Question about financial aid and reaching the max credit limit for financial aid

Nursing Students General Students

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At my current college (community college) I am reaching the near max credit limit of 90 credits. After that they cut you off and the thinking is, if you haven't gotten a bachelor's degree yet and chances are you aren't going to.

I am one of those serial college students taking classes on and off and those credits. However, that was years ago, I am a lot older now, had an epiphany and am taking this all VERY seriously. This is my life after all. Even though ive never even used financial until this semester this doesn't matter to them I have hit the max credit limit. I plan on transferring these credits to the nursing program La Salle U that I got provisionally accepted into. I AM GOING TO NEED FINANCIAL AID. La Salle is way cheaper BSN program at 35k for all 2.5 years of the program but I still need financial aid. Ever since I found out about this max credit limit I've been living in uncertainty of the future.

The problem is I can't know whether I will get financial aid from LA salle until I enroll, but I don't plan on enrolling until Spring 2013. Anyone gone through the same thing and still made it through nursing school somehow?? Please help thanks alot.

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Specializes in ED, Long-term care, MDS, doctor's office.

I always thought that you were eligible for financial aid as long as you are moving upward in your degrees...Such as, if you already have an associates degree, you can only get financial aid toward a bachelors program..I know when I was in the ASN program, some of my classmates already had more credits than what was needed for the associates degree and they were disqualified from government loans because it was kind of a backwards move for them.. I think there is a limit on government grants and loans overall, but I am not sure what those numbers are...I got my ASN in 2010 & I got a notice that I was getting close to my credit limit, but I still got government loans..I indicated on my FASFA last year that I was pursuing a bachelor degree & I am taking 2 classes at a community college toward that degree & I am suppose to get my loans as applied for...I will then transfer to a University and I have already spoke with them & they told me I should be fine to continue getting the loans...Before the ASN program, I did not have any other student loans..I was an LPN & I went through a technical school to obtain that 1 year program.. at that time I got a pell grant & my father paid the remainder (which was only about $1,000 believe it or not back in 1993!!) The total cost for that program was around $3,500 plus books!! Man, times they have changed!! Good luck & I hope you can get the help that you need to fulfill your dreams:)

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You should be able to file for an appeal. You can have 150% above the degree, so for an associates degree is usually 60, you get cut off after 90. Bachelors, usually 120 credits, the max is 180. I have to appeal because I have too many credits for my ADN as well, but so far have been approved for pell grants!

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At my school, a CC- all the health programs are allowed to appeal max. Since they take longer than the other traditional programs. Nursing program is allowed up to 106 at my school. If you've ever taken remedial courses, they don't count in your max.

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