What Type Of Financial Aid Can I Get For Online College
FAFSA is the best option for those who are interested in attending college online. However, unfortunately, not all colleges offering online courses and degree programs accept FAFSA. If that seems to be the case, you can go ahead and search for other grants that the college may accept. You can also try applying for scholarships. Most colleges will also take financial aid scholarships that can be one way for one to be able to fund their online courses.
Another amazing way of being able to find your online classes and courses is by signing up for work-study programs. In this case, you will have to set aside some hours to work for your institution and will be paid a stipend in return. This stipend is often deducted from the fees of the course that you are taking so this option too will be able to fund and afford your online courses.
The option of applying for a student loan can also be considered. A student loan is not like a scholarship or some other funding option. In the case of a scholarship, the fee of the student is waived off. But in the case of a student loan, as indicated by the name itself, the loan has to be paid back by the student. You can pay back the loan in small installments.
Patrick Henry Community College
Patrick Henry Community College is a community college in Henry County or Martinsville, Virginia. PHCC was originally part of the University of Virginias School of General Studies at its inception in 1962. It became an independent institution just two years after that. At that time, it was operating out of a building that used to belong to Northside Elementary School. It didnt have any of its own buildings until 1969 when the first building of the main campus was completed. PHCC has one of the most diverse student bodies among all other community colleges or similar institutions. Their 2,900 students range from 15 to 95, and hail from several different states and 11 different countries. PHCC awarded just over $7 million in financial aid during the 2014-2015 academic year. There are over 100 different scholarships offered through the PHCC Foundation.
Student Financial Aid Rate: 81.0%Freshman Retention Rate: 65.0%Final Score: 196.0/300
What Does Accredited Online University Mean
Accreditation is a very important concept in online education. Accreditation means you are an institution that has been evaluated by a governing body as being a legitimate authentic entity. Every industry has its own accreditation body and different standards and requirements. In the case of a college or university, typically this process is taken care of by states and the federal government’s educational evaluators.
Often, educational institutions are evaluated via the peer review process, wherein other officials evaluate a school based on the criteria required by the local and federal laws. The accreditation process is critical to universities and colleges because it proves to employers and other universities that a diploma from that institution has value. Since anyone can found a college on a dubious charter, and teach courses however they want, it is not necessarily guaranteed to provide education of a quality that is in line with the state or federal standards.
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Everything You Need To Know About The Fafsa Application For Graduate
The FAFSA process can be a confusing and daunting one for incoming college freshmen, or anyone else hoping to study at a university or college who needs financial assistance. FAFSA stands for “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” and is the process by which students can apply for financial assistance with educational tuition.
For many people, applying for FAFSA or federal student aid, is the difference between accessing a life-changing education and being forced to make do with only a high school diploma. Federal student aid is life-changing for many students, especially students who are looking to earn their degrees online.
Where To Find Scholarships
Students can access a wealth of scholarship databases through a simple internet search. While large, aggregated scholarship websites can be helpful, a more targeted approach can help funnel down to more fruitful results. Students may find the process of searching for scholarships less overwhelming if they begin with their school and local community. Below are some suggestions of where to start.
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Our learning base features many practical guides that will teach you everything about the financial aid application for many well-known universities, including:
Alexandria Technical And Community College
Alexandria Technical and Community College is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. Its located in Alexandria, Minnesota and was founded in 1961. The school opened with three programs and 21 students at the request of the school district, with an initial focus on Carpentry, Farm Equipment Mechanics, and Machine Shop. The name changed several times as the school transitioned. Instead of being part of the local district and a vocational school, it became a state college that was more comprehensive in nature. The college is most well-known for having an exemplary placement rate of 90%, and the highest graduation rate among two-year public colleges in Minnesota. It was also the first two-year college in the state that received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. That accreditation allows them to award professional certificates and two-year degrees.
Student Financial Aid Rate: 86.0%Freshman Retention Rate: 71.0%Final Score: 218.0/300
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White Mountains Community College
White Mountains Community College has two main campuses in Berlin and Littleton, New Hampshire. There is also a limited satellite campus in Conway, New Hampshire. It was founded as a vocational school in 1966. The inaugural class only graduated 104 students. It has continued to expand its mission of being a student-centered educational institution providing opportunities for educational and career mobility while sustaining community development. WMCC tries to remain ahead of the job-expansion curve in New Hampshire to make sure it is preparing students adequately for their real lives. The school is also part of the Community College System of New Hampshire, which has a partnership with the University System of New Hampshire. Theyve created a database of courses that are transferable to different universities in the state.
WMCC offers four different Associates degrees online. They are programs in Accounting, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and a program to help you become a Health and Wellness Facilitator. The school also has certificate programs in the fields of health and wellness, Autism education, and more. All of their distance-learning programs are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Higher Education and are actively taught by faculty at WMCC. All programs that are available can be completed entirely online and asynchronously, or in a hybrid format.
Documents Necessary For The Application Process
Before filling out the form, it is better to FAFSA Requirements to complete the application process effectively. Such documents and details are as follows.
- Social Security numbers.
- W-2 forms for the past year.
- Reports of additional, untaxed income.
- Federal tax returns for the previous year.
- Investment documents for the prior year.
- Bank statements and account data.
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Does Fafsa Cover Online Classes
The majority of colleges, offering either online or regular classes will accept FAFSA. This is because colleges are aware that it is one of the most convenient options that can help students afford to enroll in their courses. FAFSA is one of the most renowned scholarship options available in the US. And the process of application, as well as acceptance for the aid, is also quite simple and straightforward. As long as the student meets the eligibility criteria, there is a pretty good chance that they will end up getting the aid.
With this being said, you can rest assured that colleges will take FAFSA irrespective of whether they are offering online or regular classes. If you wish to apply to any online college and are confused about whether they will accept FAFSA or not, simply go ahead and check their accreditation. All the colleges that are accredited by FAFSA will happily enroll students and offer them this aid.
Another criterion of finding out whether the school you are looking at will take FAFSA or not is to check whether they offer a part-time or a full-time schedule for the students and whether the cost of attendance is posted on their website. These two are also the major requirements that FAFSA-approved schools follow through. Therefore, if the college of your interest in meeting this criterion, you can be certain that your online classes can be covered by FAFSA.
The Fafsa Reveals Your Expected Family Contribution
Although your financial aid offers might vary from school to school, one point will stay the same: Your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. Your EFC is the amount your family is expected to be able to pay toward college.
Note that the term Expected Family Contribution will be replaced by the term Student Aid Index starting on the 2022 FAFSA. While colleges will still look at your SAI to determine your financial aid, this name change takes away the expectation that your parents are helping you pay for college .
Currently, however, colleges look at your EFC to determine your eligibility for financial aid. For example, lets say a college costs $32,000 per year, and your annual EFC is $20,000. In this case, you would have a $12,000 gap in funding.
Some colleges, such as Bowdoin and Brown, generously fill in this gap with grants and scholarships, while others will offer you a mix of grants and loans. Schools with smaller budgets might not be able to fill in the entire gap with federal financial aid.
If thats the case, youll have to take extra steps as you figure out how to pay for college. You could apply for a private student loan for extra funding, or you might choose a different school with lower tuition costs.
Note that you should fill out the FAFSA even if your family has a high income, since not all aid is based on financial need. Plus, youll need a completed FAFSA on file in case your familys financial situation changes in the future.
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How Do I Know If The School I’m Interested In Accepts Fafsa
With any online learning option, it’s always wise to check that the school has an appropriate accreditation. Accreditation is important not only because of financial aid, but because it ensures that the program youre enrolling in meets the minimum standards set by the U.S. Department of Education.
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If your school is not accredited, you may end up spending a lot of money on a degree that few employers recognize as legitimate.
To ensure that your school is accredited, go to the U.S. Department of Education’s database for accreditation and type in your school name.
You can then view accreditation status for all of the school’s locations. Here’s an example for Ashford University.
Accreditations for schools that accept federal financial aid are generally issued from regional commissions.
Ascent Student Loans Disclosures
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Failure To Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students who participate in any federal student aid program must maintain satisfactory academic progress to continue receiving aid. If students cannot meet this standard, it can affect their eligibility for aid.
Every school that distributes federal aid sets its own definition of satisfactory academic progress. In general, satisfactory progress means maintaining a minimum GPA making progress toward graduation by completing a minimum number of credits each year and minimizing incomplete, withdrawal, repeated, and failed classes. Aid recipients should check with their school about the satisfactory academic progress requirements.
How Do I Know If The School I Am Interested In Takes Fafsa
In order to find out if the school you are interested in takes FAFSA or not, you will have to do some research and find out some things. The first thing that you need to confirm is whether the school is accredited by FAFSA. If this is the case, the school would most likely accept FAFSA.
Another condition that has to be met is for the school to offer both full-time as well as part-time teaching schedules for the students. And lastly, if the school has listed the details of the tuition fee and schedule on their website, it is likely that they will also accept FAFSA.
The best way to confirm whether the college under consideration is to search for the list of FAFSA accredited colleges. You can also find numerous articles and resources online that are just the colleges that accept FAFSA. Once you have decided on a college, you should go ahead and check the website of the college to confirm whether they take FAFSA or not. If you still cannot find this information online, feel free to contact the colleges via email or a phone call. The representative will be there to guide you and help you accordingly.
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Reduction In Credit Hours
To receive certain forms of federal financial aid, students must take at least six credits. For instance, federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans only lend to undergrads taking at least six credits. Perkins loans may also prioritize full-time students. A reduction in credit hours, even after the beginning of the semester, can impact student eligibility for aid.
Many online learners choose a part-time schedule. Dropping a class in the middle of the term can affect their financial aid. Take, for example, an online student enrolled in six credits with a subsidized loan. If the student drops one of their classes after the first week, they may no longer receive the loan.
Nontraditional Students: Balancing Work And School
Nontraditional students face unique challenges that can make returning to school stressful. The time commitment required to succeed can be particularly burdensome for distance learners, particularly those who work full time. Time spent in class, doing homework, and studying is time that cannot be spent working, taking care of family, and managing a household.
The cost of school is another barrier. College is increasingly expensive for everyone, but nontraditional students often don’t have the family support or financial resources that some younger students enjoy.
Nontraditional students also often have expenses like daycare and mortgage payments that make finding the money to pay for school even more difficult. These challenges emphasize the need online students have for scholarships.
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Do I Need To Be Enrolled Full
Every grant differs in its eligibility requirements. As more and more students dont fit in the traditional mode, by definition many require scheduling flexibility that goes beyond the usual 15-credit semester. Look for grants that expressly state part-time or part-time basis. In some cases, the amount of such grants may not be much less than for an equivalent grant for full-time students.
For example: The Government Finance Professional Development Scholarship supports the studies of part-time students with a career interest in state and local government finance. There is an equivalent award for full-time students, but both the part-time and full-time awards are the same amount.
Review And Accept Your Financial Aid Offer
After your FAFSA has been processed, youll receive a financial assistance offer that details the schools expected cost of attendance. Additionally, itll include the various financial aid thats available to you. After accepting the aid that you want, the financial aid office will apply it to the amount that you owe at your chosen school.
Remember, to get financial aid each year youll need to fill out a new FAFSA each academic year. Also, be sure to submit your FAFSA form by the deadline, which is June 30th of the award year.
Related: Learn how to apply for student loans with FAFSA
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Student Loan Planner Disclosures
Upon disbursement of a qualifying loan, the borrower must notify Student Loan Planner® that a qualifying loan was refinanced through the site, as the lender does not share the names or contact information of borrowers. Borrowers must complete the Refinance Bonus Request form to claim a bonus offer. Student Loan Planner® will confirm loan eligibility and, upon confirmation of a qualifying refinance, will send via email a $500 e-gift card within 14 business days following the last day of the month in which the qualifying loan was confirmed eligible by Student Loan Planner®. If a borrower does not claim the Student Loan Planner® bonus within six months of the loan disbursement, the borrower forfeits their right to claim said bonus. The bonus amount will depend on the total loan amount disbursed. This offer is not valid for borrowers who have previously received a bonus from Student Loan Planner®.