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Financial Aid
Frequently Asked Questions
- The FAFSA asks for my parents information, but I am on my own. What do I do?
- The FAFSA is based on last year's income, but I lost my job since then. Now I have no income. Do I have any options for having this considered?
- Explain about Financial Aid Probation and Suspension. What is it and how does it affect me?
- How can I appeal my suspension?
- I heard that if I withdraw from my classes I might need to repay my financial aid. Is this true?
- Can I charge books to my grant award in the bookstore?
- When will I receive my check?
- What if I can't attend my classes or need to withdraw?
The FAFSA asks for my parents information, but I am on my own.
What do I do?
If you are over age 24, married, a Veteran of the armed forces,
an orphan or ward of the court, or if you have dependents of your
own that you support, you will not need to report your parent's
information. If you ordinarily would need to report parent
information, but are unable to do so because of an unusual
situation, you should meet with a Financial Aid Specialist to
discuss your situation and inquire about your options. You may be
asked to document your situation in writing.
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The FAFSA is based on last year's income, but I lost my job
since then. Now I have no income. Do I have any options for having
this considered?
If you or your parents have experienced a significant decrease in
income, or have paid unusually large medical expenses this year, you
should meet with a Financial Aid Specialist to discuss your
situation and inquire about your options. You may be asked to
provide detailed documentation of your situation in writing in order
to receive special consideration.
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Explain about Financial Aid Probation and
Suspension. What is it and how does it affect me?
All students who receive
aid are expected to meet certain requirements for academic progress
at all times. The official policy is found in your catalog.
Your status is checked each time grades are posted. If you
are placed on probation, you will still receive aid for the upcoming
semester, but must bring your cumulative progress up to the requirement
by the next time grades are posted. If you are on probation,
and do not bring your cumulative progress up to the requirement,
you will be placed on financial aid suspension. Suspension
means your aid for the upcoming semester will be cancelled.
You are strongly encouraged to read the policy and meet with a Financial
Aid Specialist if you have any questions about it.
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How can I appeal my suspension?
Once you are suspended from financial aid, you cannot
receive it any further unless you can prove that the reasons you
couldn't meet the requirement were unusual, unavoidable, and beyond
your control. To prove this, you may file an appeal with the
Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Approval of your appeal is
not guaranteed. It is up to you to convince the committee
with your written appeal that your situation was truly mitigating.
The committee will also look favorably on any proof you can provide
that you now have your problems under control so they won't happen
again. Please note that only written appeals are accepted and there is a deadline each term.
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I heard that if I withdraw from my classes
I might need to repay my financial aid. Is this true?
Yes. The federal financial aid programs require
you to "earn" your aid by attending classes. If you receive
federal financial aid and withdraw from all of your classes, your
aid "earned" will be prorated based on your class attendance. The
rules are a bit complicated, so we encourage you to meet with a
Financial Aid Specialist if you receive federal aid and need to
withdraw.
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Can I charge books to my grant award in
the bookstore?
If your financial aid program will cover book
expenses, you will be able to charge your books during the posted
bookstore charging times. Check your Award Letter and your Atlas
Financial Aid Information for messages about limitations on your
financial aid. We encourage you to make sure you have your final
class schedule before buying your books. Be sure to save your
receipt and don't write in your books until classes have actually
begun.
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When will I receive my check?
Checks for
grant awards and electronically transferred loans that exceed any
charges on your account will be processed at the end of the
add-drop period each term, unless you are taking a class that begins
later in a part-of-term. Checks will be mailed to your permanent
home address as listed in Atlas. Check your Atlas records and update
your address if needed.
Checks for late awards are processed as quickly as
possible, usually within two weeks of the final approval of the
program.
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What if I can't attend my classes or need
to withdraw?
You can make changes to your schedule at any time
during the add-drop period without any problems. After the
add-drop period, the course will count as an "attempt" and will
remain permanently on your academic record. Remember, you must
attend your classes to receive financial aid payment.
Do not simply stop going to class without
submitting an official withdrawal! You could be required to pay
back the entire amount of your financial aid!
If you receive federal aid and you withdraw from
all of your classes prior to the mid-term withdrawal deadline, you
may be required to repay a portion of your financial aid. We urge
you to complete your classes if at all possible to avoid
complications with your future financial aid.
If you cannot attend a class, you should notify
your professor as soon as possible and if you
need to withdraw, use your Atlas account to enter the withdrawal. Do not simply stop
going to class! You must complete at least 67% of your
attempted courses to remain eligible for financial aid. Please be
sure you are familiar with the rules for "Satisfactory Academic
Progress for Financial Aid Recipients" and meet with a Financial
Aid Specialist if you have any questions.
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