Can I use a Federal Pell Grant to buy a laptop?
359705
Your Pell Grant would never have been disbursed directly from the Feds to you.  If you received a check from the school, they would have first applied it to your student accout and, then, if you owed nothing, they would have cut you a check.  \n\nTechnically, yes, Pell grant funds are meant to be used for educational expenses, but when your school creates your "Cost of Attendance" budget, it is allowed to allocate \n"a reasonable amount... for the documented rental or purchase of a personal computer that the student will use for study for the enrollment period. For example, a computer purchased in the summer for use in the fall term may be included."  If they have cut you a check, it means that your Financial Aid has not exceeded your educational expenses, so you're fine to use the check as you see fit.
1144583
they are legal.  and as far as getting one, it depends on what kind of grant you are talking about.  if you're talking about an education grant, talk to your school, if you're talking about a housing grant, call your local HUD office or even your county offices.  Of course, you have to be a citizen and you usually have to financially qualify.
33736
It all depends on what sort of grant that you are looking for. FAFSA (mentioned above) is to qualify higher-education grants and loans. If you are looking for an academic scholarship or grant, check out www.fastweb.com\n\nIf you are looking for a grant related to business or non-profits, check out the Federal Government's grant site for step-by-step directions: http://www.grants.gov/Apply
422888
Did you at least get *something?*  If you got something and it simply wasn't enough, there are any number of reasons why you didn't get enough.\n\n1.  Loan/grant limits.  It is possible that, even if you have been given everything they have to give, the funding just doesn't exist.  Every federal program has limits.  Pell grants are capped at $4050 for full-time students; Stafford loans are capped at $2625 for Freshmen; Perkins loans and SEO Grants are capped at $4,000 for undergrads (and not all schools can offer Perkins or SEOG, and those who CAN often don't have enough of it to give the maximum).\n\n2.  Dependency status.  If you are an undergrad, are under 24, are unmarried (without kids), and are not a veteran or an orphan, you have to include your parents information on your FAFSA.  Your EFC, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid, is based on the income and assets of both you and your parents.  If your EFC exceeds the cost of your attendance, you probably aren't eligible for much more than an Unsub. Stafford Loan.  To find out what your EFC is, check your FAFSA results (on the SAR or "Student Aid Report" that you would have received after you filed the FAFSA) or call your Financial Aid Office.\n\n3.  Your enrollment status.  Many financial aid programs are limited to half-time or full-time students.  If you're not taking enough credits, you might be eligible for a lot less than a student taking a full credit load.\n\n4.  Accreditation.  It's possible that your school isn't allowed to administer student aid programs, or that they are only allowed to administer *some* of those programs, like Pell and Stafford only.\n\n5.  You might have made an error on your FAFSA that makes you look more wealthy than you are.  This happens a lot but can be corrected.  Go over your FAFSA results carefully to make sure that you didn't add in any numbers that shouldn't be there.\n\nNot every school has the means to meet every student's financial need. You or your parents can borrow a PLUS loan or a private loan to cover what your Federal and institutional financial aid package does not cover.  Visit this site for a list of reputable education loan lenders: http://www.finaid.org/loans/privatestudentloans.phtml
1153321
You should be able to talk to your financial aid rep at school and look for additional funding. I am just finishing school and I was able to do many things like that to help pay for textbooks, etc. The school by law is supposed to return any unused financial aid to you unless you tell them you don't want it returned to you so I have never had trouble getting enough to cover all necessary expenses.
645147
Pell grants are only available to undergraduate students with very low EFCs. And your income is only ONE of MANY factors taken into consideration in the EFC calculation (other factors include assets, number in household, number in college, untaxed income, etc.) Pell amounts are calculated by a table that compares your EFC to the cost of attending your school. The maximum Pell Grant is $4,050 and the *highest* your EFC can be to obtain Pell as a full-time student is $3,850.  You can view the 06-07 Pell Payment Tables here: http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/attachments/2006paysched.pdf\n\nIf you are an independent undergraduate student with nothing but $12,000 in wages, chances are you'll be eligible for *some* Pell, but not much (maybe a couple hundred or $1K-ish).  You can estimate your EFC using this calculator: http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml
11984
Get a laptop and use it instead of writing?
869644
No. The government is NOT in the business of giving away free money for the sake of giving away money. There are no grants for paying bills, no grants for paying off credit cards, no grants for getting out of debt and no grants for simply fattening your wallet.  There are no grants for paying off a pharmacy or buying a computer\n\nGrants are free, but it means OBLIGATION. You will be obligated to do as the grant sets out to do. Grants have objectives, and your purpose must fit the objective of the grant.\n\nFor one, you have to write the grant application and the grant application is not a simple document - you have to explain how your purpose for applying for the grant fits well with the objectives set out by the grant.\n\nThere is a stringent review process through a committee. You will compete with other applicants for the grant money, and this grant review committee will evaluate the merits of each proposal. Only those that they feel exemplifies the objective of the grant will be approved.\n\nYou can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support your purposes.\n\nEven if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently.\n\nNote though that these grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program. Individuals especially for personal purposes are not eligible for federal grants. \n\nGrants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs
929277
Yes - first go to fafsa.ed.gov and fill out information for Financial Aid.  This is money you will have to pay back after you get your degree, but it will help you get it.  Depending on your EFC - expected family contribution - the school you want to attend may have programs for those in need.  The school will also be able to find out for you how much you can get from a Pell Grant.  Pell grants do not need to be paid back.  They vary in amount, and generally are enough to cover one to two course credits per year.\n\nFastweb.com is a site where you can apply for scholarships - some are essay's but worth the effort.\n\nAnother thought is by signing up yourself, your friends and family on UPromise.   You all can earn certain percentages for college  with purchases made....even some utility bills.\n\nFill out any and all forms for assistance that you can.  If you attend a college in your state, often the state has grant programs for single mothers.  Check your state's website.\n\nLook around the sites listed and you will get a better feel for what's out there for you.\n\nThere are links on the fafsa website that you can use for guides on obtaining funds to attend.\n\nSome student loans are available as well.  You can pay after you get your degree. National City, GM, Bank of America...etc.   Some offer full deferment, and some you can pay the interest while you attend.  \n\nGood Luck!!!!
415688
Married people can still earn Pell Grants.  You have to fill out the FAFSA to be eligible and the form will ask you for your financial information.  Generally, the lower your family income and the smaller your savings, the smaller your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) will be.  Students whose EFC approaches zero are eligible for Pell Grants.  It's hard to pinpoint what income level would make you eligible, because a lot more than just income is taken into consideration.  Rent, however, is not one of those things.\n\nEven if you do not receive a Pell Grant you may be eligible for other need-based federal or state aid, or even need-based assistance from your university.  Filing the FAFSA is always a good idea!
1001295
Ask your high school counselor about the SAT.  I don't know if he or she would have the Pell Grant for the FInancial aid.  If not FASA.gov\n\nLC
23860
Yes, fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid available from the website below.
118068
Fill out the FAFSA.  They will give you information on the PELL Grant (a federal grant), any state grants, and any loans (subsidized and unsubsidized) you may be eligible for.
1032672
Open an account at a store like Best Buy that has their own credit card. Generally approval takes minutes, and based on how much you qualify for, you can get a laptop on the spot.....but you'll have to make minimum payments each month.
76601
There are technology grants running around all over out there.  You should have someone at the central office who can help you research grants.  It takes work, and it would belong to the school, but it is one way.  You would have to show how the computer would benefit your students.  The other way to get a cheap one is ebay, but remember, you get what you pay for.
278038
Usually, there is more to it.  it depends on how much aid -- and what types of aid -- you are looking for.  Funds such as the Federal Pell Grant are considered "entitlements" to the [very] high-need students who apply for Federal aid; once you are deemed eligible, you don't need to do much else besides file a FAFSA to obtain this award. (But don't expect to receive Pell if your EFC exceeds $3850.)\n\nThere are other types of aid that require a little more effort on both your part and the part of the Financial Aid Office.  Your school will use the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for most types of Federal aid.  Many schools have an allocation of what is called Campus-Based Aid which includes Federal Perkins Loan (a low-interest loan with attractive terms), Federal SEOG (a grant for high-need students), and Federal Work-Study (a program wherein students work on campus [or off-campus in community service roles] while their wages are partially subsidized by the government).  It is up to the school to determine the criteria they will use to allocate Campus-Based aid.\n\nOnce you have been awarded this aid, your Financial Aid office will usually send you a letter detailing your aid, which you will need to sign and return to them (not all schools require a signed award letter; check to see what the process is at your school).\n\nIf you are awarded any type of loan, there will be extra paperwork that you will need to complete (a Promissory Note, references [sometimes], and an Entrance Interview form); some schools enable you to complete these forms online.\n\nMany schools offer their own institutional grants, scholarships, or loans. Those who do often require their students to complete a separate application.  When the money is theirs, they can determine what steps you must follow to obtain it. Particularly with scholarships and grants, there might be several steps you need to take before the money can actually be disbursed to you.  Very rarely can you get something for nothing.
736791
Once the school gets your FAFSA..they will send you a financial aid award letter. At most schools, if you qualify for a pell..they will offer that and less of a loan to you.