Clock to Credit Hour Changes: How Will the Change to Credits
Affect My Financial Aid?
We hope the following information helps to answer many of the
questions you have regarding the change to credits.
If you have more questions, please let us know.
We are looking forward to this positive change for our
students!
How
will my award change?
Beginning in 2009-10, full time aid will be awarded for nine
months or three quarters giving a student more grant
and/or loan eligibility each quarter.
What if my program requires me to attend full-time all four quarters?
Summer quarter can be covered from the next award year.
You will need to file a new FAFSA by the end of April 2009.
Apply early if you need aid for summer!
What
if I use up my three quarters
of full -time aid during summer, fall and winter and I do not have
funds for spring?
A change to the Federal Pell Grant for the 2009/10 award year
allows us to package Pell for a fourth quarter if you qualify. We
also have institutional grants available if you qualify.
I have completed the technical requirements for
my program, but need two more academic classes.
Can I get financial aid for them?
Yes! This is a big
change for our students.
Two academic classes would be 10 credits and would qualify you as a
3/4 –time student.
What
if I need to reduce my credit load for a few quarters?
Now that we are a credit hour college, a student’s credit level
can change from quarter to quarter and your aid will be adjusted
accordingly. Just
remember to let us know if you are going to enroll for less than 12
credits. See the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.
Will my attendance still be used to determine
satisfactory progress?
No! Satisfactory
progress will be determined by the number of credits completed and
by your cumulative and quarterly GPA.
Your program may still have an attendance policy, but it will
only impact your financial aid if it affects your grades.
See the new Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.
What if I need to take a quarter off?
Notify the financial aid office in writing.
We will cancel your aid for just that quarter.
When you return you will need to complete a new loan
application if you need loan funds.
If you do not contact our office, we will cancel the balance
of your aid for the award year.
How will the change to credits affect my work study award?
There should be no change to your work study award. If you take
the general education classes at the end of your program, you will
be eligible for financial aid which means you will still be able to
do work study.
If I
fail a required class and need to repeat it before I can continue my
program, will I be able to receive financial aid?
Yes! You can receive aid to repeat a class in which you received
an F, V or W grade. You cannot receive aid to repeat a class just to
improve the grade.
Summer quarter is shorter. How many credits
do I need to take in summer to be full-time?
The credit requirements for summer are the same as in other
quarters. Twelve credits
are full-time for financial aid purposes.
(Our students typically take about 20 credits each quarter as
a full-time load.)
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