Financial Aid at Isothermal

You begin by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This can be done online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or by completing and mailing a paper copy to the Federal Student Aid Program. Once your application has been processed you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) and the college will receive an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR). The college will review your ISIR and notify you if further documentation is needed. You will also be notified of anything else that is needed to complete your financial aid file.

Can I submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online? (back to top)

Yes. Students can go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and complete the electronic version of the FAFSA. If you submit your application on line, please be sure you have a PIN number. The PIN number will serve as your electronic signature. Parents of dependent students will also need a PIN number. If you do not have a PIN number, you will need to print a signature page and mail it. A signature page should be printed at the time you complete your application and mailed as quickly as possible.

Who do I contact should I need help completing the financial aid application? (back to top)

Students can contact the Financial Aid Office. The phone numbers are (828) 286-3636 extensions 242, 262, 468 or 248.

What is the deadline to apply for financial aid? (back to top)

There is no published deadline for financial aid. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is available starting in January of each year. Students should complete the application as early as possible so their file can be processed prior to the beginning of the fall semester. Students who wait until the summer months to apply for aid may find that their aid is not available when needed. Some aid programs are awarded on a first come first serve basis so applying early can be to the benefit of the student.

What is Isothermal’s school code? (back to top)

002934

Am I considered an Independent or Dependent student? (back to top)

To be considered independent you must be able to answer yes to at least one of the questions listed below. If you cannot answer yes to one of the questions, you are considered to be a dependent student.

1) Were you 23 years old prior to January 1st of the award year for which you are applying? For example, if you are applying for the 2006-2007 award year, were you 23 prior to January 1, 2006.

2) Are you working on a graduate degree (masters or doctorate)?

3) Are you married?

4) Do you have children for whom you provide more than 50% of their support?

5) Do you have dependents other than children whom you provide more than 50% of their support?

6) Are you an orphan or ward of the court?

7) Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?

I am under the age of 23, single with no children, and I do not live with my parents. Do I still have to use their income and asset information? (back to top)

Yes, students under a certain age are considered dependent and their parents information must be used. The rules and regulations established by Congress that govern financial aid do not consider where the student is living. These rules place some of the financial responsibility for college expenses on the parent(s) until the student is a certain age. See the answer to the previous question to determine if you are a dependent student.

How long does it take for my financial aid application to go through once the information has been transmitted or mailed? (back to top)

The college will receive your results within 3-4 weeks after your application has been submitted.

How is eligibility determined? (back to top)

Financial aid eligibility is determined by several factors. When you send off a FAFSA the first thing that occurs is your data is run through what is called Congressional Methodology. Simply put, this is a formula that uses the data on the FAFSA to come up with an Effective Family Contribution (EFC). The formula takes into consideration such items as income, assets, number of family members, number in college, etc. Your EFC determines the amount of aid you are eligible to receive.

How will I know if I am eligible? (back to top)

Once your financial aid file is complete your file will be processed by a financial aid officer. If everything in your file is correct and complete, an award letter will be produced and mailed to your home address. The award letter will list the aid you are eligible to receive. Please note that one copy of your award letter must be signed and returned to the Financial Aid Office for your award to be official. If you are not eligible for aid, you will receive a letter outlining why you are not eligible.

Do I have to be a high school graduate or have a GED to be eligible for financial aid? (back to top)

Yes.

Why do I have to provide tax returns and W-2s to the Financial Aid Office? (back to top)

The U.S. Department of Education randomly selects at least 30% of applications for a process called verification. If a student is selected, he/she must provide tax returns and W-2s so the income data on their application can be verified as being correct. There are also occasions when data on the application does not appear to be correct, and the tax returns and W-2s are requested to insure correct information has been provided.

Will the Pell Grant pay for everything? (back to top)

It depends on the amount you are eligible to receive. For some students the Pell Grant will pay for all of the tuition, fees, and books. For others it will only pay for a portion of these costs, and for still others it will not pay for any of the charges. Students need to submit a Free Application for Federal Financial Aid so their exact eligibility can be determined.

If my Pell Grant is more than my tuition, fees, and books, what happens to the remainder of the funds? (back to top)

Any funds that are remaining, after tuition, fees, and books have been paid, will go to the student. Pell checks are issued at the Business Office starting approximately two weeks after classes begin provided the students Pell has been disbursed and the student has turned in a properly completed attendance sheet.

Do I have to apply for a Pell Grant each semester? (back to top)

No. A student applies once a year. A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) covers a period of one award year that consists of the fall, spring, and summer semester. For example, the 2006-2007 FAFSA will cover fall 2006, spring 2007, and summer 2007. New applications are available beginning in mid January of each year. You must file a new application each school year. It is advisable that you apply as early as possible to avoid delays in your aid being processed.

Will I receive a Pell Grant during the summer and if so, how much? (back to top)

It depends on how much of your Pell Grant is used in the fall and spring semesters. Students who attend full-time in the fall and spring will not have any Pell Grant funds available during the summer. If a student attends less than full-time during one or both of these semesters, he/she will, in most cases, be eligible for Pell Grant funds during the summer semester. The amount depends on how much of the student’s Pell Grant has been used during the previous semesters.

What is an attendance sheet? (back to top)

Students are required to turn in an attendance sheet each semester to verify they have attended each of their classes at least twice. These sheets are included in your award letter packet. Once you have attended a class twice, take the sheet to your instructors, have them fill in the two dates, and sign it. Once you have all of your signatures return the sheet to the Financial Aid Office. No funds will be released to you at the Business Office until your completed attendance sheet has been received.

What is a PIN number? (back to top)

A PIN number is your Personal Identification Number. It allows you to enter many of the U.S. Department of Education’s websites and view the personal information maintained about your accounts. The PIN will also serve as an electronic signature for various documents maintained by the U.S. Department of Education. Your PIN is normally issued once your first FAFSA has been processed or you can go to www.pin.ed.gov to request a new PIN or a replacement PIN.

Can I receive the Pell Grant at two different schools at the same time? (back to top)

No. A student can only receive a Pell Grant at one school at a time. For example, if the student is taking classes at both University A and University Z at the same time, they can receive the Pell Grant at either University A or University Z, but not both at the same time.

Do I have to be enrolled full-time to receive financial aid? (back to top)

No. Most students who are eligible for financial aid can receive aid even if they are not attending full-time. The amount of aid received is based on the student’s enrollment status which simply means you would receive more aid for full-time attendance than you would for an enrollment status that is less than full-time.

Are all programs of study eligible for financial aid? (back to top)

No. All of the diploma and associate degree programs are eligible for financial aid. Only a few of the certificate programs are eligible for aid. If you are considering a certificate program, please contact the Financial Aid Office to determine eligibility. The Financial Aid Office often receives calls concerning the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program and the Truck Driver Training program. These programs are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Where is the Financial Aid Office located on campus? (back to top)

It is located in the Student Affairs area which is in Student Center, Building 10.