My kids went to the junior college in the area--and the FAFSA money paid everything--they even got refunds--because we got books so much cheaper (at our local junior college the courses are around 124.00 each credit hour)

Good luck--start researching--there are a lot of scholarships out there for medical--for unemployed, for teachers that want to go work with special ed kids (if you go to work for 2 years in an underpriv area --they will pay the entire loan)
So--lots out there--you just have to let your fingers to the walking--and then RESEARCH
There are grants out there too--if you write about why you need the money--many large organizations will give grants for school--and you don't have to pay that back--but you have to research and find out the legitimate way to do that--there are grant writers out there that will help--but many colleges have them on staff--and can guide you to the correct resources. Of course there are scam artists too--that is why with the grant writing it is good to check with your school finance department and see if they know of any legitmate ones--or ask if anyone has used a grant writer--etc.
Also--if you can find a job at a hospital--they will pay for more than 1/2 the price--you have to work in the department or field of study--sometimes they pay the entire thing depending on the hosptial. I know my hubbie works for one--and they would have paid his--but it wasn't in the field of interest he wanted
I heard from a friend that Loyola has a great program for paying for tuition--(that was a few years ago--so things could have changed)

Good luck
 
One other caution--my niece filled out her FAFSA late--and she said she received an EFC 0 and the same thing about amount--HOWEVER, when she went into the school--they said all their FAFSA money was given out--and she had to wait until the next year--
I had never heard of this--but you might want to check with your school--
When did you apply? WHen did you receive your confirmation ?
Confirmation is different than what it says when you apply--
the form of when you apply is just estimating it--the confirmation comes either by m ail or e-mail telling you the exact amount
the school then sends you the forms detailing things
My experience with FAFSA--was within 2 days of submission we had our answers of how much etc---and the schools had it within a week
SO--you might want to call and find out--FAFSA would be a good one to call now
Unless you are thinking of going to school in Fall of next year--
You can start FAFSA in January--and many do it in October--just to get an estimate and to have it on file--
If it was me--I would call FAFSA and have them do a check for you--on stuff--or call the school of choice--see if they have you on file--find out when you can start taking classes and find out how much they are giving you--if they won't do it over the phone then meet with a financial advisor --they will have your information once it is sent to the school.
Sometimes FAFSA redflags you too--so be prepared to have all your complete taxes, etc with you to take to the school.
This is all done at random--so you never know when you will have to submit that information---
GOOD LUCK
 
I applied yesterday for Spring Session..... (January 2011) I THINK i should be OK?? HOPEFULLY!

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE INFO! I REALLY APPRECIATE IT! :)
 
Do you have to pay to file an application with FAFSA? I am thinking of going back to school to get a teaching permit, wondering whether I am eligible for any financial aid!
 
No no application fee....

www.fasfa.ed.gov

But I believe you have to register @ a school first... not positive though!
 
You do not need to register at the school first--but you do need to put on the application where you want the money sent if y ou get it--so you have to write down the schools you are thinking. Then you can apply to those schools--because they are going to send the information to them too--so do both--if it was me--I would fill out an application at the number one choice you want to attend
It never hurts to fill out FAFSA--but as I said before--just be careful--because once the money is gone--it is gone--they do go on how quickly they get the applications
that is why most people fill them out before Feb. 1st.
You can fill it out without your income taxes done--but you will have to go back in and resubmit--for us--since it was a juinor college we just waited until we had the taxes done--Many people start filling them out in January just to get an estimated idea-
Most schools want the FAFSA in before March 1st--
I would always say try and see--it never hurts to find out!
 
Mrs. Piggy---you just got the estimated one--you have not received your official confirmation yet--so be on the watch for it!

If5058--Apply for a pin number first so you can fill out your FAFSA_-you keep the same pin number FOREVER_-so make sure you pick a number that you will be able to remember
 
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