I'm looking for financial aid for graduate school and most of the
financial aid programs for graduate school in california say that you
have to be "economically and/or educationally disadvantaged."  What
exactly does this mean?

for example, are you educationally disadvantaged if you have a
learning disability?

techgoddess-ga

I hope this helps you out....

The terms "economically and educationally disadvantage" vary depending
upon several factors, such as cost of living of the state, the cost of
the academic institution and educational pursuits (ie.
pre-kindergarten versus graduate degrees. However, there are some
basic standards which can be used to gage economic and/or educational
disadvantage.

-Economic disadvantage is determined by the low income levels as set
by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This information is available
annually in the Federal Register. For example, a family of 4 is
considered low income if they make $22,000 or less. For more
information check out the link to the University of South Dakota
Division of Health Science Physician Assistants Application Fee Waiver
below

-Education disadvantage is not always cut and dry as determining
economic disadvantage, but here is what I discovered. Generally
speaking it refers to a person who comes from a school in an
economically disadvantaged area that may have low test scores, low
numbers of student matriculating into institutions of higher
education, or those for whom English is not the primary language and
is an academic hinderance. (Just too name a few) UCLA's LABI Program
defines the term as follows; " The term 'educationally disadvantaged'
refes to both educational and social disadvantage, such as coming from
a low-income family, attending a school with a limited college
preparatory curriculum, being the first generation in one's family to
attend college and residing in a community with low college-going
rates."

As for your question regarding the learning disability this is
something you might want to take up with the financial aid
administrator at your school.

Good Luck.

cynabun-ga

Links

University of California- Los Angeles Basin Initiative (UC-LABI)
Program
http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/~LABI/2002_inst/generalinfo.pdf

University of South Dakota Division of Health Science Physician
Assistants Application Fee Waiver
http://med.usd.edu/pa/admissions/fee%20waiver.shtml

Thanks!  That was exactly what I was looking for!