<p>Hi, im new to the site, i found it browsing google looking for answers or any type of advice to my financial aid situation. Pretty much my school told me in screwed, they dont help students and it seems like everyone is miserable there. All they do is pretty much tell you to go talk to someone else because they dont want to deal with your issues. Ok, down to business now. I filled ouit my fafsa at the beginning of the school year and was awarded a grant that would cover my bill. My school then declined my aid because of my grades being too low, after the semester started. i went to my classes and didnt do very well again. they told me i cant recieve aid because of my grades. My first question is, are they allowed to do this? they sent me a bill and told me i cant register for spring semester without paying for the first semester. i may have a way of paying for this but not sure yet. if i do and my spring semester has a positive outcome grade wise, will they re-imburse me? they did tell me i can write an appeal but it probably wont work. what can i do? i really want to return to school and i am not trying to work full time right now. i know i can do better seeing as my grades from the 2nd half of the semester went up and i know i can do better. i just didnt take it as serious as i should have. i know this may be hard to understand as i didnt include many details but i will answer any questions you guys have to help me out.</p>
<p>Not only can they do this, they have to. All schools are required to have a SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) policy for financial aid. It usually includes a minimum cumulative GPA, a required minimum % of classes successfully completed (includes all classes ever attempted), and a maximum number of attempted credit hours. If you do not meet SAP then they deny you aid. If your appeal does not work then you will need to ask them how to regain aid. You will probably have to pay for classes out of your own pocket and do well enough in them to meet SAP. The money you pay for those classes will not be refunded to you.</p>
<p>ok, but i will be able to regain aid in the future if i get that gpa up?</p>
<p>You should be able to. Remember there is GPA, % of classes successfully completed, and maximum number of credits. You need to ask the school what you need to do. SAP varies by school, only your school can tell you what you need to do.</p>
<p>thank you. thats the problem though, my school wont help me and wont give me answers to the questions i have. either they dont know what they are doing or they are just that crabby, it gets me so frustrated sometimes. i go to ECC by the way, Erie Community College in NY. i would never suggest this school to anyone</p>
<p>[Erie</a> Community College :: Academic Standards](<a href=“http://www.ecc.edu/financialaid/federalaid/standards.aspx]Erie”>http://www.ecc.edu/financialaid/federalaid/standards.aspx)</p>
<p>uh… i kinda knew all that. im looking for advice on what to do though, maybe a loophole or somethin, thanks though.</p>
<p>You said they would not give you answers to your questions. If you already knew all that, then they did give you the answers. </p>
<p>Their are no loopholes. SAP is a federal requirement. Schools must have a SAP policy and they have to follow it. You can appeal, which you already know. If the appeal is not granted then you have to pay for classes to get yourself up to SAP.</p>
<p>FWIW, their SAP is incredibly lenient. I have never seen a SAP with such low requirements as a 1.0 GPA and a 50% successful completion rate. The schools I am familiar with have a 2.0 minimum GPA and between a 67% to 75% successful completions rate requirement.</p>
<p>There are no loopholes re: SAP. Schools and the federal government are not in the business of giving money to students simply to attend college and not pass or complete courses. As Swimcatsmom pointed out, you need to do what YOUR college has said to reinstate yourself in good standing.</p>
<p>You did poorly one term…you went back and did poorly the next term. I hate to be harsh here, but you did have some warning about this. The school declined your aid…you continued to not do well enough for them to reconsider.</p>
<p>I would suggest you get a job of some sort, take one course at a time and DO WELL IN IT…then do two courses. You need to show the college that the money they might award you in financial aid (or federally funded aid) is not being wasted.</p>