Financial Aid question (degree, school, career, pay)

[Johnny Bananas]

Hope some of you can help me out here.

I attended classes this Fall at my local community college. My financial aid covered everything. Turns out I will not pass any of my three courses... I know, I know shame on me.

This is my third straight semester that I've failed. I've finally realized that I really gotta take care of my health so I don't miss so much school.

I want to return back to school next Spring and really start focusing on it for good. No messing around.

My questions:
1) If I can recall, I will have to pay back "pocket money" to pay back my financial aid from this semester. Is this true or not? If so, when would the respected party need the money? Seeing as I'm broke as a hell, I wouldn't be able to afford to pay back the money right then....

2) Am I still able to receive financial aid next semester regardless of this semester?

That's all I've got for now. I'm really concerned about how this is going to work out. Any answers are welcome. Please no critisizing about my academic performance. I already feel bad enough about it.

Thanks.

[Ceece]

As far as I know you have to pay back all the financial aid if you fail, but I guess it depends on the program giving it to you. Check with the school and find out, it's the only way you will know for sure.

For future reference, drop classes when you realize you aren't going to be able to keep up.

[Johnny Bananas]

Thanks for the reply... Will check with them after Fall break. As for the dropping portion, two of them were no-drop courses.

[Smooth23]

Seriously, how do you fail three semesters in a row? (edit *snip*). Clearly you don't have the time or the mindset to devote to college.

[Johnny Bananas]

Originally Posted by Smooth23

Seriously, how do you fail three semesters in a row? (edit *snip*). Clearly you don't have the time or the mindset to devote to college.

I know, I know... I do have the mindset to go to school but what happens is I get so sick and miss classes and then fall back and then have no motivation whatsoever to catch up.

I have nothing better to do next year so I want to really try to focus on my studies and perhaps take them all online so that way if I get sick again, I can work on my assignments from home or the hospital.

[LovingSAT]

I would suggest several things,
You will most likely be put on Academic Probation
Write an appeal about the failing of the classes
Notify the Student Advocate about your health issues and your desire to go to school
Perhaps take two easier classes and one difficult class
Or take even less classes
Notify your professrs immediately via email and personal contact about your health issues
Do all assignments, if you must miss notify the professor immediately
If the professor gives extra credit, do it

Try to keep your health in check, if you are ill do not go out and party. Wash your hands and so forth

Be prepared, get all your textbooks, supplies, everything immediately upon registering

ratemyprofessor.com is a great source of knowing which professor might work with you and which may not.

[Reneeme]

Check with your school, however, I think if you failed but did not withdraw, then you will be on probation (and/or suspension if it was three times) for next semester, but you will not owe for this semester (because you completed the classes).

[kodaka]

Google your own university and the terms 'Satisfactory Academic Progress' to find out their requirements, but every school has them, and they should be along these lines:

--If you have received an academic warning in any semester, you must demonstrate improvement in your GPA after that. It doesn't have to be a lot, but it does have to be improvement.

--You must be progressing toward completion of a degree. No career students. They'll generally let you have 150% of the time it normally takes a student to complete a degree. If you are progressing slower than that you'll have to pay tuition with your own money.

--You must complete a most of the courses you enroll in. Usually they require at least 2/3, sometimes as much as 3/4 of the courses you enroll in.

If a student fails to meet these criteria, they usually get three chances, and then their eligibility for financial aid is changed to "HOLD". You can appeal this decision, but you will need to demonstrate a valid reason for your poor performance, and you will need to demonstrate an ability to improve your performance. You may need to get tutoring, seek psychological help, change your living circumstances, or whatever.

You didn't explain your health situation in much detail, and you shouldn't have to on this internet forum. But if your reason is simply that you didn't get enough sleep, didn't eat right, drank too much, partied to much, played to much--that might be hard to win an appeal on. Because most students do that and still manage to pass at least some of their classes.

If you don't win an appeal for whatever reason, you can still get the "HOLD" status reversed. You'll just need to pay tuition on your own and meet all of the above criteria, and then your eligibility can be reinstated.

Best of luck to you.

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by Johnny Bananas

I know, I know... I do have the mindset to go to school but what happens is I get so sick and miss classes and then fall back and then have no motivation whatsoever to catch up.

I have nothing better to do next year so I want to really try to focus on my studies and perhaps take them all online so that way if I get sick again, I can work on my assignments from home or the hospital.

If you are struggling due to a disability, I would recommend you check out the disability support services offered at your college. They can assist you if you need classroom or test taking accommodations, etc. They can also assist you with your financial aid appeals as well.