Federal Pel Grant

[_chuchu]

Pell Grant Future
The Federal Pell Grant program was designed to help students in low-income families. This financial aid is based on financial need and, together with other forms of Federal aid, is meant to help students obtain a college degree and improve their lives.

In recent years, legislation has altered funding, changing the maximum award per student and establishing program effectiveness measurements that include enrollment figures and graduation rates among low-income and minority students. Changes in legislation have also proposed amendments to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Code so that the FAFSA forms completed by the student and the student’s family can more easily be integrated with Pell Grant requirements, thereby ensuring that there is no underpayment or overpayment made to the low-income families.

The average Pell Grant student has a family income of $20,000 or less. Because of the rising cost of college tuition, the Pell Grant maximum awards no longer cover a significant portion of student expenses. This lack of parity between tuition and the Pell Grant maximum award means that more than 150,000 college-eligible students will be unable to attend college.

In 1979, a Pell Grant covered approximately 75% of college tuition. In 2006, a Pell Grant covers only about 33% of the total cost of college tuition. Going forward, Congress has cut Pell funding from $13.6 billion to $12.7 billion, reducing the average Pell Grant from $2,400 to $2,300, in spite of the fact that college tuition has increased by more than 35% since 2002. States and university are funding more merit-based financial aid, and reducing the financial aid available for low-income students.

However, there is hope on the horizon. President Bush recently approved a significant increase in Pell Grant awards to take place over the next five years. The maximum Pell Grant award per student will increase to $4,600 in 2008, and by $200 per year each year until 2012. It is estimated that the maximum award will cover 75% of tuition in a public four-year college. The average award will cover approximately 42% of these fees. When combined with other federally funded programs, it is hoped that a student in the low-income bracket may be able to cover up to 85% of college fees in a public four-year institution.

Third and fourth year get SMART grant which is like Pell, just a different name

Great for books, especially for those language or CD/packet courses...

[Kiro]

Why the fuck have I been paying for school + books by myself? WHAT THE FUCK

[_chuchu]

You also get audited by the school you get Pell at. I had been informed the majority or a good number get audited. I have been audited each time lol . Don't mind a hoop of fire for proving you're poor :3

[Cream Soda]

Don't think I'll have any trouble with audit tbh. They know exactly how much my uncle makes(Which is way more than what qualifies for grant) because I used his tax information in place of my parent's (I've been living with my uncle since I was 15), but since I was never legally adopted, they wouldn't accept his papers and still requested my parent's, which I have no contact with. So, the financial aid lady gave me a form which would appeal my dependent status and make me as independent, since I have no contact with either of my parents. Then they go based off my wages, which is 0, because I haven't worked since 2006.

[#686578]

You also get audited by the school you get Pell at. I had been informed the majority or a good number get audited. I have been audited each time lol . Don't mind a hoop of fire for proving you're poor :3

Is the audit purely to prove that you're poor or to make sure that what you spent your grant money on was academic related?

Does anyone have a concrete number on how poor you have to be? An Expected Family Contribution number would be nice, but better would be a total income for whom you're dependent.

[recuperi]

I make about $7500 on disability at the moment, but I don't know the exact EFC they want you to have to get the max on a Pell Grant

[Telliani]

When my husband got pel grants, he used it to pay off his car with the left overs, and then we bought a widescreen tv the next semester >_> He makes too much now at his work to get any more scholarships.

[jmc]

Like Vandole, my grant will be in the form of my school's debit card.
I should be able to use it freely then? If so, I'll be hitting newegg up and building a new PC.

You will have no problems spending the extra money on the computer.... most schools add the cost of a new desktop/laptop into loans/grants. So if for some reason, there was ever a audit on the grant you recieved...and they wanted to know what you spent it on, just say you purchased a new PC for school.

[recuperi]

They add the cost of living too. The calculations they gave me pretty much just said the grants were only covering half of what I'd need to live while going to college there, but for most people that stuff is already covered in one way or another.

[volcanicweather]

If you're going to buy a new computer, don't be retarded and spend $1500+ on it, especially if you are going to only be using it for stuff like FFXI and school.

Dell Outlet - Refurbished Computers - Refurbished Laptops - Refurbished PCs rocks, you can get a decent laptop for $~500 and a decent desktop for $~300-400. Search around the internet too, there's always one-time use promo codes flying around for 20% off of a desktop/laptop purchase at the outlet store as well. It's really the way to go. I bought a desktop a couple of months ago with a Core II Duo, 4gigs of ram, a 256mb GeForce card, 500gb HD for $350 AFTER tax/shipping with the use of a coupon.

[jmc]

If you're going to buy a new computer, don't be retarded and spend $1500+ on it, especially if you are going to only be using it for stuff like FFXI and school.

Dell Outlet - Refurbished Computers - Refurbished Laptops - Refurbished PCs rocks, you can get a decent laptop for $~500 and a decent desktop for $~300-400. Search around the internet too, there's always one-time use promo codes flying around for 20% off of a desktop/laptop purchase at the outlet store as well. It's really the way to go. I bought a desktop a couple of months ago with a Core II Duo, 4gigs of ram, a 256mb GeForce card, 500gb HD for $350 AFTER tax/shipping with the use of a coupon.

Nice link, didn't even know about the outlet store for dell.

[_chuchu]

Is the audit purely to prove that you're poor or to make sure that what you spent your grant money on was academic related?

Does anyone have a concrete number on how poor you have to be? An Expected Family Contribution number would be nice, but better would be a total income for whom you're dependent.

Basically, Cost of Attendance(fees, living, tuition, books) less EFC(expected family contribution) = your financial need, which can be covered by a combination of grants (u get more grants if ur gpa is 3.0+) and eventually low to high rate loans. You always get offered the low rate loans first before the higher rate ones are offered. Can get some around 5% or so and idk the rates of the higher ones.

They add the cost of living too. The calculations they gave me pretty much just said the grants were only covering half of what I'd need to live while going to college there, but for most people that stuff is already covered in one way or another.

Back in the day, 100% of everything was covered if you met income requirements, then got lowered to 75% and eventually 50% and lower. The max Pell you can receive has been capped to about $4,000. You can and may qualify for other grants like ACG if you graduated from 2005 and later. ACG is academic competitiveness grant and it gives you more for having graduated with a high gpa in high school

Edit: you DO NOT have to accept the loans. They are, however, nice to have if you're in dire need of a car and you want to put off interest (at a lower rate than the dealer) for a few years. You may even pay the loans off before you graduate at a paid internship or job.

[_chuchu]

Also, as far as audits go, depends on the school and they only want to see documentation (1040's etc.) to check and make sure they match FAFSA. If they don't, it will get deducted from your aid, so be as accurate as possible.


How hard they make it for you to not spend the money on other things really depends on the school. If you get a direct deposit or check, then the state system is more lenient towards the student and trusts them. Chances are, if they give you a declining balance debit card, they might check it or provide it as a courtesy. Btw, is the debit card you guys get a VISA/Mastercard/etc and bank issued? I'm going to guess it might be some kinda corporate-like card