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Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions

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webhopper
Moderator Emeritus

Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions

DH recently filled out the FAFSA, mainly so that he could pick up a student worker job at the school where he is attending.  We entered our tax info from last year, which was when he was working full time, making about 60k per year.   He is now not working.

 

I am working, and I make about 100k per year in salary, and about 30k per year from other sources including my business and child support.

 

Does it sound right that they wouldn't award a student worker, work-study type of Aid based on the fact that we make too much?  I'm also used to seeing offers of Stafford Loans with the FinAID Award package.

 

I didn't realize a student job was awarded based on financial need.

 

Thanks for any help Smiley Very Happy 

 

It has been a long time since I had to deal with this and my situation was much different back then.  When I was in college I was a single mom, one child, making less than 8k per year.

 

 

If it can be denied based on need that's fine, just need to know!  

 

Thanks!

FICO 9:
Filed Chapter 13 on 6/1/2017 after job loss. Discharged 6/1/2022.

Goal: Gardening!


Message 1 of 9
8 REPLIES 8
laz98
Senior Contributor

Re: Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions

They are definitely based on financial need at the university I went to.  I thought it was like that everywhere.  I actually made $0 because I was unemployed & I still didn't get offered a work-study job.

Message 2 of 9
webhopper
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions

Wow, didn't know that, thanks laz!

FICO 9:
Filed Chapter 13 on 6/1/2017 after job loss. Discharged 6/1/2022.

Goal: Gardening!


Message 3 of 9
kjel
Established Contributor

Re: Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions

Student employment called "work-study" comes in two varieties, need based and non-need based. A larger university is likely to have both types available, a smaller one will only have the need based available.

 

Often times it's not worth your while especially if you've had a previous career or good work experience because they pay very low wages. I was always able to earn more outside of the university than within it. I started college when I was 27 Smiley Happy

 

If your family's financial situation has significantly changed from last year from what was reflected on the tax returns (unemployment, disability, etc),  the financial aid office can take that into consideration but you will need to contact them directly and provide them documentation. They will be able to do a manual adjustment which will revise the aid package. Honestly though with your income, it's not likely that he would qualify for work study.

 

 

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Message 4 of 9
webhopper
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions


@kjel wrote:

Student employment called "work-study" comes in two varieties, need based and non-need based. A larger university is likely to have both types available, a smaller one will only have the need based available.

 

Often times it's not worth your while especially if you've had a previous career or good work experience because they pay very low wages. I was always able to earn more outside of the university than within it. I started college when I was 27 Smiley Happy

 

If your family's financial situation has significantly changed from last year from what was reflected on the tax returns (unemployment, disability, etc),  the financial aid office can take that into consideration but you will need to contact them directly and provide them documentation. They will be able to do a manual adjustment which will revise the aid package. Honestly though with your income, it's not likely that he would qualify for work study.

 

 


Thanks for your input... my husband is a college freshman at age 35, so we are not young and we are actually a lot better off than my parents were when I was in college as a first time freshman. I guess I just never realized that work-study was need based because my parents made decent money (but also had 4 kids)

Tuition is being paid for by the VA, along with books and a housing stipend. (Chp 31 Vocational Rehab)  I liked the idea of a work study for him because the extra $$ would be nice + he could study and do homework at his job.   I had work study as an undergrad all four years, and it was a nice way to earn extra $$.  I also had other jobs besides the work study.

 

We aren't really looking at doing an off campus job, because again, minimum wage sucks and he wouldn't be able to study while at work.  DH has a 3.7 GPA now after finishing the first semester, and it will go up after he finishes summer courses.  He's also taking max # of hours to get it over with sooner rather than later.  I like the idea of him calling the financial aid office to see if they can make an adjustment since our situation is much different than it was when we filed for 2012 taxes. I think we should definately do that and see if they can set him up with a 10-20 hr per week student worker job.

 

We found that job opportunities in his career were limited without a college degree, and he was literally driving two hours from home and keeping an apartment in another town just to be able to work in his field (he was a metallurgical technician in Ark and we live in OK)

 

I'm thinking that he just needs to get his credit hours up and then apply for internships with the State Dept of Env. Quality (he is going in Env. Science) once he is eligible after achieving 24 credit hours.  That should be by next spring.  As a disabled vet, he "should" get priority in internships as long as they aren't need based

 

Right now he is at a community college, and will transfer to a 4 year university after earning his Associates.  This is the path that the VA counselor chose for him.... I would have rather he started at a regional 4 year, but that's ok Smiley Very Happy   we don't really get to choose..  so ya.

FICO 9:
Filed Chapter 13 on 6/1/2017 after job loss. Discharged 6/1/2022.

Goal: Gardening!


Message 5 of 9
kjel
Established Contributor

Re: Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions

There are often student employment opportunities that are available that don't have anything to do with income. Keep in mind thought that they pay minimim to $10/hour-it's definitely not a get rich quick proposition lol. The two student employment gigs I had never allowed me to study  while working, it was totally hands on-just depends on what the job is. What was more lucrative were the internship referrals that I got from the schools I attended, being older is actually a bit of a leg up a lot of times.

 

At least DHs fees are covered through his VA benefits. Nothing wrong with a two year school to begin with, I liked my time at the community college best out of all my years in school for the variety of students and most of the teachers had real world experince. It never hindered me in any way and I went on to graduate with a masters degree from the #4 ranked program in my field at the ripe age of 37 Smiley Happy

Current Score: TU: 674 | EQ: 722 | EX: 717 | Last Inq. 2/16/15...Locked Up in The Garden
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Message 6 of 9
CreditJunkie917
Frequent Contributor

Re: Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions

It sounds like your husband is getting the post 9/11 GI BIll if I'm not mistaken? If so, that housing stipend would really come in handy for you guys., along with the book stipend. Your good to get him to go for a bachelors rather than an associates. The only difference in transferring is how many credits the school your DH transfers to will accept. That could be the big difference between an entire semesters worth. I would have him stay on that very closely. Wouldn't want him to get stuck with credits that won't transfer. And I would have to agree with you on doing all his schooling at the same school.
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Message 7 of 9
bahbahd
Established Contributor

Re: Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions


@CreditJunkie917 wrote:
It sounds like your husband is getting the post 9/11 GI BIll if I'm not mistaken? If so, that housing stipend would really come in handy for you guys., along with the book stipend. Your good to get him to go for a bachelors rather than an associates. The only difference in transferring is how many credits the school your DH transfers to will accept. That could be the big difference between an entire semesters worth. I would have him stay on that very closely. Wouldn't want him to get stuck with credits that won't transfer. And I would have to agree with you on doing all his schooling at the same school.

The transfer of credits was the only thing that I thought of also. Before he enrolls each semester, I would go talk to the Uni he wants to attend and check his chosen upcoming coursework and transferability with the admissions or guidance counselors.

 

While it is sometimes true that Uni classes can be better than those at community colleges, it is also true that for the basics they can be surprisingly on par. He already seems to have a career path. I would not worry about the quality of education attainable at 4 years of uni vs getting the basics at a community college first. Being that he is 35, your husband will probably enjoy the mixed classroom at the community college over being the oldest person in the classroom for intro to speech, algebra, american history, or whatever other basics his degree might require.

 

Plus, the community college course work might end up being much lighter than the uni. Meaning he could take more classes at the same time to get through the education faster. If you are lucky, he might not be so swamped with course work that your family still enjoy time together.

Message 8 of 9
CreditJunkie917
Frequent Contributor

Re: Student Loans / Work Study and Expected Family Contributions

+1

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Message 9 of 9
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