I thought I qualified for financial aid?

[shonie03]

I've been out of school for about 2 years and I wanted to go back in January to finish my last year. I filled out financial aid paperwork and my EFC was 0, I'm guessing because my income last year was $22,000. Well now a few months later, someone at the school changed my information because I recieved an email saying my EFC was changed to $7000 and didn't qualify for a pell grant. I don't know how they came up with that figure!! I thought that my salary would at least get me a little help, I wasn't even expecting them to pay the full amount. I know someone who is in school to become a RN and she has a full scholarship, but then again she has 3 children & I am pregnant w/ my 1st child. Does anyone know what qualifies you to get some help??

 

[Renee J]

If your over 21 I think and are not married then they go by your parents income, but if your married then they go by your income, but if your married and your income was 22,000 then you should get the financial aid, with no problem, because your EFC would be 0.
So that would make you eligible for it even if your EFC was a little higher like 400 or something you still should be able to get it.
I would talk to them about it and see why they changed it maybe they did get you mixed up with someone else.

 

[Library Lady]

It sounds as if they may have you confused with someone else. Call the financial aid department and stay on the phone until you can talk to a real person.

 

[spalmer]

Are you an independent student? Pregnancy doesn't qualify you as independent, but once the child is born and if you're providing more than 50% of the support, that will qualify you for independence. $22,000 for one person is a decent income. I made $15,000 two years ago and qualified for minimal Pell grant money (and I have a son). This past year, due to a period of unemployment, I only grossed $13,000 for the year and received the full Pell (again I have a two-person household). I know that next year I will not receive the full Pell because I'll make about $16,000 for this year. You have to be extremely low-income to qualify for the Pell (especially for the full Pell), think poverty level. Everyone qualifies for federal stafford loans though, so if you choose a school that's less than $5,500/year you'll be fine.