Terminated from Financial Aid!

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Hello all. I'm a little confused about being terminated from getting any more financial aid. I recieved a letter stating I have gone over 78 units. I had some withdrawls many years ago when I wasn't quite prepared to attend college, thus adding to my units attempted. I had failed to drop a few classes when I landed myself in the hospital - a really bad mistake, I know! It was past the withdrawl deadline and would have added to attempted units anyway. I will be starting Nursing School soon and included all the information on my appeal to the financial aid office. I had been reinstated for one last semester (fall 2008) and have been told that I will no longer be recieving Pell Grants (or any financial aid at all except for the BOG waiver) in the future. I will be attending a CC and figure I will have to get through the rest of school on student loans. I'm only hoping that I will qualify for loans.

I am a bit confused becuase I hear of students getting their BSN degree and recieving financial aid. I thought a BSN was WELL over 78 untis. What am I missing? Why would I be discontinued? Anyone have any clue? My pre-nursing GPA is 3.8 and overall GPA 3.59, so what gives? I had repeated Intermediate Algebra, Fundementals of Chemistry and Critical Thinking, so that took up a lot of attempted units, ugh.

I tried to ask why they ruled this way, and if I am eligable to recieve ANY type of finanaical aid in the future and she said no. Just the BOG. I was recieving Cal Grant, but was informed that it would be beneficial to save that for when I eventually attend a University (which my plan was to attend an RN-BSN program), but now it seems I put it on hold only to waste it. The financial aid advisor event told me I could start it back up again in a year, and then I got the termination letter the following semester.

I guess I'm mostly venting and stressed, but if anyone has some words of advice or knows how I can still get financial aid even though I am slightly over 78 units, I would appreciate your imput. Is it simply becuase I hadn't recieved a degree yet? Does anyone think that I may qualify again when persuing a BSN after obtaining an ASN? Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Any and all imput welcome.

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I would surmise that they cut you off because by 78 credits you should have received a degree, e.g. 60 units = degree. If you were in a 4 year institution, then you would be allowed up to 120 units to get a 4 year degree. When I was getting GI bill benefits for college, they sent me letters saying they were going to cut me off because with too many credits (had gone to college more than once), I had not achieved my degree. I used up my benefits before they cut me off. Anyway, I would guess this is the rationale for you. It makes sense. They don't want people going to school forever and living off financial aid.

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Well.. I understand them not wanting people to live off of finanical aid "forever", but one of the things listed that would carry weight in reinstatement was if the student is pursuing a Nursing degree - which I have been. It's not like they let you keep the money you recieved when you withdraw (had to pay it back). Plus, I didn't recieve financial aid for all the units I had accumulated. There were some semesters I didn't apply. Bummer :cool: cuz being a single parent who supports themselves, I could have REALLY used the help.

Which adds insult to injury, I was in a car accident one month ago which was COMPLETELY not my fault. Lets just say that the person must have been drinking or on drugs becuase after we wrecked, they took off like a bullet leaving me in the intersection with my driver-side front-end totaled! Becuase they ran I didn't get thier liscence plate and my insurance company considered a hit and run and wouldn't cover it. Yep - it's all gonna be out of pocket! I was gonna use that remaining money to pay for my nursing books. I'm afraid to ask, but can things get any worse? At least I qualified for that last semester. I'm thankful for that. Thanks for explaination.

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Sorry to hear this ...

Because of that reason, I transferred to another nursing program.

I have an Associates Degree & some other college - with the transfer credits they counted towards my 'satisfactory progress' of the course .... I ended up being over, WAY over. Which I think is B.S.

ALL of my TRANSFER credits is what the community college took in to consideration -- it wasnt even the ones that went towards my nursing degree ... I had like 35+ credits transfer but only 8 or 12 applied towards my nursing degree and I was told I was over the limit.

It somewhat makes sense - they dont want anyone being a professional student but on the other hand - those old credits (from 17 yrs ago) have caused me a lot of grief. The community college I was attending even told me I was NOT allowed to get loans. That blew me away and I instantly looked for new places to get my RN schooling.

I found a school that doesnt count transfer credits - thankfully. Maybe you can too?

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if you didnt successfully complete 60% of your credit in the time of attendance for the yr your aid is cut

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As another poster stated you only have a certain amount of MAP credits. I believe the cut off is about 78 for CC. I know becasue I didn't recieve the pell for my last semester at the CC. By the time you use that many points, you should have an ass degree. You can't get a bach at CC so they cut you off. When I went tp university for BSN, my grants were reinstated but only up till I reach 120 then I will loose them again. that is how federal aid works. I'd look into some grants for nursing students. I am recieving a scholarship and living stipend for nursing. When my aid is completely cut off (hopefully not before graduation next spring) I will have that to take over.

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yes it does make sense. An ADN degree is only supposed to take you 2 years. When I applied, I didn't get the full amount because of the restrictions of the degree and time limit. If I were you, I would go to a BSN school.

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response at the bottom

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another thing is that it doesn't matter if they credits are old, they have still been paid for and the money used. They aren't going to keep paying for classes just because you decide to major in something else. That's why you have to make sure you take only necessary classes because if you transfer and some classes doesn't to specific school as far as your aid goes, you still took those class. It has nothing to do with whether or not the school you transfer to will accept them, the school isn't the place that's paying for it it's the state

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I wouldn't be "saving an financial aid eligibility" for later when you go for your BSN if I were you. I would gamble that I would have an employer that would pay for much of it -- and that my RN paycheck would be sufficient to pay for the rest.

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Specializes in Surgical Trauma ICU.

I would write a hardship letter and provide documents related to your hospitalization. Years ago I had to withdraw from several classes due to an illness. I had already received financial aid for that semester and because I didn't complete the courses my financial aid was suspended for the following semester. Your situation is different from mine, but a hardship letter with proof of extenuating circumstances is definately worth a try.

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the community college i was attending even told me i was not allowed to get loans. that blew me away and i instantly looked for new places to get my rn schooling.

thank you for everyones reply. it's shed some light on the situation for me. i guess it would have been better to just submit my plans to forgo the asn and go straight for the bsn because that is partly why i went over. i have been taking classes at the cc that will apply toward a bsn (getting them out of the way now while i have the time). looks like it counted against me because i had it all spelled out in the student educaton plan i had completed with a councelor that i was shooting for asn first. bummer!

blessedx2, why was it that you were not able to get loans? that is a big concern for me, as i am not sure if i will be eligable now. :uhoh21: i'm the type who likes to prepare for the worst if possible, so having some loans to take care of unforseeable expenses (ex: car wreck :down: ) , would take some stress off my shoulders. i guess i should look into that as soon as possible. just seems odd that someone would be disqualified for loans just because of too many units taken. it's not like it's free money, because you do pay it back.

to another poster: i was not over the 60% rule. i was completing gerneral ed classes toward a bsn, so that when i graduate with asn, i will only have core nursing classes to take at the university. thanks everyone for your responses.

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