Berkeley Class of 2012 Forum

[Rotor]

Financial aid offer letters are viewable...at least mine is..

No letter for me. How long ago did you send your intent to enroll/tentatively intend to enroll form?

I haven't yet.

Uh oh...hope that doesn't mean what I think it means for me

[mightydinosaur]

I can access my letter but all it shows is federal loans. I am definitely hoping for some grant aid, but there's none up yet. Hopefully this is just because information is still trickling online.

[Tally72]

I can access my letter but all it shows is federal loans. I am definitely hoping for some grant aid, but there's none up yet. Hopefully this is just because information is still trickling online.

+1

[mijahe]

Probably related to my FAFSA problem, but is everyone that is seeing grants also seeing loans? I'm just seeing grants.

[trojans09]

Crap only those loans, hopefully this is only the need part and the merit is still to come.

[river85]

Probably related to my FAFSA problem, but is everyone that is seeing grants also seeing loans? I'm just seeing grants.

I'm also only seeing grants. Where does it say your FAFSA was rejected? Now I'm feeling paranoid.

[alleycat3]

I'm confused. Where are people going to see their letters? I went to "Offer Letter" and was prompted to enter my SSN, then I got to a new site, but I don't see any letter. I, too, apparently, suck at the internet.

Also, I am assuming I didn't get any need-based grants (:(). It would be under the "Status" tab, right? Mine says:

Budget Amount: $70,117.00
Student Contribution: $___
Parent Contribution: $0.00
Need-Based Amount: $___

Official Letter Status/Date:
No letter has been sent.

What am I missing? I want to figure this out today because I am flying out there early tomorrow!

[river85]

I'm confused. Where are people going to see their letters? I went to "Offer Letter" and was prompted to enter my SSN, then I got to a new site, but I don't see any letter. I, too, apparently, suck at the internet.

Also, I am assuming I didn't get any need-based grants (:(). It would be under the "Status" tab, right? Mine says:

Budget Amount: $70,117.00
Student Contribution: $___
Parent Contribution: $0.00
Need-Based Amount: $___

Official Letter Status/Date:
No letter has been sent.

What am I missing? I want to figure this out today because I am flying out there early tomorrow!

Did you check under "Award Summary"? That should tell you if you got any grants.

[mijahe]

Probably related to my FAFSA problem, but is everyone that is seeing grants also seeing loans? I'm just seeing grants.

I'm also only seeing grants. Where does it say your FAFSA was rejected? Now I'm feeling paranoid.

Under the status page. In the "Track" field, which is the first line, I think.

[prelaw]

So does that mean if no merit aid is listed then we don't get any?

[alleycat3]

Ah, okay, thanks Amy. That works (to an extent... I didn't get anything... not that I was expecting anything). I'm bummed about the lack of grants, however.

[dresq]

So does that mean if no merit aid is listed then we don't get any?

You guys will probably be the lucky ones who get scholarship offers. I have a hard time believing that I'll get a merit award in light of the generous grant they gave me for this year.

[legends159]

scholarships are much better than grants.

[lsatbobby]

But how do we know that the awards already given out are need based (or does it specifically say that)

[alleycat3]

Ah, okay, thanks Amy. That works (to an extent... I didn't get anything... not that I was expecting anything). I'm bummed about the lack of grants, however.

It's weird. Under the award summary tab, it still says "No financial aid awards found for student." Questions for asd.

Yeah, mine says that too.

[dresq]

But how do we know that the awards already given out are need based (or does it specifically say that)

Grants are generally need-based. The big difference is that grants will be recalculated each year, based on changes in residency, finances (i.e. summer employment), etc. Scholarships are generally renewable and not tied to financial status. My hunch is that grants in the 2nd and 3rd years will be dramatically lower than the ones offered now, while the scholarships will remain constant.

We will all learn more this weekend, though

[Kohinoor]

But how do we know that the awards already given out are need based (or does it specifically say that)

Everything that isn't merit-based is need based. Phooey. I'm gonna be grumpy at ASW now. I have this damnable full offer sitting there taunting me everytime I think of taking out loans for Berzerkeley.

[legends159]

Ah, okay, thanks Amy. That works (to an extent... I didn't get anything... not that I was expecting anything). I'm bummed about the lack of grants, however.

It's weird. Under the award summary tab, it still says "No financial aid awards found for student." Questions for asd.

Yeah, mine says that too.

me too. But I am missing info cause I screwed up my fafsa (I said I had 4 dependents when really I meant something else). They said that shouldn't affect anything cause all the need-based is according to need access.

[river85]

So we can ask for more loans than they've offered so far right? Because as things stand, I'd have to pay close to $12,000 out of pocket per semester and I can barely swing half that with my savings...

[feeblemiles]

So I'll see everyone at the talk on paying for law school? ... I mean

[mp2012]

Should I submit my Matching Scholarship form?

Cost of attendance at Berkeley (now that I know my grant amount) is less than at any other school besides USC. However, USC isn't a matching school and the only other significant rewards that I have received still have a higher cost of attendance. I know it specifically says on the information form that they match cost of attendance, not scholarship.

It's unlikely that they'll increase it for kicks right?

[dresq]

So we can ask for more loans than they've offered so far right? Because as things stand, I'd have to pay close to $12,000 out of pocket per semester and I can barely swing half that with my savings...

I don't think grad plus is included right now..... It's just stafford. So yeah.

Amy, did any of your offers include GradPlus? All of mine show Stafford subsidized/un-subsidized, and indicate the amount needed from "other" lenders (basically the difference between COA and scholarship/grant + EFC + Stafford). I'm under the impression that GradPlus is something we have to apply for that depends on credit rating, etc. just like a regular loan, except it comes through the federal government. It's not guaranteed like Stafford is. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

As for Berkeley, my loan status says "not applicable." The difference between my grant + my EFC, and the COA is like $40k. Where do they expect me to find that kinda scratch without loans? It's nonsense.

I vote that we all take a deep breath, sit back, and wait until they finish up. I mean, the letter said April 1 was when things should be up anyway, so there's probably more action to come (and probably not all tomorrow). We'll get lots of answers this weekend, too.

Wait, April 1? First the IDs don't work, and now we all have strange things seemingly going on with our offers. Tomorrow, our financial aid pages will all read, "April Fools!!!"

[TopCat]

I wouldn't read too much into what's been posted/ what's not been posted yet. I also think that those who see grants right now are probably not getting schollies and those who don't see grants right now are probably in the running for shollies. Just a conjecture, though .

But case at hand (this is what shows up in my "Status" page):

Budget Amount: $57,872.00
Student Contribution: $0.00
Parent Contribution: $0.00
Need-Based Amount: $57,872.00


The fact of the matter is that my Budget Amount should have been the out of state one. I am not a Cali resident and I am not eligible to be one next year (nonimmigrant status).

In short, I think the info posted yet are incomplete at best, erroneous at worst.

[southernlady]

I also think that those who see grants right now are probably not getting schollies and those who don't see grants right now are probably in the running for shollies. Just a conjecture, though .

I called yesterday, and the woman said that the scholarship committee is meeting right now and making decisions as they go and that I still might get merit aid, even though only need-based aid shows up right now. Just FYI for all you grant-receivers.

[TopCat]

I also think that those who see grants right now are probably not getting schollies and those who don't see grants right now are probably in the running for shollies. Just a conjecture, though .

I called yesterday, and the woman said that the scholarship committee is meeting right now and making decisions as they go and that I still might get merit aid, even though only need-based aid shows up right now. Just FYI for all you grant-receivers.

Thanks for the info!

To: The Scholarship Committee

Gimme some more
even though we getting money you can
gimme some more