drquinley

My financial aid office is, literally, impossible to get a hold of via phone or email, for the time being.

I am on a dual degree program. A change/correction in my attempted credit hours has resulted in my transcript now showing a fair amount more attempted credits than before. Calculating my degree program, I will have 197 attempted credits when I graduate. That's 17 more than the 180 cut off for the regulations about not surpassing 150% of my degree program.

This change and realization is putting me in a dilemma: do I drop my second, dual major, which I'm already progressing through? I was under the impression that, at best, I may get an appeal granted for aid for only one semester, and ONLY if I am to graduate that semester. But talking to a former director of aid at my school (the only knowledgeable person I could get on the phone) he said he felt sure I would have appeals approved so long as I was making good progress. That sentiment, however, is from someone who is no longer employed in that department, and I understand these regulations on the 150% to be more strictly enforced over the last year or so--after this gentleman left the office. But he felt certain the Financial Aid department has discretion about this.

So, does my Financial Aid department have the ability, by law, to make a decision about my attending, say, two semesters beyond my 150% mark? Or are there hands tied by very specific federal regulations? My second major is Addiction Studies (my first is Psychology, and I've made much more progress on the first). It is dear to my heart, and it would pain me to walk away from it at this point, but I'm about to take more coursework toward that end, here in another week. If I need to drop it, I need to do so before I waste even more attempted credits.

Does anyone have professional experience with this matter? Any specific advice/insight?

Thanks!

kelsmom

The regulations have been tightened up, but it is still up to each school to do what it feels is best for the particular student's situation within the parameters of the institution's financial aid policies. Have you visited an academic advisor and drawn up a written academic plan? Most likely, you will need this if you are appealing. You will need to show that you are only taking classes necessary to achieve the dual degree goal, and you will need to follow that plan exactly. That would be step one (getting the written plan, which should be signed by your advisor). Step two is sitting in line to talk to a financial aid counselor.

drquinley

Thank you so very much, kelsmom! This gives me hope.

I have an advisor, but I've pretty much been taking the courses as I chose them, based on what I feel I want to handle/experience in a given semester. I am a senior, but have a long way to go still, but in talking to an advisor I do know what classes I need for my degrees and minor. Nothing has been written up though. My school is a public school, but it in a different state from where I live, thus the difficulty in communication--I can't just pop into someone's office. (Lucky them!) :-)

Thank you again. I'll ask about the written plan.

kelsmom

I do hope it works out for you. The 150% rule can be a problem, but if you are on track to get your degree with the fewest possible classes (that is, not taking unnecessary classes), that is a good thing. There is no guarantee you will continue to receive aid, but schools do want their students who are almost done to be able to finish.

drquinley

I spoke with someone in the aid office today--not the assistant director I emailed, but someone responding to a previous email, several days old. She also confirmed I could and should receive an approved appeal IF things in the future are guided by the same policy as of today; however, she did suggest it would only be granted for one semester and only if I was taking all the classes needed to graduate in that semester. So there is that at least.

kelsmom

You probably have to appeal every semester, submitting a schedule showing that you are following the academic plan.