Managing finances while attending college can be tough, but for Krystle, a student with five children to support, it was even more complicated. Her unexpected challenge? Turning down financial aid because of something called the Cost of Attendance (COA). The COA determines the maximum financial aid a student can receive, but when colleges underestimate true expenses, students often don’t get the support they need. For low-income students, student parents, and former foster youth, this gap can lead to serious financial struggles.
While schools are supposed to offer an appeals process to adjust COA and increase financial aid eligibility, many students don’t know this option exists, or they’re unsure what expenses can be changed. A recent report by John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) revealed that over half of California colleges use COA budgets that underestimate the local cost of living. Exacerbating this challenge is that almost two-thirds of schools don’t make the appeals process clear or accessible.
Krystle knows the frustration well. “It was super tedious—collecting papers, submitting them, and getting rejected,” she shared. “It took a lot of emotional strength to go through it every year. A lot of my expenses were rejected, so I had to turn down resources I was offered on campus.”
This isn’t an isolated problem. Ella Bastone, Program Coordinator for SF State Guardian Scholars, explained, “We see this a lot—students who have funding available but can’t access it because they’ve hit their COA limit. We’ve had students only receive $400 of a $5000 Chafee grant. For foster youth, it can be retraumatizing when they’re blocked by yet another system from receiving resources they’ve earned.”
Given the widespread issue of underestimated costs, JBAY’s report calls for change. It recommends that schools use accurate methodologies to reflect real expenses, clearly outline COA adjustment policies, and make the process more flexible and transparent. In response to these findings, JBAY is exploring legislation for 2025 to bring these much-needed reforms into law.