|
Financial Aid
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Isothermal’s school
code?
002934
How long does it take my for my financial aid application to go through
once the information has been transmitted or mailed?
The college will receive your results within 3-4 weeks after your
application has been submitted.
Will the Pell Grant pay for everything?
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.
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?
Yes. The rules and regulations established by Congress that govern financial
aid do not look at where the student is living. These rules place some of
the financial responsibility for college expenses on the parent(s) until the
student is 23 years old or older.
Am I considered an Independent or Dependent student?
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?
Will I receive a Pell Grant during the summer and if so, how much?
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 either or both of these semesters, they 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.
Do I have to apply for a Pell Grant each semester?
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.
If my Pell Grant is more than my tuition, fees, and books, what happens
to the remainder of the funds?
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.
What is an attendance sheet?
Students are required to turn in an attendance sheet each semester to verify
they have attended each of their classes at least one time. These sheets are
a part of your award letter packet. Simply take the sheet with you on your
first day of class and have your instructors sign
Do I have to be a high school graduate or have a GED to be eligible for
financial aid?
Yes.
Can I submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online?
Yes. Students can go to
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
and complete the electronic version of the FAFSA.
Why do I have to provide tax returns and W-2s to the Financial Aid
Office?
The U.S. Department of Education randomly selects at least 30% of
application for a process called verification. Students who are selected
must provide tax returns and W-2s so the income data on their applications
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.
Can I receive the Pell Grant at two different schools at the same time?
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 either at
University A or at University Z, but not both at the same time.
Do I have to be enrolled full-time to receive financial aid?
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.
Who do I contact should I
need help completing the financial aid application?
Students can contact the Financial Aid Office. The phone numbers are (828)
286-3636
x-468 or x-242.
What is the deadline to apply for financial aid?
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.
|
