Helpful Information
Helpful Information
Students that have been placed on suspension for GPA or Completion Rate can reinstate their financial aid eligibility by meeting the general SAP standards when attending at least half-time based on the level of enrollment when the SAP standards are checked at the end of the semester(s). Students that have reached the maximum timeframe are not eligible for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility without an appeal.
This is the date that the Financial Aid Office determines the final enrollment for the term. Adding and dropping courses before and after the census date may affect financial aid award amounts.
Incomplete grades that are assigned with a letter grade of “I” must be completed within six weeks of the end of the semester. If the “I” is not changed after the six-week period, the incomplete grade will be considered an “F” grade when reviewing the SAP standards.
Withdrawals will be included in the total attempted hours, however these hours will not be considered earned when determining GPA. The withdrawal of courses will be included in the determination of the Completion Rate.
Students that are attending remedial coursework will still be held to the same SAP standards. The remedial coursework will be calculated in SAP standards. Students may receive financial aid for 30 attempted remedial credit hours.
All repeated coursework will be included in the SAP review. A student may receive federal financial aid for a repeat course only once if the course was previously passed. This is for instances when a student is attempting the course again for grade improvement. Students repeating failed coursework will continue to receive federal student aid, however the failed courses will affect SAP. Career and Technical programs are not subject to the same regulations for repeated coursework. Contact the Financial Aid Office for additional guidance if needed.
Audit courses are not considered credits attempted or earned, and students may not receive financial aid for auditing a course.
The federal student aid program regulations make no provision for the concept of academic amnesty or academic begin again. A student’s entire academic record at Jones College, as well as transfer work from all previously attended accredited institutions, will be evaluated to determine Satisfactory Academic Progress. The Financial Aid Office will always consider a student’s entire cumulative record when evaluating to determine eligibility for financial aid.
All academic records of Jones College students will be evaluated to determine eligibility for financial aid whether or not the students received aid for all semesters of attendance.
The information submitted on the FAFSA will be used in a federally mandated calculation that determines what portion of students “cost of attendance” can be met through the students’ (and in the case of dependent students, the parents’) resources. This figure is then subtracted from the cost of attendance during the appropriate period of enrollment. “Cost of attendance” is based on average costs for tuition and fees, room and board (even for commuter students), books and supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses. This figure minus the expected family contribution (EFC) equals the documented limit for need-based financial aid. Once the documented limit is determined, awards are made by the Financial Aid Office based on the students’ eligibility for aid and the amount of need-based funds available. See calculation of financial need below:
Cost of Attendance (COA) - Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Financial Need
Federal, state, and other financial aid will be credited to the student’s account by the Jones College Financial Aid Office. Tuition, fees, room, board, books, supplies, miscellaneous fees, and bobcat bucks (to the extent of funds available) may be allowed to be charged against the student’s account. All refunds to students, over the above charges, will be disbursed to the refund method the student has chosen with the Business Office.
Dual enrolled college students are not eligible to receive Title IV aid at two institutions. Dual enrolled high school students are not eligible for financial aid. Classes taken as a dual enrolled student will count towards the students Satisfactory Academic Progress.
The maximum allowable time a student may receive Pell Grant funds is the equivalent of twelve (12) full-time semesters. Full-time for federal student aid is 12 credit hours
Students are not eligible for any federal financial aid at Jones College after completing 150% of the time normally required to complete their program of study, not to exceed 96 hours attempted, regardless of GPA, cumulative hours earned, or change of program. In addition, hours attempted when the student did not receive financial aid will also be calculated according to satisfactory academic progress requirements.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Amendment Act of 1998, requires that a school return all unearned Title IV aid when recipients withdraw from school. Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing more than 60% of an enrollment term will have their aid recalculated based on the percentage of the term completed.
Federal Title IV Financial Aid includes: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), and Federal Direct Student Loans.
The Financial Aid Priority Date for Jones College is generally April 1, each year. Information must be processed by the federal office, and all necessary paperwork must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office by this date.
Credit hours from previous postsecondary accredited college(s) will be counted. Transfer students seeking a degree at Jones College are eligible to receive financial aid if eligibility requirements are met.
Students who have submitted all required paperwork to the Financial Aid Office, but have not been awarded, may purchase books at the bookstore with their student id card or a bookstore voucher. Contact the Financial Aid Office beginning the week of regular registration of each semester. Estimated financial aid amounts are subject to change. Students are responsible for all charges incurred if a balance remains after aid is posted.
The Jones 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.
Students have the option to file a grievance with the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation. The complaint process applies to conduct or behavior on the part of a Mississippi institution or any of its agents, representatives or employees that constitutes dishonest or fraudulent behavior, including providing false or misleading information to a student; and operation of programs (including distance education) contrary to practices expected by institutional and/or programmatic/specialized accreditors. This process does not apply to complaints related to student grades or discipline/conduct matters.
Repaying your loan, including accrued interest and fees, regardless of whether you complete your education, complete your program of study in the normal period allowed for program completion, obtain employment, or are satisfied with your education.
Completing exit counseling before you leave school or drop below half-time enrollment.
Notifying your lender/servicer within 10 days if you change your name, address or phone number; drop below half-time enrollment status; withdraw from school or transfer; or change your graduation date.
Directing all correspondence to your lender/servicer, which could change during the life of the loan.
Making monthly payments on your loan after leaving school, unless you are in your grace period or have been granted a forbearance or deferment.
Informing your lender/servicer of anything that might change your eligibility for an existing deferment.
Receive a copy of your promissory note before or after the loan is made.
Receive a disclosure statement, including information about interest rates, fees, loan balance, and the size and number of payments, before repayment of your loan begins.
Benefit from a grace period or deferred payment on certain loans after you leave school or drop below halftime enrollment, before your loan payments begin.
Prepay all or part of your loan without a prepayment penalty.
Choose from among several repayment options and periodically change your repayment plan, if necessary to obtain an affordable loan payment.
Receive written notice if your loan is sold to another lender.
Apply for a deferment (if eligible) of your loan payments for certain specified periods.
Request forbearance from your lender/servicer if you’re unable to make payments and don’t qualify for a deferment.
Receive proof when your loan is paid in full.
Title IV (TIV) federal aid recipients are awarded financial aid during the enrolled semester on the assumption they will remain in the course(s) for the entire semester for which the funds were awarded. In the event that a student withdrawals from ALL courses during the semester, the college will process a Return to Title IV (R2T4) calculation.
The Financial Aid Office is required:
to determine the earned and unearned portions of Title IV aid as of the date the student ceased attendance based on the amount of time the student spent in attendance or, in the case of a clock-hour program, was scheduled to be in attendance. Up through the 60% point in each semester, a pro rata schedule is used to determine the amount of Title IV funds the student has earned at the time of withdrawal. After the 60% point in the semester, a student has earned 100% of the Title IV funds the student was scheduled to receive during the period.
For a student who withdraws after the 60% point-in- time, there are no unearned funds. However, a school must still determine whether the student is eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement (PWD).
Students who do not begin attendance in the schedule courses are not eligible for Title IV funding, therefore will not be considered to have earn Title IV aid.
Students that are enrolled in mini-sessions are considered withdrawn for Title IV purposes if the student ceases attendance at any point prior to completing the semester, unless the student has provided written confirmation at the time of the withdrawal that he/she would be attending another session that begins later in the same semester.
Refer to the Financial Aid Office Satisfactory Academic Progress to determine with a withdrawal could impart future financial aid eligibility.