<p>I need help with the SMART Grant Program. I'll try to explain the situation as best I can.</p>
<p>My son, a college freshman, received the ACG grant for Fall 2009 (1/2 the yearly $750 award was $375). However, for Spring 2010 he received $650. When he inquired, he was told that since he went over 30 credits (AP credits and 18 from his first semester) he was eligible for the second year ACG amount of $1300, so he got $650 for the semester. I understand that.</p>
<p>His new FA award for Fall 2010 has the remainder of the ACG of $650 for and nothing for Spring 2011 semester. Got it - he used up the 2nd year ACG.</p>
<p>Now, I looked at his transcript. He just received an additional 13 credits for the PLTW classes he took in high school. This semester he took 18 credits so by the end of this semester he will have 63 college credits. At his school, a student with 60 credits is considered a junior.</p>
<p>Does this mean he will qualify for the SMART Grant for Fall 2010? Although he has only been in college for two full semesters, his number of credits make him technically a junior. </p>
<p>He is in engineering and will be taking all engineering and math classes this fall. He has a 3.7 GPA. </p>
<p>Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>You’ll need to call the school and ask…</p>
<p>Be aware that SMART will be discontinued after the next school year. Funding ends June 30, 2011.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>That’s why I hope he can get it in the fall - it will be the last opportunity he has to get it.</p>
<p>I will eventually call FA, but I already know the response- “We’ll see” or “we don’t know yet” or “IF he gets the 60 hours” !!</p>
<p>I would just like to know if I’m looking at this correctly and he is, or is not, entitled to it so I can make sure he gets it if he should.</p>
<p>Yes, he will get the grant in the fall if he has junior standing & at least a 3.0 cumulative gpa. SMART prorates with enrollment, like Pell … so if he drops below full time enrollment, it will be adjusted. Don’t expect the award to be updated from ACG to SMART right away, because the school will probably have to catch it on a clean-up report later on (maybe even after fall term begins). ACG & SMART are not easy to administer due to situations like your son’s. His school auto-awards based on their best-guess about his situation. They will have to go back later to make necessary adjustments. The ACG won’t pay out for your son, most likely, since the computer system probably holds up disbursement if the class standing doesn’t agree with the ACG rules. (we don’t auto-award, choosing instead to manually post - so we wouldn’t even have put an ACG on)</p>
<p>I was hoping you would see this and post kelsmom. I wanted to reply but the SMART grant rules have changed so often I was scared I’d give the wrong information!!</p>
<p>Thank you so very much, kelsmom. Then I do understand it correctly. </p>
<p>What would I do without this board? Thanks all.</p>