FCC Academic Catalog 2016-2017

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2016/2017 fcc catalog
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Frederick Community College works to ensure that
all students have equal access to financial assistance
that will help them attend college. FCC participates
in a wide range of federal, state and local financial aid
programs that includes grants, loans, employment,
and scholarships (see chart, page 37).
Eligibility Criteria
Financial Need–Financial need is the difference
between educational expenses at FCC and the
amount expected from students and/or their families.
The college uses the FAFSA to determine the amount
of financial need.
Citizenship–Students must be United States
citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the
United States.
Academic Program–Students must be enrolled
in or accepted for enrollment in a state-approved
degree or certificate program. For most types of
financial aid, students must enroll in and attend at
least six credit hours or more per semester. Some
financial aid awards have different minimum
enrollments. Some students with exceptional
financial need who are enrolled in less than six credit
hours may receive Pell Grants.
Enrollment Status–Awards are adjusted for full-
time (at least 12 credit hours), three-quarter-time
(9-11 credit hours) or half-time (6-8 hours) enrollment
after the refund period. Students may receive
financial aid for developmental classes and these
courses will be considered in determining a student’s
enrollment status. (See the academic schedule for the
credit hour equivalent assigned to developmental
classes.)
High School Diploma/GED–Effective July 1,
2012, federal financial aid applicants must have a
high school diploma or GED, or have completed an
approved home school program.
How to Apply for
Financial Aid
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) each year that you plan to attend college.
This form is completed online at www.fafsa.gov.
The school code for Frederick Community College is
002071 and must be listed on the FAFSA to process
student applicant data.
Reapplying: Students must reapply each academic
year to continue receiving financial aid. Each year’s
information is based on the previous year’s federal
tax returns.
Verification
Some students are selected to provide verification
documentation of information submitted on the
FAFSA. Students whose applications are selected
for verification must provide copies of requested
information in order for financial aid to be awarded.
When to Apply/Reapply
The deadline to apply for Maryland State Scholarships
is March 1. A student must complete the FAFSA form
prior to March 1 to be eligible for State Scholarships.
Students who miss this priority deadline should
still file a FAFSA as soon as possible after March 1,
but they may only be considered for federal and
institutional aid. To have your financial aid application
processed prior to the tuition bill due date students
must complete the FAFSA and submit all requested
documentation to the FCC financial aid office at least
30 days prior to payment due date.
Applications submitted after these dates will be
processed as quickly as possible, but financial
aid awards may not be processed in time for the
payment due date.
Transfer Students
Mid-year transfer students planning to attend FCC in
the spring semester who received a Pell Grant in the
fall semester must add Frederick Community College
on their FAFSA. Check with the financial aid office to
find out what additional documents are required.
Transfer students who have a Direct Student Loan
at another college in the fall semester and plan to
attend FCC the following spring semester must
cancel the loan at the prior college and reapply
through FCC. Official academic transcripts should
also be sent to FCC for credit evaluation from any
previously attended institutions.
Recipients of a Maryland State Scholarship should
check with the Maryland State Scholarship
Administration to see if that award can be transferred
to FCC and, if so, to calculate the amount of the
award.
Students should have prior coursework evaluated for
possible transfer credit.
Financial Aid Eligibility:
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal regulations require that students make
satisfactory progress toward completion of a degree
or certificate to receive financial aid. Students must
attend their classes, complete all classes in which
they enroll, and obtain passing grades (usually a ‘C’
or better). Students must successfully complete a
minimum percentage of credit hours each semester.
Withdrawing from a class after the semester has
begun can affect current financial aid and future
eligibility. A description of satisfactory progress
requirements is available in the financial aid office.
Students must meet the following completion rate
and minimum grade point averages (all coursework
on the transcript is included, not just the semester(s)
financial aid is received
Total Credits
Attempted
Minimum
Cumulative
GPA
Completion
Rate (of total
attempted)
0-24 2.000 50%
25-45 2.000 60%
46 & above 2.000 70%
Financial aid recipients are required to attend classes
on a regular basis. Failure to attend classes can
result in a reduction or cancellation of financial aid
awards. Financial aid is canceled for classes a student
is enrolled in but never attends. A student cannot
receive financial aid for courses that are audited or
courses that are repeated more than once for a higher
grade.
Typical Expenses used to
Determine Financial Need
The following estimated budgets are used when
calculating the need of average full-time in-county
students (13 credits per semester) for the full
academic year. Budgets for other categories of
students can be obtained from the financial aid office.
2015–2016 Living at
Home
Living Away
from Home
Estimated Tuition
& Fees
$3,632 $3,632
Books & Supplies 1,200 1,200
Room & Board 4,050 8,100
Transportation 1,800 1,800
Personal 1,000 1,000
Total $11,682 $15,732
Financial Aid