<p>My daughter who is attending SUNY Fredonia in New York State is being told she no longer qualifies for the Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) because she has accumulated 61 credit hours at the end of her 1st Sophomore semester. All other qualifications being met, the Financial Aid Office at the school states that because of her total accumulated credit hours, she is now a Junior and no longer qualifies for the grant. I have found no credit hour limitations on the Federal website attached to this grant. Is this an unwritten Federal rule? Can schools set their own criteria if not? This is a $1300 loss to a low income family because a student excels. I hope the school is incorrect!</p>
<p>I hope someone "in the know" can verify this for me.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help, Jim-</p>
<p>It’s correct. Once she reaches junior status as set by her school she is no longer eligible for the ACG. Yes schools set their criteria that designate a students standing as a sophomore, junior etc. If her school rules say that she is a junior at 61 hours, then for FA purposes she is a junior (60 is a junior at my daughter’s school as well). All this should be available somewhere on the school web site. Too late to help now, but something to watch for the future (I kept a very close eye on the ever changing ACG and SMART rules).</p>
<p>As she is now a junior, she should be eligible for an additional $1,000 in subsidized loans. Not as good as the grant she is losing (which should be $650 for a semester) of course, but at least it is something. She would probably have to ask the school for it as they don’t automatically check mid year.</p>
<p>Is she by any chance in a SMART grant eligible major (mostly math, sciences and some foreign languages)?</p>