<p>A little background.</p>
<p>At my current community college, I'm on financial aid suspension and need to file an appeal to get my aid back (I have a legitimate reason for my poor grades and can provide documentation. I was receiving a Pell Grant and two Stafford loans, if it matters). My husband just got a promotion and we will be moving to a new city. I won't be able to continue going to my current college because of the distance, so I'm looking into new schools. I earned so few credits at my current school that it won't break my heart not to transfer my credits.</p>
<p>So... Now what?</p>
<p>Should I go through with my appeal at my current school even though I don't plan on going there anymore? Does that affect whether or not I receive aid to go to another school? Do I apply to my new school as a new student and go through the financial aid process like a first-time student normally would?</p>
<p>I'm very confused. My school's financial aid department is nothing short of useless, so thanks for any help!</p>
<p>What do you mean by financial suspension? If you got poor grades and are on suspension for that, particularly if you dropped courses or flunked them and squandered federal funds like the PELL, Stafford and others, you won’t be allowed to get those benefits until you are off the list. Your record carries over to any school automatically when you apply for financial aid. </p>
<p>I don’t know what the rules are for being able to get aid again, but I believe it involves taking courses and redeeming yourself WITHOUT federal aid for at least a semester. It doesn’t matter what the reason is. Your tuition was paid by federal money and if you did not complete 12 credits that term for whatever the reason, you have a problem. You owe back the money. You need to talk to your school’s financial aid department and find out exactly what you need to do to become eligible for federal aid again.</p>
<p>I already know how to get my financial aid reinstated… That’s not what I’m asking. I’m looking for information on how this is all affected by my needing to switch schools. I’m unsure of how to handle the appeal process at this point. Thanks, though.</p>
<p>Well, if you’re moving and starting at a new school then an appeal is not going to help. Seems like a waste of time and effort. You can’t be considered a new first-time freshman though, so I think you’ll have to apply and deal with whatever the SAP issues are with the new school.</p>
<p>You will have to apply for aid at the new school. It is possible you will be denied as the SAP rules usually consider all classes you have taken at any school. This will depend on the SAP rules at the new school - they vary from school to school. If you are denied at the new school you will have to appeal with them, not the current school.</p>
<p>Big thanks to all three of you for helping me make sense of this. I don’t know if I’m just frazzled or what, but I could not for the life of me figure any of this out. Cptofthehouse, what you said doesn’t apply with my current school, but it may with my new school. I’m seeing if I can speak to someone at my potential new school about that before applying, just so I know what I’m in for.</p>
<p>Thanks again! :)</p>