<p>Well, it's July 1st , and the new Federal Education Aid laws go into effect . This
popped into my D's mailbox ( she is a sophmaore in college now ) . It's some kind of addition to the Pell Grant for students who complete a rigorous high school program of study. . Does anyone know what the protocols are for it ?</p>
<p>yeah, i just got ane mail for it, filled out some stuff on the fafsa site, and my efc went lower by more than 1k
should i contact my college about it? (im an incoming freshman)
btw, the stuff they ask you is just if you finished high school after january 2005, what state you went to hs in, and if you completed a certain amount of courses (3 years math, 3 years science, 1 year foreign language, etc.) or if you passed like 2 ap's</p>
<p>Does it dock you if you could only take 1 AP?</p>
<p>Great. Just great.</p>
<p>since i went to a very rural, very poor public school, I was only offered one AP class, translating to only taking one AP test, the only one offered locally, and the rest were 35 miles away, and I would have been docked for missing school anyway.</p>
<p>Secondly, My hs, in the four years I was there, always scheduled the only period of foreign language during the times it conflicted with for the first three years, my required fine and practical arts classes, and my senior year the only period of physics. So, even though I took the most competitive courseload I could, I do not meet the criteria for this grant.</p>
<p>Does anyone know a way to appeal this?</p>
<p>bumpbumpbump</p>
<p>i don't think you can appeal. it would take forever for them to deal with everyone's cases/appeals and its already july and funds are passed out in like 1 or 2 months</p>
<p>We got the email as well-- updated FAFSA (5 minutes), got new SAR. No change in EFC-- I don't think there should be any change in EFC unless you also changed some of the other input re: income/assets. This gets sent automatically to the colleges financial aid folks, who determine eligibility.</p>
<p>Here's more info on the program:</p>
<p>Apparently, the ACG provides up to $750 for Freshmen and up to $1300 for Sophomores who qualify. Must be eligible for Pell Grant, and have completed a 'rigorous' course of HS study (2 AP's with passing scores qualifies in CA).</p>
<p>The related new SMART grant for Juniors and Seniors provides up to 4K for Math and Science majors. More info here:</p>
<p>Each State apparently developed different definitions of what 'rigorous' is, and AP classes & tests aren't the only way of qualifying.</p>
<p>You can sign in to this FAFSA page and answer the questions to see if you qualify based on your State:</p>
<p>my EFC went down a couple hundred through that.</p>
<p>We typed in the information as requested to indicate son had taken the rigorous course load. No change in EFC here.</p>
<p>None here either. I don't see how it should go down as we were not asked for any information concerning income, just courseload stuff. The only concern I have is that the AP scores for senior year have not been posted yet, but I guess if you had a rigourous courseload it doesn't matter?</p>
<p>What about adult students? What if you did poorly in high school but made near perfect marks at college? Is there ever going to be anything like this for adult students?</p>
<p>are all states doing this? is there any benefit for college juniors/seniors?</p>
<p>The related new SMART grant for Juniors and Seniors provides up to 4K for Math and Science majors. More info here:</p>
<p>I'm questioning whether my university grant would decrease when the ACG is added to my financial aid package, dollar for dollar. Or will the university be nice and make the ACG take the place of the loans :)</p>
<p>Got the email also. I'm wondering why the SMARTgrant doesn't include health sciences because the nursing profession has a shortage, and this would definetely help. I would think a lot of students would qualify for this grant considering the coursework required to graduate most high schools.</p>
<p>I got the email too does anyone know michigan or florida's rule</p>
<p>I applied for ACG and my EFC went down too by a couple hundred. I'm dying to know how my financial aid package looks now.</p>
<p>I just got my revised financial aid package. Apparently my Pell Grant increased, and my ACG was added.</p>
<p>Pell Grant: $1100 (confirmed; was $500 previously)
ACG: $1300 (unconfirmed; but estimated)
Total: $2400 in possible aid</p>
<p>is the ACG only for freshmen and sophomores who graduated from HS after Jan 2005?</p>