Dropping classes and Financial Aid

<p>If someone drops a class late in the semester (W on transcript) and that drops them below 12 hours does that trigger any repayment of federal aid such as the Pell? As far as I can tell from the school web site it is only a complete withdrawal from all classes that would cause that but I am trying to find out for sure.</p>

<p>There are at least two issues: repayment of loans, and eligibility for aid in the following semesters. I would call the college F.A. office ASAP!</p>

<p>There won't be any issues with aid for the next semester as she is well over the 75% classes attempted and completed for the SAP as she has never dropped a class before. My understanding is that as she has completed most of the semester and will succesfully complete most of her classes but may drop the one causing problems (and it is still a maybe) which will appear on her transcript as a W, she will not have to repay any aid. We will check with her school before she makes a decision but am trying to check that I understand the Title VI rules properly.</p>

<p>kelsmom, Nikkil - are you out there?</p>

<p>SCM--not a professional in FA, but at our school, we have a date a certain percentage into the semester that they must keep up the credits until. They'll be billed for aid if they drop sooner and fall below full-time.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, there's about a sneeze-length interval between that date, and the date where we turn W's into WF's. </p>

<p>As you say, if she is making standards of progress, she should not have any issue in future semesters.</p>

<p>I'd definitely get a phone call in to FA before she drops the course.</p>

<p>One of my DDs dropped a lab a few years ago and went to 11 units triggering repayment of something, I think it was a state grant- some require 6 units and some require 12 units.</p>

<p>Yes she is planning to talk to her adviser, the class prof (class does have a big curve so she may not be as bad as she thinks - I hope), and the financial aid people. I am hoping it won't come to dropping it but we need to understand the ramifications if it does come to that. Unfortunately she is taking a class that required the problem class as eather a pre req or concurrent - if the drops the problem class she is made to drop the other class as well which is what it will make her drop below full time.</p>

<p>She has great grades otherwise but this one class she is having a big problem with.</p>

<p>somemom - I didn't even think of her State grant. I just checked it and they go with the schools SAP policy so hopefully s/b ok.</p>

<p>I've had to drop classes before late in the term. From my personal experience, when I dropped a class late in the term it did not affect my financial aid. However I think if you do it too often they might decide to place you on academic probation.
I did drop out of school a year ago 3 weeks in to the Quarter. They sent my aid back and I owed the school money.</p>

<p>Hopefully it will be a one time event (or even a non event, though she may have left it a little late to get some help). She has not even come close to having to consider dropping a class before.</p>

<p>You might want to be sure that it does not affect her health insurance as a full time student (if she is covered under your plan) as well.</p>

<p>You need to find out the school's policy. There is a set date (# days) in the term after which dropping will not make a difference in aid (even dropping all classes) - it's always good to find out that date each semester, just in case. In between the first day & that date, the effect of dropping classes on aid varies by school. </p>

<p>Where I work, dropping classes after the drop/add tuition-lock date without dropping out completely does not affect aid generally speaking. However, if something isn't disbursed yet, it can make a difference - for example, if the student declined a loan, dropped below 1/2 time, then decided he wanted to borrow the loan after all - he will not be eligible. Or the SMART might not be awarded if the student dropped below full time before course enrollment was verified. But my newest coworker came from a school where all course adjustments throughout the term were monitored & adjustments were made all the way up to that set point discussed earlier.</p>