How much financial aid for college can i get? my parents make about 10k per year.?

Question

I just graduated out of HS with a 2.0 gpa in Indiana. most of my SAT scores are above average.

I live with my mom, sister and brother, my mom makes roughly 10k per year. my father is in prison if that has any relevance. I've never had any trouble with the law, just a bit of an underachiever in high school. i want to do well in life and go to college and actually work hard at it so i can get a decent job.

last year i made about 12k myself working part-time and i could probably pay myself through community college but i'd prefer not to spend every last penny i earn on my schooling if some sort of financial aid for poor households is available. i would assume that some sort of aid is out there, but i don't really know.

does anyone know if i might be able to get aid based on my family's low income, if so roughly how much? and how would i go about doing that?

-thanks so much

Answer 1

Contact the financial aid department of the school you will be attending. You will have to fill out the FAFSA and will need you parent's tax returns and asset information. That will let you know if you qualify for any federal grants. The school can also know if there are any need-based assistance programs locally or at that school.

Answer 2

they might pay around 75% of it since you are working, and expect for you and your family to pay around 25%, which happened with me (based on around the same figures).  I highly doubt you would have to pay all of it.  i'm not aware of the financial aid services in indiana but you should research on it and make sure you apply for all the financial aid you can, through your school and on your own.

Answer 3

Go to FASFA and fill out the application, I'm pretty sure you will qualify for grants and aid.

Answer 4

You will need to first apply to the university you plan to attend, secondly fill out the FAFSA form ( you will need your mother's tax information, if you are a dependent and/or your tax information). You should receive many grants because of your low income status. I come from a low income family, I had 100% of my tuition paid through grants, for the first 4 years until my 5th year when the cost of attendance rose but the financial aid remained the same. I had to apply for a loan to cover the remain cost.

Answer 5

You could probably get a Pell Grant. The maximum Pell Grant award for the 2007-08 award year (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008) is $4,310. The maximum award for the 2008-09 award year (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009) is $4,731. The maximum can change each award year and depends on program funding. The amount you get, though, will depend not only on your financial need, but also on your costs to attend school, your status as a full-time or part-time student, and your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

Answer 6

Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov and then contact your financial aid office.  

If you want an accurate answer this is where you begin answering your own question.  The fact that you made 12k is going to hurt you in terms of grant funding.  Income you earn will affect your FAFSA results more heavily than your parents income will.  But without a lot of other information none of us have about you, no one can answer this question accurately.

File the FAFSA - Talk to your financial aid office.  Run, don't walk.  :-)