What is a financial need?
Financial need is the difference between what it costs to attend WCCCD and what you and your family are expected to contribute toward your college expenses (based upon the FAFSA information). In other words:
Cost of Attendance - Expected Family Contribution = Financial Need
Many types of financial aid can be applied only toward the demonstrated financial need. However, there are other types of aid that can be awarded regardless of your need.
Who is Eligible?
Basic Requirements
While each aid program has special requirements, you are generally eligible for financial assistance if you meet all of the following requirements. You must:
| 1. |
Have a financial need (except for some loan programs and many scholarship programs). Students are encouraged to apply for financial aid by the priority deadlines; |
| 2. |
Have a high school diploma, a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or pass an independently administered test approved by the U.S. Department of Education; |
| 3. |
Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program; |
| 4. |
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-U.S. citizen; |
| 5. |
Have a valid Social Security Number; |
| 6. |
Be registered with the Selective Service, (if required); |
| 7. |
Meet satisfactory academic progress (continuing students only); |
| 8. |
Use the federal student aid only for educational purposes; and |
| 9. |
Certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and that you do not owe money on a federal student grant. |
For more information about eligibility for federal aid, also see the U.S. Department of Education's Student Guide. http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html
How Will My Contribution be Determined?
The FAFSA is used to gather information about your financial resources and the resources of your family. From this information, a parent's contribution (for dependent students) and a student's contribution are calculated. These two figures together total the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
Parent Contribution: Annual income is not the only factor considered in evaluating the parent contribution. Your parent's age(s), assets, household size, and the number of family members in college are also considered.
Student Contribution: You are expected to contribute a portion of your after-tax income toward your annual educational expenses. A portion of your savings and other assets are also considered.
What is My Dependency Status?
A student is considered independent for financial aid purposes if he or she is 24 years of age or older by December 31 of the award year, or if:
1. |
Is an orphan or ward of the court, or was a ward of the court until age 18 |
2. |
Is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, or on active duty |
3. |
Is married |
4. |
Has legal dependents other than a spouse |
If a student does not meet at least one of these criteria, he or she is considered dependent for financial aid purposes and parent financial information must be included on the FAFSA.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
What is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?
Satisfactory Academic Progress is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require that all students make continued progress toward an educational goal. The Federal Government has established the following Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress:
Quantitative
- Completing a program of study within 150% of the credits required to graduate.
- If a major requires 60 credit hours for graduation, a student must complete the program in no more than 90 credit hours.
- Successfully completing at least 67% of all attempted credits.
- A student must receive a passing grade in at least 2 out of every 3 classes in which he or she is enrolled.
Non-credit courses are not included in the calculation of financial aid, and are therefore not counted as credit hours attempted. Transfer credit, remedial and repeated courses will be counted as credit hours attempted. Withdrawal grades (with the exception of institutional withdrawal), and incomplete grades will be counted as attempted hours.
Qualitative
The District Financial Aid Office will review the qualitative progress after each academic year. In order to maintain eligibility a student must:
- Maintain at least a cumulative 2.0 grade point average.
- A student must maintain at least a “C” average
Notification
Students who fail either the quantitative or qualitative test for academic progress will be notified in writing that further financial aid is denied. If you have experienced a significant circumstance which you feel has had an impact on your ability to make satisfactory academic progress, you have the opportunity to file an appeal with the District Financial Aid Office. Appeals that do not include proper documentation are considered incomplete and will be denied.
Significant Circumstance
- Medical/illness in immediate family
- Death of a close family member
- Domestic abuse/marital issues
- Loss of employment
- Parental issues
- Emergency concerns
- Second academic degree
Acceptable Documentation
- Statement from doctor
- Obituary or funeral program
- Police report or social agency report
- Termination or layoff notice
- Social services or court documents
- Legal documentation
- Copy or proof of first academic degree
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