I’m currently doing a 1 year course in IT at my local technical school. I started in the fall and am supposed to finish in the summer. Mid way through the spring term I got a check in the mail for $600 from financial aid. I thought it was for school related costs so I combined it with $300 i got from my first “refund” (which they told me I could keep) and went half and half on a car for my brother and I.
I went to register for summer term and they told me to bring back the $600. When I told them I spent it they told me there’s nothing they can do and that I gotta meet with a financial aid supervisor to see if there’s a chance they can do something next week.
While I wait to see what the supervisor has to say I thought of a solution; what if I skipped the summer term and finished in the fall when the new school year (and presumably a new FA year) starts. What do you guys think?
Additionally when I was searching the internet I found 2 things that cause me a great deal of confusion;
To be eligible to receive federal student aid, you must:
Not owe a refund on a federal student grant or be in default on a federal student loan.
Additionally, once you have a bachelor’s degree or a first professional degree, you are generally not eligible for Pell or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG).
The first part makes me wonder if the $600 they gave me ($900 in cash total but they never asked me for the initial $300) will follow me into the next school year. Do you guys know if that will hurt me or invalidate me for financial aid?
the second part makes me wonder if i shouldn’t even complete the program, even if able. I’m currently in technical school so I can get a job but I want to one day go back to college. If I complete this program, would that count as my “first professional degree”? If so I’ll drop out because in the long run I’d rather use my aid for a degree rather than a technical certificate.
Thank you guys for any and all help.