<p>DD has realized that she has enough AP credits to take a semester off and still graduate on time. She'd like to do this the second semester of this coming year (her junior year) and spend the time working and traveling.</p>
<p>However, I am wondering what implications there would be for her need-based aid and for the NMSC aid. Would they simply give her half of the annual award since she is going to school for half of the year?</p>
<p>Also, would this undermine her health coverage (through my employer)? I am going to have to ask her school and my HR office, but I wonder what people think. If you have an experience or thoughts on the matter, I would appreciate hearing them. Thanks.</p>
<p>My employer health plan covered my children until Dec of the year they turned 23, whether they were students or not, as long as they were my dependents.</p>
<p>Each plan is different, you’re wise to check with HR at work.</p>
<p>It shouldn’t undermine her health coverage…it depends on when the coverage term ends and what the terms are. For example, my father’s asks me for proof that I am enrolled as a full-time student in July of every year. It would be very easy for me to supply that letter to them before July (like they just asked me for one, and I had it mailed to them last month) and then decide to take off next semester and still be covered.</p>
<p>Look at the terms of your need-based aid, and the answer will be there. If it’s institutional aid, then likely she will only get half of her annual award. If it’s external aid, likely it’s still only half, but that can be more iffy – sometimes if you don’t use it all they will return it to you, and other times they will just take it back. You will need to call the external institutions that give her aid (if any) and ask. Your daughter should go to her financial aid office first thing when she gets back to school and have this discussion with a financial aid counselor about what monies she will get, and ALSO, about what she will owe the school. Most schools require a student to pay a fee to stay enrolled even if they aren’t taking any classes, if they are taking a semester off.</p>
<p>Is it possible that your daughter can work/travel/study through an alternative program at her school? I also had enough AP credits to take a semester off and still graduate on time, but instead of “taking off” I studied abroad. First of all, I got to keep all of my merit aid – and I got extra scholarships for it – so essentially my school paid for me to travel to and around Europe for 4 months. I took a program that had an all inclusive package that included housing, most meals, tuition, fees, health insurance, round-trip travel from JFK, and a couple of educational excursions for around $17,000 for a semester (through the School for International Training: [SIT</a> Home - SIT Study Abroad and SIT Graduate Institute](<a href=“http://www.sit.edu%5DSIT”>http://www.sit.edu)). Many study abroad programs are based on service-learning, so she can volunteer abroad for credit; language immersion, internship programs, etc. Whatever she chooses, really.</p>
<p>Or she could do a domestic exchange program and have the opportunity to spend a semester at another college in the U.S. There are also internship programs that would allow your daughter to stay enrolled and keep her aid and insurance, but “take off” in terms of classes and work for a semester (the Department of State has such internships in D.C. – most of them are unpaid, but they impart valuable experience).</p>
<p>If she has student loans, she might loose her deferrment status. Going to summer school might solve that problem, but then why not just travel during the summer.</p>