1.05.1 - Federal and State Programs Available

The College cooperates with all federal and state educational assistance agencies including the Veterans Administration, Vocational Rehabilitation, and other agencies that aid students in obtaining a post-secondary education. Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Work-Study, Federal Work College, Federal Perkins Loans, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, and all state programs are channeled through the College to the students.

Additional information may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office web site: www.warren-wilson.edu/~finaid.

1.05.2 - Other Loans

Warren Wilson College has an emergency loan fund for students who need to borrow a limited amount for a short period (usually 30 days). Loans for educational costs with a long-term repayment option are also available with a completed FAFSA.

1.05.3 - Financial Aid Deadline

The priority date for new students to apply for financial aid for the fall semester is April 1. Applications completed prior to this date will be given priority in the award process for grants and scholarships. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER APRIL 1 WILL BE HANDLED ON A DATE-PRIORITY BASIS. The availability of need-based grants is limited.

1.05.4 - Campus Work Program

All resident students, regardless of their financial resources, participate in the Campus Work Program during the academic year. The College also offers work contracts during the summer and other break periods. Students may apply to the Work Program Office for break employment. The College's work program is supported by both Federal Work Study and Federal Work College funds.

1.05.5 - Scholarships

Academic Honor Scholarships: Warren Wilson College offers honor scholarships to new students based on academic achievement and promise, not on financial need. To be considered, the student should contact the Admission Office. Scholarship awards range from $1,000 to $8,000. There is an early deadline of March 15 for receipt of these applications.

North Carolina Students: Full-time students who are residents of North Carolina and file the FAFSA will be considered for the North Carolina Need-Based Scholarship. This scholarship is based on need.

For Presbyterian Students: Members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) may apply for aid through the PCUSA office of Financial Aid for Studies. Information is available by writing to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Financial Aid for Studies, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396, or through their web page: http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/financialaid. A son or daughter who is a dependent of a Presbyterian minister will automatically receive a $1,000 grant from Warren Wilson College. Warren Wilson College will also match up to $500 per semester any scholarship provided by a Presbyterian Church to one of its students. The scholarship from the congregation must be applied to tuition charges. For further information, contact the Office of Financial Aid.

1.05.6 - Required Financial Aid Forms

Begin the financial aid process by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.gov. Designate Warren Wilson College as a recipient of the results by code number and address (002979; Asheville, NC). You and your parent will each be assigned a PIN (electronic signature) upon submittal of the FAFSA—safeguard these PINs as they will be your electronic signatures for subsequent FAFSA filings and loan application materials.

Students who wish to apply for institutional grants or loans must complete both the FAFSA and the Warren Wilson College Financial Aid Application (WWCFAA). The WWCFAA is available from the Financial Aid Office or the College web site.

North Carolina students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA early to be considered for the North Carolina Need-Based Scholarship. Students from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, and Vermont are encouraged to apply for a grant from their states of residence.

The request for financial aid will be considered after an applicant has been officially accepted for admission to the College and the aid file is complete.

1.05.7 - Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards

Students receiving Title IV federal funds or need-based state grants are required to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward a degree or certificate in order to maintain eligibility for this aid. Warren Wilson College also applies the same "progress" guidelines to its institutional aid (need-based grants, honor/merit scholarships, international grants, etc). Minimum standards require that a student remain off of academic probation and pass 12 credits each semester (August-December or January-May; summer classes are not available). In reviewing a student's progress, these standards are applicable regardless of whether or not financial aid has previously been received. For the purpose of administering financial aid, WWC defines an academic year as two 16-week semesters during which the undergraduate student completes a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours per semester. However, 24 credits each year is less than is needed to progress in classification (i.e. freshman, sophomore).

Minimum number of hours: All hours refer to "semester" credits as earned at Warren Wilson College. The following minimum number of credits MUST be passed: a) FULL-TIME (required of all resident students) = no less than 12 credits per semester; b) THREE-QUARTER = no less than 9 credits per semester, or; c) HALF-TIME = no less than 6 credits per semester. Reminder: Loans will either enter repayment or begin a six-month grace period once the student falls below half-time (6 credits). "If a student is enrolled in courses that do not count toward his degree, they cannot be used to determine enrollment status…" (2010-11 Federal Aid Handbook, Volume 1, page 13) This means that aid cannot be awarded to a student for classes that do not count toward his/her degree.

NOTE: All aid will be recalculated to three-quarter, half-time or less-than-half-time if a student fails to attend a class and those class credits are (or were) needed for full-time status. Charges will not be adjusted. Refer to the "withdrawal and refund policy". Loss of aid is a possibility for any Federal aid recipient who fails to pass at least one class within a semester. Refer to "unofficial withdrawal" in the Withdrawal and Refund Policy.

Maximum Length of Eligibility (Pace your studies to graduate within five years.): Eligibility ends with the completion of academic requirements for one degree or certificate. Length of eligibility is determined on the assumption that a student is capable of completing degree requirements within a maximum of 5 years (10 semesters) as a full-time student. Less than full-time enrollment will be evaluated as stated in minimum number of hours. To graduate within this maximum period of 10 semesters, the following percentages of completed work are recommended: after 2 semesters, 20%; 4 semesters, 40%; 6 semesters, 60%; 8 semesters, 80%; and 10 semesters, 100%. Changing majors does not increase the length of eligibility for completion of the program or the number of hours (128) needed to graduate.

Minimum GPA: Students (all students - not just aid recipients) must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average based upon hours attempted as defined by the Scholastic Standards Committee and published in detail in the Student Handbook and the Academic Catalog.

Incompletes: Warren Wilson College allows two weeks into the following semester for a student to finalize an "incomplete". Satisfactory Academic Progress determination will be made following this two-week period. Failure to pass an incomplete can result in the immediate termination of aid retroactive to the first day of classes. (No credit is given for grades of WP or WF; however, a WF is computed in the GPA as an "F".) There are some grants and scholarships that cannot be fully awarded until a final cumulative GPA is calculated.

Repeats: The credits for a repeat class are counted only once toward graduation. The higher grade will be counted in the GPA. Aid will not be adjusted retroactively for lost credits from an earlier semester due to a repeated class. A repeated course must be taken as an addition to 12 other semester hours in the event that a higher grade is not earned. Aid recipients will not be paid for more than one repetition of a previously passed course.

Transfer Students: A transfer student is considered to be making satisfactory academic progress upon acceptance for admission. To prorate the remaining number of semesters of financial aid eligibility at Warren Wilson College, divide the number of hours accepted for transfer by 16 and subtract the results from 10 (semesters). The fraction is disregarded (dropped). Transfer students will be provided a minimum of two (2) semesters of aid eligibility to compensate for the College's academic residency requirement. ALL official academic transcripts must be on file with the WWC Registrar. All credits accepted for transfer will be applied to SAP.
(10 Semesters) - (# of Hours Transferred) /16 = Semesters of Remaining Eligibility

Continuing and Readmitted Students (who are also first-time aid recipients): The eligibility of these students will be based upon the academic performance of their most recent semester at Warren Wilson College.

Withdrawal during Term 1 or Term 3 Drop/Add: A student will be subject to the Withdrawal Policy but will not be penalized for failing to make Satisfactory Academic Progress. (Four-day drop/add period at the beginning of each semester.) Withdrawal from WWC after the Term 1 or 3 drop/add periods will result in a failure to make SAP since attempted credits were not passed (ie less than 12 credits passed)

Graduation (128 hours): Warren Wilson College has a commitment to assist with the completion of one degree and one major as long as the student remains eligible in all aspects. "A student who completes the academic requirements for a program but does not yet have the degree or certificate is not eligible for further Title IV aid for that program." (2010-11 Federal Aid Handbook, Volume 1, page 11)

Financial Aid Warning: The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) of all aid recipients will be reviewed at the end of each semester. The Financial Aid Office will look for the following: remain off of academic probation and pass a minimum of 12 credits which does not include course credits earned by a second repetition. Each aid recipient who fails to meet these minimum standards will receive a written warning which will allow him or her to continue to receive aid for one additional semester. All aid for which the recipient remains eligible will be renewed during a warning period. A "warning period" is an automatic status, does not require written appeal and is not available for two consecutive semesters.

Appeal for Financial Aid Probation: If, after the "warning period", the aid recipient has again failed to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), aid will be cancelled with the exception of work on campus (if a resident), private loans and private scholarships. However, an aid recipient may make a written appeal to the Director of Financial Aid for financial aid "probation". If the appeal is approved, all aid for which the recipient remains eligible will be renewed during the probationary period. An appeal form is available from the Financial Aid Office. NOTE: WWC honor and merit scholarships have minimum cumulative GPA requirements that exceed SAP. Once honor scholarships are lost, they are never renewed.

There are two types of financial aid probation that a student may receive. "Without an Academic Plan" will allow only one semester to make SAP. "With an Academic Plan" will allow a maximum of two consecutive semesters to make SAP. The Director of Financial Aid will determine which probationary status the student will be eligible to receive.

Financial Aid Probation Without an Academic Plan: A probationary period "Without an Academic Plan" is available for one semester only. This type of probation may be approved by the institution if it is determined that the student is capable of making SAP by the end of one probationary period. Failure to make SAP at the end of this one semester of probation will result in loss of aid eligibility for the next semester without appeal.

Financial Aid Probation With an Academic Plan: The Director of Financial Aid, with advice from the Registrar, will review the student's possibility of making SAP after two consecutive semesters of aid probation. If SAP can be accomplished, the student will be considered for probation "With an Academic Plan". The student making the written appeal would need to go one step further and provide a written academic plan along with the appeal for the two pending semesters of probation. If it is not possible for the student to make SAP after two consecutive semesters of aid probation, the appeal will be denied and the student will be ineligible for aid. If the two semesters of aid probation "with plan" are approved, aid can be lost after one semester if academic goals are not met or after two semesters if SAP and academic goals are not met. Guidance will be provided on the minimum requirements for an academic plan.

Lost Aid: If the Appeal for Probation Status is denied or the aid recipient fails to make SAP by the end of an approved probationary period, all aid will be lost with the exception of work on campus as a resident student, private loans and private scholarships. Lost aid includes, but is not limited to, Federal Direct Loans (Stafford and Parent PLUS), Pell Grants, WWC need-based grants and honor scholarships, SEOG, state grants, etc.

How to regain aid after it is lost: Aid is "lost" for a minimum of one semester if a student fails to make SAP after taking advantage of an automatic "warning" period followed by an appeal for a "probationary" period (approved or denied appeal). A continuing student who has exhausted financial aid warning and an appeal for probation has two options:

1) As a continuing student at Warren Wilson College, you can attend a semester at WWC without aid (full pay or private loan/scholarship) and reestablish Satisfactory Academic Progress by the end of that semester. If SAP is not made by the end of the semester, the student may make an appeal for probation; however, the appeal will not be approved if the student failed to show academic improvement OR cannot make SAP by the end of a semester of probation.

2) A continuing or readmitted student may take a semester off and return to appeal for probation "With an Academic Plan". Refer to the above "Financial Aid Probation With an Academic Plan".

What is different from previous SAP? Academic progress will be checked at the end of each semester rather than at the end of the year. Aid will pay for a class with a grade to be repeated only once without penalty. "Warning period" is automatic. "Probationary period" may be available through written appeal. Approval is not automatic for probationary appeals. The student must be able to make SAP after each approved probationary period. Missing credits cannot be made up in the following semester/summer.

Summary: To maintain "satisfactory academic progress" (SAP) at WWC you must remain off of academic probation; pass no less than 12 credits each semester; and, graduate within ten (10) semesters or 128 credits whichever comes first. Transfer/AP/IB credits will be included in the 10 semesters/128 credits. You may retroactively lose Federal aid if you fail to pass at least one class in a semester (in addition to academic suspension). All aid will be recalculated if your aid package is based upon full-time attendance and you fail to attend or begin attendance in at least 12 credit hours of classes.

SAP Standards are subject to change as necessary to remain in compliance with Federal Regulation.

02/08/2012