SMU 2010! Forum

[kalvano]

Strange...this doc ( --LinkRemoved-- ) has the annual coverage as far more pricey.

I know. I emailed them to find out exactly.

[UTL_plz]

is the health insurance included in the fees by default?

[kalvano]

is the health insurance included in the fees by default?

No.

I've gotten conflicting reports, and am waiting on SMU to write me back, but I think it's $1530 a year, which really isn't that bad.

[texasforever]

...Found out i qualify for a 2k grant for being a texan, which is nice.

Interesting, I hadn't heard of this. Any details?

Texas Equalization Grant
http://www.collegefortexans.com/apps/fi ... cfm?ID=534

I also received TEG money, pretty ironic because I am a white male and lobbied for this on both the state and federal level during undergrad and never thought that I would ever qualify for it. I guess having a $0 income as an "independent" (thanks for undergrad dad) has some advantages after all.

[callingsarah]

My Stafford Loans have been certified but I am still waiting on my Gradplus to be certified. What kind of time frame I am looking at?

I'm in the same boat.

My gradplus loans just got certified today. I applied the day we got the notice.

Can you tell me how you saw that your gradPLUS was certified? I applied/got approved/ signed my MPN the day we got notice-- is there another step?

[Thirteen]

I still haven't been able to view or accept my loans. Filing the FAFSA late ftl .

[cafloyd12]

My Stafford Loans have been certified but I am still waiting on my Gradplus to be certified. What kind of time frame I am looking at?

I'm in the same boat.

My gradplus loans just got certified today. I applied the day we got the notice.

Can you tell me how you saw that your gradPLUS was certified? I applied/got approved/ signed my MPN the day we got notice-- is there another step?

You've done everything there is to do. When your loan is certified, you will see a "loan details" hyperlink next to the gradplus loan. There should already be a "loan details" hyperlink next to your stafford loans. If it hasn't shown by now, you may give them a call or shoot them an email. If you do see the link, go ahead and click on it. It should say that your loan has been certified, etc.

[tinyone]

Can you tell me how you saw that your gradPLUS was certified? I applied/got approved/ signed my MPN the day we got notice-- is there another step?[/quote]

You've done everything there is to do. When your loan is certified, you will see a "loan details" hyperlink next to the gradplus loan. There should already be a "loan details" hyperlink next to your stafford loans. If it hasn't shown by now, you may give them a call or shoot them an email. If you do see the link, go ahead and click on it. It should say that your loan has been certified, etc.[/quote]


All of the above, and I received a paper letter in the mail stating I had been approved/certified.

[kalvano]

Did anyone else get this email?

SMU received your request for financial aid. However, to be eligible for federal, state and/or
SMU need-based financial aid additional information or documentation is required.

You must complete the appropriate documents or the request for information listed below
within three weeks from the date of this notice. If SMU does not receive the requested items,
federal, state, and SMU need-based aid cannot be awarded and/or disbursed to assist with
payment of your student account.

Required forms are located at --LinkRemoved--


1. Required Document: Texas Residency Core Questions. Texas State Financial Aid Regulations require completion of this form prior to students receiving state regulated funds. Please complete and promptly return the Texas Residency Core Questions form to the Division of Enrollment Services-Financial Aid. All financial aid forms are available at the SMU Financial Aid Forms Library.

[kalvano]

Also, what is the "tuition equalization grant"?

[UTL_plz]

Also, what is the "tuition equalization grant"?

i believe it is the grant you get for completing the texas residency core questionnaire which is available at the smu financial aid website in their form library. i never got the email, but i saw the texas residency questionnaire on my to-do list at access.smu

[wellington]

Did anyone else get this email?

I got it. I followed the link and filled out the form. Dropped it in the mail that day.

[callingsarah]

Did anyone else get this email?

SMU received your request for financial aid. However, to be eligible for federal, state and/or
SMU need-based financial aid additional information or documentation is required.

You must complete the appropriate documents or the request for information listed below
within three weeks from the date of this notice. If SMU does not receive the requested items,
federal, state, and SMU need-based aid cannot be awarded and/or disbursed to assist with
payment of your student account.

Required forms are located at --LinkRemoved--


1. Required Document: Texas Residency Core Questions. Texas State Financial Aid Regulations require completion of this form prior to students receiving state regulated funds. Please complete and promptly return the Texas Residency Core Questions form to the Division of Enrollment Services-Financial Aid. All financial aid forms are available at the SMU Financial Aid Forms Library.

I received it, and if you follow the link, you'll see a spot about residency core questions that you can actually fill out online.

Also, the tuition equalization grant is a grant for Texas students who are attending a private Texas college whose cost is prooved to be higher than a public University in Texas.... I think we can all agree that SMU qualifies

[DavidB]

...Also, the tuition equalization grant is a grant for Texas students who are attending a private Texas college whose cost is prooved to be higher than a public University in Texas...

I was not eligible for this--there's probably there's a cutoff based on EFC.

[kalvano]

...Also, the tuition equalization grant is a grant for Texas students who are attending a private Texas college whose cost is prooved to be higher than a public University in Texas...

I was not eligible for this--there's probably there's a cutoff based on EFC.

I doubt that.

[Iconoclast]

...Also, the tuition equalization grant is a grant for Texas students who are attending a private Texas college whose cost is prooved to be higher than a public University in Texas...

I was not eligible for this--there's probably there's a cutoff based on EFC.

David, you're part time, right? It looks like SMU requires you to be full-time to get the grant.

From the Award Notice Information document ( http://smu.edu/Financial_Aid/Forms/10_1 ... mation.pdf )

Texas State Grants
Eligibility is determined by the total income calculated on the FAFSA and is available to undergraduate and some graduate/professional career students. Texas residency status must be documented. Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) recipients (amounts vary) must be enrolled full-time and maintain a 2.5 GPA for continued eligibility. Awards are subject to availability of funds.

Kind of stinks since the other information I've found about the TEG states that you need to be enrolled at least 75%

[kalvano]

OK, I went to studentloans.gov, did the Stafford loan counseling (no link for PLUS loan counseling), applied and approved for the PLUS loans, signed the Direct Subsidized / Unsubsidized MPN, and the went to SMU Access and accepted the loans I wanted.

Do I need to do anything else?


Oh yeah, looks like you poor bastards are going to be stuck with me at SMU.

[DavidB]

David, you're part time, right? It looks like SMU requires you to be full-time to get the grant.

Ah, that's it then. I'm part-time. Thanks!

[tinyone]

David, you're part time, right? It looks like SMU requires you to be full-time to get the grant.

Ah, that's it then. I'm part-time. Thanks!

I'm FT and didn't get the e-mail. My EFC was around $8,500.00 though so maybe that is why.

[Billy Batts]

OK, I went to studentloans.gov, did the Stafford loan counseling (no link for PLUS loan counseling), applied and approved for the PLUS loans, signed the Direct Subsidized / Unsubsidized MPN, and the went to SMU Access and accepted the loans I wanted.

Do I need to do anything else?


Oh yeah, looks like you poor bastards are going to be stuck with me at SMU.

That's everything I did. You'll soon get a hard copy from the Direct Loan processor via snail mail.

[Iconoclast]

David, you're part time, right? It looks like SMU requires you to be full-time to get the grant.

Ah, that's it then. I'm part-time. Thanks!

I'm FT and didn't get the e-mail. My EFC was around $8,500.00 though so maybe that is why.

Tiny, you're not a Texas resident are you? That's one of the requirements.

Heck, it might be based on the EFC as well... /shrug.

[kalvano]

I can pretty much guarantee it's not based on EFC.

[Billy Batts]

I should get the grant too. I've been a Texas resident for well over a month.

[texasforever]

Having lobbied for the TEG, the basic facts are that in order to receive it you pretty much had to have gone to high school in Texas (for Texas residency purposes) and have an income at or near the poverty level (which is why most grad students who are full time right out of undergrad will get it).

Here are the requirements as stated in the actual legislation:
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/Search/Doc ... ightType=1

and here is more info:
--LinkRemoved--

The TEG makes up one half of one percent of the total Texas education budget and is funded directly by the taxpayers, at an average of seven cents per Texas citizen per year.

Seven weeks until hell begins, can't wait.

[bonnieblue]

im confused on how to handle the PLUS stuff.... I already accepted the awards on access and the federal loans have been certified or whatever, so now do I fill out a PLUS application?