Are you in the know about new financial aid policies?

This is the first of several articles I will post in what I want to name FA (Financial Aid) Friday. 

Please feel free to respond to these articles if you have any burning FA Questions ELI’s FA Specialist, Carletta Mackey, can answer for you. 

Do you know what SAP is???  SAP is Satisfactory Academic Progress.   

SAP regulations were recently revised. Here are the updates:

Federal regulations require that a student receiving federal financial aid make satisfactory academic progress in accordance with the standards set by NOVA and the federal government. These limitations include all terms of enrollment, whether or not aid was awarded or received.

Progress is measured throughout the academic program by the student’s cumulative grade point average (Qualitative) and by credits earned as a percentage of those attempted (Quantitative or Pace of Completion). In addition, students must complete their programs of study before attempting 150% of the credits required to complete the program.

NOVA’s Financial Aid Office will evaluate satisfactory academic progress before aid is awarded and again after most grades are posted for every term, starting with the first term of enrollment. Some career studies certificate programs are ineligible for student financial aid, but those credits will be counted toward all SAP requirements (GPA, Completion Rate, Maximum Timeframe, and Developmental Maximum) if the student later enrolls in an eligible program.

·    Completion Rate (67% Rule): Students must, at a minimum, receive satisfactory grades in 67% of cumulative credits attempted. This calculation is performed by dividing the cumulative total number of successfully completed credits by the cumulative total number of credits attempted. All credits attempted at NOVA (except audits, which must be entered as such by the class census date) are included. All credits accepted in transfer count as both attempted and successfully completed credits. This evaluation will be made prior to aid being awarded and after grades are posted at the end of each semester a student is enrolled at the College. Credits with satisfactory grades at the College are those for which a grade of A, B, C, D, S, or P is earned. Note: Federal student loan borrowers must meet satisfactory academic progress requirements at the point of loan certification and again prior to the disbursement of any loan proceeds.

·    Maximum Hours (150% Rule): In order to continue receiving financial aid, a student must complete his/her program of study before attempting 150% of the credits required for that program. Developmental and ESL course work are excluded in this calculation. Attempted credits from all enrollment periods at the College plus all applicable transfer credits are counted; whether or not the student received financial aid for those terms is of no consequence.

·    Transfer Students: In order to properly calculate satisfactory academic progress, transfer students who apply for financial aid must request official transcripts from all other colleges attended. Official transcripts must be submitted directly to one of the campus Student Services Centers for evaluation (student must also submit NVCC Form 125-049). Credits officially accepted in transfer will be counted in determining the maximum number of allowable semester credit hours for financial aid eligibility. The College has the option on an individual student basis to put a transfer student in Financial Aid Warning Status immediately upon evaluation for financial aid if academic history at previous colleges indicates a pattern of unsuccessful academic work.

·    Second Degree Students: Credits earned from a first degree or certificate must be counted if the student changes programs or attempts a second degree or certificate. Depending on the circumstances, an appeal might be warranted.

·    ESL and Developmental Studies: Students may receive financial aid for a maximum of 30 semester hours of Developmental Studies courses as long as the courses are required as a result of placement testing, the student is in an eligible program of study, and SAP requirements continue to be met. ESL credits are unlimited in number as long as they are taken as part of an eligible program and SAP requirements continue to be met.

It is also important to note that there are additional Considerations for Quantitative or Pace of Completion Standards.  These are in regards to Withdrawals (W Grades), Incompletes (I Grades), & Repeated Courses.  More information on additional considerations can be found at http://www.nvcc.edu/forms/pdf/125-301.pdf. 

At Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards apply also to non-federal aid, including state funds, institutional funds and foundation scholarships.

Do you know how GPA factors into financial aid?

 

This is the second of several articles I will post in what I want to name FA (Financial Aid) Friday.  Please feel free to respond to these articles if you have any burning FA Questions ELI’s FA Specialist, Carletta Mackey, can answer for you. 

Students who do not meet the credit progression requirements and/or cumulative grade point average requirements will be immediately ineligible for financial aid.

What is the GPA Rule? 

In order to remain eligible for financial aid consideration, students must meet minimum cumulative grade point average requirements based on a progressive scale. Only non-remedial courses with grades of A, B, C, D, and F are included in this calculation. Transfer credits are excluded from GPA evaluation. Note: In order to graduate, a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 is required.

*Removal from financial aid does not prevent students from enrolling without financial aid if they are otherwise eligible to continue their enrollment.

Appeal Process:

Unless extenuating circumstances exist and an appeal is granted, a student in financial aid suspension should expect to continue classes at his or her own expense until satisfactory academic progress requirements are again met.

Students who fail to meet these Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards and who choose to enroll without benefit of student financial aid may request a review of their academic records after any term in which they are enrolled without the receipt of financial aid to determine whether they have again met satisfactory academic progress standards. If standards are met, eligibility is regained for subsequent terms of enrollment in the academic year. Students should consult their campus financial aid advisors for assistance in appealing any element of this policy or to determine how to regain eligibility for financial aid.

Buying Books with Financial Aid

Ordering books from the bookstore can be a daunting prospect if you have never done it before. But really, the procedure is fairly simple. You can order the textbooks you need online and pay for them using your Financial Aid award any time between now and May 27, 2012.

To obtain your books this way, go online to the ELI Bookstore, order your textbooks/ supplies, then check out. When you come to the screen where you can choose a payment method, first look above it for a paragraph in red (shown below). Read the paragraph and use the link labeled “Click here” to download an authorization form. You will need to complete this form and email or fax it to the fax number or email address listed on the form.

Then, in the Payment section, look for the Student Financial Aid option. Enter your student ID number and check the box next to “I Accept Student Financial Aid terms and conditions.”



To figure out how much you can purchase using Financial Aid, look at the amount you were awarded and have ACCEPTED for this semester. Subtract your tuition from this amount. The remaining amount is what you can use for purchases from the bookstore. Shipping costs can also be covered by your financial aid if you have enough.

If your textbooks and supplies cost more than your available financial aid, remove some items from your cart until the total plus shipping is less than or equal to your remaining available financial aid. Then order the rest of the supplies that you need in a different order and pay for them by whatever other method you wish to use.

Financial Aid TV

Financial Aid TV is series of videos hosted online that answer questions associated with Financial Aid. The videos can be viewed right in your web browser, and cover topics ranging from financial aid basics like how to apply, through planning for paying back any loans you take out once you are finished with college.

If you are an auditory learner who prefers to hear things rather than read them, then Financial Aid TV can be very helpful in learning the basics of what you need to know when financing your college education.

The video on Dropping/Withdrawing from classes does a really good job of explaining the kinds of Financial Aid related questions you needed to think about when deciding whether to drop or withdraw from a class.

The Education Tax Benefits and Credits series also teaches some ways the tax code would allow students to offset tuition costs.

Additional information about Financial aid is also available at NOVA's main financial aid website.

Using Financial Aid for Textbooks

Ordering books from the bookstore can be a daunting prospect if you have never done it before. But really, the procedure is fairly simple. You can order the textbooks you need online and pay for them using your Financial Aid award any time between now and February 1, 2013. 

To obtain your books this way, go online to the ELI Bookstore, order your textbooks/ supplies, then check out. When you come to the screen where you can choose a payment method, first look above it for a paragraph in red (shown below). Read the paragraph and use the link labeled “Click here” to download an authorization form. You will need to complete this form and email or fax it to the fax number or email address listed on the form.

Then, in the Payment section, look for the Student Financial Aid option. Enter your student ID number and check the box next to “I Accept Student Financial Aid terms and conditions.”



To figure out how much you can purchase using Financial Aid, look at the amount you were awarded and have ACCEPTED for this semester. Subtract your tuition from this amount. The remaining amount is what you can use for purchases from the bookstore. Shipping costs can also be covered by your financial aid if you have enough.

If your textbooks and supplies cost more than your available financial aid, remove some items from your cart until the total plus shipping is less than or equal to your remaining available financial aid. Then order the rest of the supplies that you need in a different order and pay for them by whatever other method you wish to use.

Extended Learning Institute (ELI) Student Life Scholarship

 

If you have been regularly involved with ELI events and our Virtual Student Union, consider applying for the Scholarship Opportunity referenced below.  If you have questions about how to get involved, visit our ELife Virtual Student Union today!

Northern Virginia Community College

Educational Foundation, Inc.

 2013-2014 Scholarship Announcement

The Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation and the Student Financial Aid Office are pleased to announce the availability of The Extended Learning Institute (ELI) Student Life Scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year. 

Name of Scholarship:  The Extended Learning Institute (ELI) Student Life Scholarship              

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Student must be program placed in an degree program or certificate program at NOVA
2. Student must have successfully completed and/or be currently enrolled in a total of (2) or more Extended Learning Institute courses within the current calendar year.
3. A letter of recommendation from an ELI Success Coach, Counselor or Student Life Coordinator must be mailed to the Financial Aid Office (instructions below) outlining participation in ELI Student Life activities.*

* Participation in Student Life activities sponsored by the Extended Learning Institute include:  Submitting posts to the ELI student blog, participating in an online club, the ELI common reader program, or the Virtual Student Union Forums, or participation activities organized and sponsored by the ELI Student Life Coordinator.

Number of Awards Offered:  1    Value of Each Award:  $500

Use of Award:  The scholarship may be used only for tuition, books and supplies at NVCC as stated in NVCC Educational Foundation Scholarship Policy.

How to Apply: You must complete the on-line scholarship application available from the College website at:    http://www.nvcc.edu/future-students/paying-for-college/financial-assistance/scholarships/index.html. Paper applications will no longer be accepted.

Any required document such as proof of citizenship, letters of recommendation, etc. must be postmarked by the scholarship deadline. These documents must be mailed to FA office at: (College Financial Aid Office, CFAO Office Center, Annandale, VA 22003-3797) in a sealed envelope. The student’s name and scholarship name must be on the documents.

Recipient Selection Process:  Selection made by Student Financial Aid Committee.

Deadline for Application:  Completed Scholarship Application and any other eligibility materials must be received by the College Financial Aid Office by October 11, 2013.

Notification of Awards:  Recipients will be notified by mail of the outcome of the scholarship application process by January 2014.

For additional information on scholarship opportunities, visit the College Financial Aid website at www.nvcc.edu/finance.

Extended Learning Institute (ELI) Student Life Scholarship

If you have been regularly involved with ELI events and our Virtual Student Union, consider applying for the Scholarship Opportunity referenced below.  If you have questions about how to get involved, visit our ELife Virtual Student Union today!

Northern Virginia Community College

Educational Foundation, Inc.

 2013-2014 Scholarship Announcement

The Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation and the Student Financial Aid Office are pleased to announce the availability of The Extended Learning Institute (ELI) Student Life Scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year. 

Name of Scholarship:  The Extended Learning Institute (ELI) Student Life Scholarship              

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Student must be program placed in an degree program or certificate program at NOVA
2. Student must have successfully completed and/or be currently enrolled in a total of (2) or more Extended Learning Institute courses within the current calendar year.
3. A letter of recommendation from an ELI Success Coach, Counselor or Student Life Coordinator must be mailed to the Financial Aid Office (instructions below) outlining participation in ELI Student Life activities.*

* Participation in Student Life activities sponsored by the Extended Learning Institute include:  Submitting posts to the ELI student blog, participating in an online club, the ELI common reader program, or the Virtual Student Union Forums, or participation activities organized and sponsored by the ELI Student Life Coordinator.

Number of Awards Offered:  1    Value of Each Award:  $500

Use of Award:  The scholarship may be used only for tuition, books and supplies at NVCC as stated in NVCC Educational Foundation Scholarship Policy.

How to Apply: You must complete the on-line scholarship application available from the College website at:    http://www.nvcc.edu/future-students/paying-for-college/financial-assistance/scholarships/index.html. Paper applications will no longer be accepted.

Any required document such as proof of citizenship, letters of recommendation, etc. must be postmarked by the scholarship deadline. These documents must be mailed to FA office at: (College Financial Aid Office, CFAO Office Center, Annandale, VA 22003-3797) in a sealed envelope. The student’s name and scholarship name must be on the documents.

Recipient Selection Process:  Selection made by Student Financial Aid Committee.

Deadline for Application:  Completed Scholarship Application and any other eligibility materials must be received by the College Financial Aid Office by October 11, 2013.

Notification of Awards:  Recipients will be notified by mail of the outcome of the scholarship application process by January 2014.

For additional information on scholarship opportunities, visit the College Financial Aid website at www.nvcc.edu/finance.

Transfer Tip #8: Make them show you the money

Here's ELIfe's weekly transfer tip from Dr. Glenn DuBois:

Make them show you the money. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if you have not done so already. Call the university admissions office to see if it has scholarships set aside for transfer students—many institutions do. Make sure that you meet all of the deadlines for financial aid. Otherwise, you might miss out on assistance that is available to you. (Source)

One of the biggest considerations involved in choosing a transfer school is cost. Here are some helpful resources for arranging financial aid:

• First, if you are a Virginia resident you may be eligible for Virginia's Two Year College Transfer Grant. Learn more about eligibility and awards here from VAWizard. 
• Also, the Federal Student Aid website or Student Aid on the Web provides excellent guides to walk you through the financial aid process (see especially Understanding Grants and Loans). For text based instructions on completing your FAFSA, go here. If you're more of an audio/visual learner, go here. 
• Finally, try the scholarship search and financial aid calendar and find more articles about paying for college at Collegeboard.com.

And here's a tip to share with your friends (from Student Aid on the Web): 

The official FAFSA is at www.fafsa.gov - not at a .com Web site. If you go to a .com site, you will probably be asked to pay to submit the FAFSA. Remember, the first F in "FAFSA" stands for "Free" - so use the official government site to submit your application.

Don't forget to check with your transfer school's admissions office for more scholarship opportunities.

Announcing faTV!

Understanding the world of financial aid is often a bewildering process. There are special terms, dates, and qualifications that if you haven't encountered personally, can be intimidating. Typically, fear of the unknown leads to avoidance. But in the case of financial aid, lack of understanding or clarity about the process may cause you to miss out on valuable aid, loans, scholarships and grants that you may be eligible for. If only you had known! If only the information was presented in a practical way, you might take advantage, right? We hear ya! And evidently, NOVA's Financial Aid office does too.

faTV is NOVA's latest effort to help you pay for college, learn about financial aid and avoid unnecessary student debt. Here's a couple of our favorite faTV clips that may answer questions you've always wondered too:

• How can I pay for college?
• What is a Perkins Loan?
• What's the difference between a grant and a loan?
• What is a scholarship?
• About the new GI Bill

NOVA's Financial Aid Blog

Have questions about Financial Aid? Want to stay up-to-date on what is new and changing concerning financial aid? Visit NOVA’s Financial Aid blog to read the most current FA information you may need to know!

Filing deadline for SU '10 financial aid

The priority application date for Summer 2010 financial aid is April 1. If you plan to apply for financial aid to pay for your summer courses make sure to submit your application by this date to receive your award prior to the start of classes. Here are some helpful time-saving tips from FAFSA on the web:

• Plan ahead - Gather required information like your Social Security Number, driver´s license, income tax returns and investment records before you begin. For a complete listing of the documents you will need to complete the FAFSA, select Documents Needed.
• Sneak a peek - Print a FAFSA on the Web Worksheet to see how the FAFSA is organized; ask your parents to provide you with the information requested of them (if you are a dependent student).
• Take it one step at a time - Once you begin filling out your FAFSA, you can save it whenever you want, and then complete and submit it later at your convenience.

Also see "FAFSA Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Student Aid" from NASFAA.

Financial Aid Website Revision

Have you visited NOVA's Financial Aid website lately? The site has been re-designed to better serve your needs. The new visual layout clearly organizes information, tools, and instructions, including a FAFSA video tutorial and step-by-step "easy guide" to the application process. The latest Financial Aid updates are posted directly on the main page, providing the information you need, when you need it, without having to scroll through pages and pages of text. Check it out!

How Do I Get My Textbooks for My ELI Class?

As I have been assisting students this last week, three questions have added themselves to my current Frequently Asked Questions List. And they are all related: "The start of classes is one week away, and I don't have my textbooks yet! When will my course appear in Blackboard do I can see what I need?" "How do I find out which books I need for my class?" "Can I use financial aid to pay for my books so I don't have to pay out of pocket?"

I'm going to take a little time to answer each one:

"The start of classes is one week away, and I don't have my textbooks yet! When will my course appear in Blackboard do I can see what I need?"

Your course won't appear in Blackboard until the first day your class is scheduled. Although a professor may occasionally make a class available early, the official date courses will appear is the start date you see on your schedule.

"How do I find out which books I need for my class?"

The most reliable way to find out which textbooks you need in time to purchase them for the first day of class is to look up your classes online using the Alexandria Campus Bookstore. The bookstore will ship them to you if you can't come in person (it does add a shipping cost).

"Can I use financial aid to pay for my books so I don't have to pay out of pocket?"

Yes. There are actually four ways to pay for your books online through the Alexandria Campus Bookstore--Paypal, Credit Card, NOVA Financial Aid, and Barnes and Noble College Gift Certificates

Great Source for Learning More about Financial Aid

If you want a quick and authoritative source for information about financial aid, including changes in laws and polices, new opportunities to receive aid, and tips and suggestions, check out the blog Paying for College. The blog is produced by SCHEV, the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia, so you can be sure you'll get accurate information. They don't update the blog all that often, but you can read through the archives to be sure you get all the information you've missed up until this point! You can also post questions and receive a response from SCHEV. We hope you'll find this site useful!

Great Source for Learning More about Financial Aid

If you want a quick and authoritative source for information about financial aid, including changes in laws and policies, new opportunities to receive aid, and tips and suggestions, check out the blog Paying for College. The blog is produced by SCHEV, the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia, so you can be sure you'll get accurate information.  Posts are made when there is new information to distribute, but you can read through the archives to be sure you get all the information you've missed up until this point! You can also post questions and receive a response from SCHEV. We hope you'll find this site useful!

Priority Registration Is Almost Here!

You have probably had a chance to meet with your advisor to get have your career, graduation and transfer questions answered. You also likely worked with your advisor to identify courses to take this fall.

Now it’s time to register!

Are you worried the courses you need might be full before you get a chance to register? Don’t forget if you are a returning NOVA student you are assigned a Priority Registration date. This will allow you to register prior to the open registration period that begins on 6/5. Priority registration begins on April 10 and runs through May 1. You can find your priority registration date in MyNova by following these directions.

If you don’t take advantage of priority registration prior to May 1, you will have to wait until June 5 to register when the open registration period begins.

Be mindful, if you enroll April 10 through July 26 your tuition payment is due by July 27 at 5 p.m., or your classes may be dropped. Contact ELI’s Financial Aid Specialist with any questions regarding your financial aid application or award. You can call 703-764-5015 or email your questions to elifinancialaid@nvcc.edu. NOVA also offers a payment plan through Nelnet. Click here for more information.

Do you have advising questions? Contact our ELI Counseling Team! They can help! You can call 703-323-2425 or email elicounselors@nvcc.edu for assistance!

Buying Textbooks and Supplies for your ELI Class

You can now order Spring semester books online and pay for them by credit card or by using your Financial Aid award. To obtain your books, go online to the Alexandria campus bookstore.

Books ordered online will start being processed December 31st. If you elected to have your books mailed to you, and order before December 31st, you should receive the books within the first 10 days of January.

For directions on how to use financial aid to order books and supplies online, see this blog post.

If you found this information helpful, please let me know by commenting on this post! =)

Reminder: Spring 2014 Tuition Due Today - December 16

 

Spring 2014 Tuition Due Today by 5pm today, December 16.

If you have registered for the Spring 2014 semester, tuition must be paid by 5pm today.  Tuition can be paid online via your NOVA Connect.  

 

• For directions to pay online, please click here.
• To access your account summary and to view your total due charges, please click here.
• If you have questions concerning financial aid, please call 1.855.323.3199 or visit the financial aid website by clicking here.

 

For more information regarding tuition due dates, in person payments and payment plans, please click here. 

 

 

Forwarding your Student Email

When juggling school, life, work, and family, it is very easy for important events and deadlines to get lost in the shuffle. When it comes to events and deadlines related to your schoolwork and life at NOVA, we try to keep you informed through this blog, Twitter, Facebook, and through emails to your student email account.

Your professor, the Financial Aid Office, the Business Office, and the Central Records Office will also send important communications that you would need to be aware of to your student email account. If, however, your student email account isn't the one you are used to checking every day, you might miss something important.

Thankfully, your student emails can be forwarded to another email address automatically, or you can set up your student email to receive emails from all of your other email accounts, so you can check everything in just one place.

To forward your student emails to another account, follow these steps:

1. Log into your student email account by logging into MY NOVA and selecting your student email from the list of choices
2. Then click where it says Settings in the upper right corner of the screen
3. Then select Forwarding and POP/IMAP from the top row of the menu
4. Select the Forward a copy of incoming mail to:
5. Enter the email address you want the mail forwarded to

Just keep in mind that all information which would be protected by privacy laws that an employee at NOVA would send you through email must be sent to your student email account to ensure a level of security. When you forward an email to another address, you take responsibility yourself for protecting your privacy regarding that information. Remember too, that your professor will need you to respond to him or her using your student email, so you may not be able to just reply from a forwarded email. Instead, you might need to log in to your student email account to respond.

Summer Humdrum

Hello! My name is Shannon. I am a NOVA student currently working on earning my A.A.S. degree in Early Childhood Development. My goal is to earn my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education to become a teacher. I actually had always planned on doing Business Management but while in high school I got to be a volunteer in a local school for the summer. The opportunity was something I will always be grateful for because I realized business was not my calling. For this post, I'd like to share some opportunities that could be waiting for you this summer.

Work
By working and saving during the summer, by fall you can spend more time focused on school work instead of trying to work around your job schedule. If possible, try for a job related to your degree to get a better understanding of what you could be doing in your future.

Volunteer/Internship
Both are a great opportunity to meet people who share your interests and add experience to your proficiency. It also shows that you made a choice to spend your summer using your skills, intellect, and time to make a difference.

Academics
Enjoy - Students on financial aid do not get the chance to take classes they find appealing if it does not work towards their degree. If you can afford it, summer is a good time to sign up for a course that interests you.

Finish early - For those who would like to spend as little time as possible in school, summer courses are a good chance to get work done while there are less people and distractions around.

There is so much that can be done during summer. For more fun ideas, visit 10 Ways for College Students to Spend Summer.