In 2010 I was very grateful to be awarded a State University Grant. I worked a total of 7 jobs so I could go to school, and pay living expenses. These experiences were helpful as they have given me a good schema to work with in understanding the world. None of these are fancy nor do they pay a lot. I worked as a substitute teacher, baseball umpire, enumerator for the United States Census Bureau, baseball codifier for Stats LLC, Background actor, tile installer, and real estate property manager).
All this "income" from different sources meant that my expected family contribution was 263.00. Or in other terms, I made 9,422.00 which is 42% of the poverty threshold. Yet with all this work I performed, I was able to maintain a 3.97 grade point average on the year while participating in clubs and student theatre performances. However, None of my jobs define me, like none of Martin Luther King's, or Gandhi's jobs define them. Similarly Rosa Parks and Jesus Christ had great contributions to American society, but their jobs didn't define them. The point is these people are defined by their strong wills and actions they did to better human society.
Last year If I would have have just not worked and had an expected family contribution of zero, I would have been elgible for financial aid. I think this sets a poor precedence and encourages people to set their limits to be sycophants of the state.
As a person with background in sociology, I am interested in finding out the actual numbers behind the state University Grants. I imagine this is public information, but had no idea where to file a records request. The front line staff in the center for financial aid, do not have the answers to this question.
I have five questions to which your responses to any of them will be truly valued:
1. How much money was there to be awarded for the 2011-2012 school year?
2.How many students had expected family contributions of "0".
3. Why is not possible for another student to transfer unused aid to me. For instance, my girlfriend was awarded a State University Grant, but does not need it for one quarter because she is set to be done with her classes early.
4. If funds do become available for whatever reason, would you please consider making a special action to retain me as a student here at ____ for outstanding contributions to the student community?
5. If granted a state University grant this year, I am willing to create a 25,000.00 scholarship for aspiring creative intelligent students that don't fit standard molds; but the Cal State Los Angeles community would benefit greatly from retaining them. How would I go about doing so?
Yours Sincerely,
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