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Gadsden State Community College

Current Students

Frequently asked questions

Financial Aid


Office Locations

Gadsden - 256-549-8264
Room 104, Allen Hall at 1001 George Wallace Drive, Gadsden, AL

McClellan - 256-238-9341
Room 1216 at 100-A Gamecock Drive, Anniston, AL

Ayers - 256-835-5420
1801 Coleman Road, Anniston, AL


To ensure financial aid processing prior to the beginning of classes, FAFSAs must be completed at least 15 business days prior to the first day of the term, and all verification documents must be received in the Financial Aid Office at least ten business days prior to the first day of the term.

The 2012-2013 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Click here to review common mistakes to avoid when filing a FAFSA. Please note that it is best to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, if available, when completing the 12-13 FAFSA.  Not only will using this IRS Tool make the application process easier, it will also speed the verification process considerably. 

 

Remember, the 2012-2013 FAFSA needs to be completed for consideration of federal financial aid for the 2012-2013 academic school year (Fall 2012 – Summer 2013). If you intend to begin college this summer, you will need to complete the 2011-2012 FAFSA as well. The 11-12 FAFSA requires 2010 tax information, keeping in mind that the IRS Data Retrieval Tool may be an option.

 

In addition to completing the FAFSA online, each student must complete additional paperwork at Gadsden State for his/her financial aid to be finalized. For the 2011-2012 award year, document tracking letters are mailed weekly. These letters indicate the additional paperwork required. If you do not receive a letter within two weeks of completing the 11-12 FAFSA and wish to begin enrollment during the second spring mini-term or this summer, please visit one of the Financial Aid offices. NOTE:  Document tracking letters for 2012-2013 FAFSAs will not begin mailing until after the college’s priority filing date of April 15, 2012.

Normal business hours for the Financial Aid Office are 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Friday. However, during peak times the hours will be adjusted as follows to expedite the processing of student files:

  • Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 7:30 a.m.--6 p.m.
  • Tuesday: 9:30 a.m.—6 p.m.
  • Friday: 9:30 a.m.—4 p.m.
To avoid excessive wait time for students, lines will be closed at an appropriate time to allow students to be served by the published closing time.

Financial Aid Programs

Federal Pell Grant
A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. (A professional degree is usually obtained after a bachelor’s degree in a field such as medicine, law, or dentistry.)

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
FSEOG is awarded to students with exceptional financial need. Priority is given to students who receive Federal Pell Grants. FSEOG does not have to be repaid.

Federal Work Study (FWS)
The Federal Work-Study Program provides jobs for students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses. Students earn at least the current federal minimum wage but the amount might be higher depending on the type of work performed and the skills required.

Alabama Student Assistance Program (ASAP)
Students who are Federal Pell Grant eligible and residents of Alabama may receive ASAP funds. These grant funds are awarded to those with the highest need.

 

Financial Aid Application Process

 


To determine whether a student is eligible to receive financial aid, he/she must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Information provided on the FAFSA determines the specific types of aid that may be received. The FAFSA must be completed annually.

FAFSAs are available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov , either electronically, or to print a paper form for mailing. Paper forms are also available through the Gadsden State Financial Aid office, or from a high school counselor. Online filing is encouraged for fastest processing time.

Usually, within one week of filing a FAFSA online, a Student Aid Report (SAR) will be sent to the e-mail address provided on the FAFSA (approximately four weeks for paper submissions). As soon as the SAR is received, contact the Gadsden State Financial Aid Office.


The Gadsden State Financial Aid Office has established a financial aid priority deadline of April 15.  Students who have completed and submitted all required documents by the priority date will be considered for funding in addition to the Federal Pell Grant, until such funding is exhausted. Students who do not start the application process until after the priority date are still encouraged to apply for financial aid. Keep in mind that students who start the financial aid process after the priority date may have to assume responsibility for the payment of tuition, fees, and other educational expenses until financial aid is finalized.


Receiving your aid

You must request the federal processor to send the results of your FAFSA to Gadsden State (simply fill out step six of the FAFSA that asks for the federal school codes of colleges to receive your SAR). Gadsden State's federal school code is 001017.

Most students will receive award letters by June. The award letter will list the amounts and types of aid awarded. Be sure to read your award letter carefully.


Mid-Year Transfer Students and Financial Aid

If you received a Pell Grant from another institution immediately prior to transferring to Gadsden State, you must
  • Contact the Admissions Office at (256) 549-8210 regarding transfer student admission.
  • Contact the Federal Processing Center at 1-800-433-3243 to add Gadsden State's federal school code to your SAR. Gadsden State's federal school code is 001017.
  • Contact the Gadsden State Financial Aid Office to request your name be added to the Gadsden State Transfer Monitoring List.


Forms

All forms must be printed, completed, and submitted to one of the financial aid offices (Gadsden, McClellan or Ayers). All forms are not required for all students. Please read your Document Tracking Letter to determine which forms are applicable to you.

2011-2012 Forms

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Financial Aid Institutional Form/Policies Governing Financial Aid
Independent Verification Worksheet
Dependent Verification Worksheet
Independent Certification Form
Dependent Certification Form
Independent Loss of Income Form
Dependent Loss of Income Form
Appeal Form
Attendance Verification Form
Release Form
Private Student Loan Request
Private Student Loan Letter


FINANCIAL AID SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY

I. Program Completion

The maximum time frame allowed to complete a program of study without financial aid penalty cannot exceed 1.5 times the published length of a specific program. For example, a student in General Studies, which is 64 semester hours in length, may attempt a maximum of 96 hours.

II. Required Credit Hours

The student must successfully complete 67% of all classes attempted. For example, if a student attempts 24 credit hours, he/she must successfully complete 17 semester hours. The percentage of hours completed will not be monitored until the student has attempted two full-time semesters or at the mid-point of the program of study, whichever is less. NOTICE: All college-level hours attempted, including those in which the student withdrew or received incompletes, will be included in this calculation. Transfer hours will be included if the courses are in the student’s major program of study. Remedial hours will not be included in this calculation.

III. Required Grade Point Average (GPA)
A student enrolled in an A.S., A.A.S., or certificate program requiring more than 26 credit hours must achieve a cumulative GPA of
1.50 after attempting 12-21 credit hours
1.75 after attempting 22-32 credit hours
2.00 after attempting 33 or more credit hours

Students enrolled in certificate programs 26 credit hours or less must achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of
1.50 after attempting 12-17 credit hours
2.00 after attempting 18 or more credit hours

Transfer GPA is not included in the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Remedial GPA is included in the SAP Policy.

IV. Financial Aid Warning
If a student fails to achieve the required cumulative GPA or does not successfully complete the required percentage of hours, he/she will be placed on financial aid warning for one semester. Also, those students who are accepted for admissions to the College under Academic Probation will be placed on financial aid warning. The warning will be lifted in a subsequent term if the student attains the required cumulative GPA and successfully completes the required percentage of hours.

V. Loss of Eligibility
If a student fails to complete a program within the maximum time frame allowed or does not attain satisfactory academic progress by the end of the financial aid warning, he/she will lose financial aid eligibility. The student may have Loss of Eligibility lifted and thereby regain eligibility for financial aid during subsequent terms if he/she makes satisfactory academic progress or if the Financial Aid Appeal Committee reinstates eligibility. If student loses eligibility, he/she is NOT eligible to receive financial aid for the duration of Loss of Eligibility. The student may gain eligibility for financial aid when satisfactory academic progress is obtained or if he/she meets his/her academic plan.

VI. Appeal Process
The student may file an appeal by submitting a Financial Aid Appeal Form to the Financial Aid Office. These forms are available in the Gadsden State Financial Aid Office and online at www.gadsdenstate.edu. If an appeal is approved, the approval is applicable for one semester only. Only one appeal per academic year will be accepted.

VII. Monitoring Progress
Academic progress will be monitored at the end of each semester, even at the end of a semester during which financial aid has not been received.

VIII. Repeating Courses
A student may not use some forms of financial aid to repeat courses. A student receiving a Federal Pell Grant may repeat courses; however, the hours will be included in the satisfactory academic progress calculations. Federal Pell Grant will pay to repeat a class(es) only one time if the student received a passing grade the first time.

IX. Remedial Courses
A student may receive financial aid for up to 30 attempted remedial credit hours. If this number is exceeded, financial aid cannot cover any further remedial classes. If the student enrolls in the same remedial course more than three times, financial aid will not apply for any subsequent enrollment(s) in this course.

 


Scholarships


In addition to the financial aid programs described above, students may be able to obtain assistance in the form of scholarships granted on the basis of academic/technical achievement, participation in extracurricular and leadership activities, and exhibited talents of the fine arts. For more information about scholarships, call (256) 549-8203. To complete a scholarship application, download one of the following forms.

A listing of the scholarships is provided in the attached table. Criteria are also available.

Veterans Affairs

Veterans Affairs (VA) educational benefits are available to qualified veterans, veterans' dependents, National Guard members, and Reserve members. To receive VA educational benefits, the recipient must be enrolled in an approved course of study. Benefits differ according to the Chapter of VA educational benefits for which the student qualifies. For more information about benefits, visit http://gibill.va.gov or contact the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-888-442-4551.

If you have not applied to receive VA educational benefits, you may submit an electronic application for VA educational benefits via the Internet at http://gibill.va.gov. After completing an application for benefits, contact the Gadsden State VA Office by calling (256) 549-8207 (Gadsden Campus) or (256) 835-5467 (Ayers Campus) to see if a Certification of Enrollment Form may need to be completed. All new students should complete a VA Semester Enrollment form (available below) as part of establishing their Gadsden State VA student file, along with a copy of your VA application for education benefits and/or the Certificate of Eligibility letter sent to you by VA.

VA SEMESTER ENROLLMENT FORM

VA Form 22-5495 REQUEST FOR CHANGE OF PROGRAM OR PLACE OF TRAINING-SURVIVORS' AND DEPENDENTS' EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE

VA Form 22-1995 REQUEST FOR CHANGE OF PROGRAM OR PLACE OF TRAINING


You must apply for admission, be admitted to Gadsden State, and enroll in an approved program of study. Disabled veterans attending under VA Vocational Rehabilitation must have the approval of a counselor at the Department of VA before benefits may be authorized.

You are responsible for registering only for courses that are required for your declared major and you must promptly notify the Gadsden State VA Office when dropping or adding classes or when withdrawing from all classes.

Incomplete Grades: If a grade of “I” is earned in any given semester and has not been changed prior to the second week of the following semester, the VA Certifying Official will request a grade change to “F”.



Alabama GI Dependents' Scholarship Program

The Alabama G.I. Dependents' Scholarship Program is another possible source of financial assistance for eligible students. This program is administered by the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs for the benefit of an eligible dependent - a child, a stepchild, a spouse or an unmarried widow(er) - of a disabled veteran (living or deceased) who was a permanent civilian resident of Alabama for a least one year immediately prior to entry into the military service. Special consideration is given to dependents of permanently and totally disabled veterans who are bona fide residents or who were bona fide residents prior to their death. Other categories are dependents of former prisoners of war (POW), dependents of veterans declared missing in action (MIA), and dependents of those who died in service.

Maximum education benefits include tuition (minus fees), required textbooks, and laboratory fees for five standard academic years or for a prescribed technical course at any state-supported junior or community college, university, or technical school. Remedial coursework is not funded under the Alabama G.I. Dependents' Scholarship Program.

For more information and application procedures, contact the nearest Veterans Affairs Office located in each Alabama county courthouse or write to Alabama G.I. Dependents' Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 1509, Montgomery, AL 36102-1509.


Code of Conduct

The Gadsden State Community College Financial Aid Office staff is committed to the highest standards of professional conduct.  As members of  NASFAA, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the staff abides by its code of conduct, as follows.

An institutional financial aid professional is expected to always maintain exemplary standards of professional conduct in all aspects of carrying out his or her responsibilities, specifically including all dealings with any entities involved in any manner in student financial aid, regardless of whether such entities are involved in a government sponsored, subsidized, or regulated activity.  In doing so, a financial aid professional should:

  • Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit.
  • Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation, or the best interests of the students and parents he or she serves.
  • Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased, and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
  • Be objective in making decisions and advising his or her institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
  • Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything of other than nominal value from any entity (other than an institution of higher education or a governmental entity such as the U.S. Department of Education) involved in the making, holding, consolidating or processing of any student loans, including anything of value (including reimbursement of expenses) for serving on an advisory body or as part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity.
  • Disclose to his or her institution, in such manner as his or her institution may prescribe, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.