Veteran also works -- I qualified not to include my parent's income. But the $10k I made the year before put be above the threshold for a household of one. I think I got a state $500/year and that was it. Everything else was loans.

It was a perverse position I was in during the 6 months between military service and returning to college. Any money I saved during that time was considered to be 100% applicable to that next year of college. So I basically had to deplete all savings before any aid or even loans were allowed to kick in.

Incidentally, the GI Bill, which is often advertised as $xxx per month is pro-rated to the day.