Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Costs

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Office of Admission
P.O. Box 9000
Warren Wilson College
Asheville, NC 28815-9000

Toll-Free: 1-800-934-3536
Local: 1-828-771-2073
Fax: 1-828-298-1440

Admission Email:
admit@warren-wilson.edu
Financial Aid Email:
financialaid@warren-wilson.edu

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Kathy Passmore Pack
Director of Financial Aid

Kathy Pack Address:
WWC CPO 6342
PO Box 9000
Asheville, NC 28815-9000

Phone: 828.771.2082

Email: kpack@warren-wilson.edu

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Introduction

A college education is valuable for many reasons, but for some, the cost seems to make it unattainable.

At Warren Wilson College, we understand the challenge in meeting the costs associated with obtaining a quality higher eduction. Therefore, we consider a variety of information before we put together a student's financial aid award.

On this page, we describe how our financial aid program helps many qualified students enroll...and graduate.

Financial Aid

When considering financial aid for a student, we (and the Federal Government) make several assumptions:

A student and family are responsible for contributing what they can of a student's college costs. Financial aid is a supplement, not a substitution. What the family can fund is determined by the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for federal and state aid. FAFSA, in combination with the Warren Wilson Financial Aid and Scholarship Application (WWFASA), is also used to determine eligibility for institutional need-based aid.

All students must help pay for their education through our Work Program. We will consider you for all forms of federal, state, and institutional (Warren Wilson) aid programs in addition to your participation in our Work Program.

How to Apply for Need-Based Financial Aid

You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov any time after January 1.

Prior to completing the FAFSA on the web, you and one parent must apply for your PIN online at www.pin.edu.gov or you may have the PIN assigned at the same time as you complete the FAFSA. This is a Personal Identification Number (electronic signature). The same PIN will be used each year to complete the FAFSA, make corrections online. As such, your PIN should be safeguarded for use in subsequent years. The same PIN may be used as your electronic signature online for educational loans.

It is important that you complete the form as accurately as possible using information from a completed 2009 Federal Income Tax Return. (Keep a copy of your and your parents' Federal Tax Return as it may be required at a later date by the Financial Aid Office at Warren Wilson College.) If at all possible, file the FAFSA by mid-February. List Warren Wilson on the form as one of your selected institutions. The address and code are Asheville, NC--002979

Complete the attached Warren Wilson Financial Aid and Scholarship Application (WWFASA) at the same time and return it to the Admission Office by March 15th, 2010.

If you have been accepted for admission to the College, a financial aid award will be sent to you within three weeks of receiving the SAR (FAFSA results), our WWFASA, and all verification materials, if requested.

Application that you can print out.

What To Do After You Receive Your Award

To validate the Financial Aid Award, you must sign and return one copy of the Financial Aid Award letter within three weeks. If you are accepting the loans you must also complete a Master Promissory Note (www.dlenote.ed.gov) and Entrance Counseling (www.dl.ed.gov). If you wish to decline the offered student loan, cross off the item and initial it.
Warren Wilson College participates in the Federal Direct Loan program (www.direct.ed.gov). Federal education loans are not available through banks or credit unions. NOTE: Any fi nancial aid offered is contingent upon the College's receipt of all fi nal offi cial transcripts (high school and any college previously attended.)

NOTE: Financial aid offered is dependent upon the college's receipt of all final official transcripts. (high school and any college previously attended.)

Warren Wilson Scholarships

Warren Wilson College is unique in its mission of academics, work and service. The philosophy behind our scholarship program is to recognize achievement in one or more of these areas. Therefore, need is not a factor when considering these scholarships. If you are chosen for a scholarship, it will be combined with your financial aid package.

Warren Wilson offers a number of special scholarships each year. All scholarships are awarded by the Admission Office. All materials for these scholarships must be submitted and received by March 15, 2010.

Merit Scholarships

Scholarships for First-Year Students include:

Valedictorian / Salutatorian Scholarships of $4,000 per year will be given to students who graduate first or second in their class.

National Merit Scholars Finalist will receive $4,000 per year. Students must be selected by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and show proof of their selection.

NC Presidential Scholarships of $4,000 per year will be given to North Carolina residents who graduate in the top twenty percent of the graduating class, and have SAT scores greater than 1100 (CR / M) or ACT scores greater than 24. These scholarships will automatically go to the first thirty qualified students when they are accepted.

Work Scholarships / Service Scholarships

$2,000 Work Scholarships will be given to two students who bring special, needed skills to the Work Program.

$2,000 Service Scholarships will be given to two students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in service to their community.

$2,000 Sustainability Scholarships will be given to two students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in both awareness and action towards a healthier planet.

Honor Scholarships

Several scholarships are awarded based on a scholarship competition and come in varying amounts. The names of these scholarships, application process, and their amounts are listed below.

Note: Warren Wilson Competitive Honor, Work or Service Scholarships may not be combined. In other words, one student will not be awarded more than one of these scholarships. (However, you may apply for more than one WWC scholarship.) Scholarships will be combined with need-based financial aid.

Students only interested in need-based aid should follow the procedures outlined previously. To apply for scholarships, please follow the instructions below.

*Students must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA, continuous attendance and pass at least 12 credit hours each semester in order to retain each scholarship from year to year for a maximum of 5 years (10 semesters). If a scholarship is lost due to not maintaining these requirements, it cannot be reinstated.

How To Apply For Scholarships

To be considered for competitive honor, work or service scholarships, the Warren Wilson Financial Aid and Scholarship Application (WWFASA) must be received in the Admission Office by March 15. Please include the specific scholarship materials requested below with your Financial Aid and Scholarship Application. The Scholarship Committee will meet shortly thereafter, and scholarship winners will be notified by April 1.

Specific Scholarship Requirements:

Academic/Honor Scholarships — These scholarships are awarded based on a variety of criteria. To be considered, we recommend at least the following: a GPA of 3.80 or higher (transfer scholarships are awarded based on college grade point average and a minimum of 16 hours transfer credit), an advanced or college prep curriculum, two written recommendations attesting to your academic ability, and an essay of no more than 250 words. We would like for you to address your academic goals in your essay. Recommendations used for admission may also be used for scholarship consideration.

Work Scholarships — These are awarded to students who have demonstrated a particular skill (i.e. locksmithing, computer repair) and who will contribute greatly to our Work Program. To be considered, please provide us with a log of your work skills, two written recommendations attesting to your work ethic, and a 100 word essay citing why you feel you deserve the work scholarship.

Service Scholarships — These are awarded to students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills within the community and who have been involved in some form of volunteer activity (i.e. Habitat for Humanity, church groups). To be considered, please provide us with a log of your activities, two written recommendations attesting to your hard work, and a 100 word essay citing why you feel you deserve the service scholarship.

Sustainability Scholarships —These are awarded to students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in both awareness and action towards a healthier planet. To be considered, please submit a 250 word essay citing why you feel you deserve the scholarship. Supplemental materials (pictures, videos, newspaper articles, awards, recommendations, etc...) may also be considered, but are not required.

The WWFASA, materials, and references may either be mailed or faxed to the College and must be received by March 15. Please plan accordingly

Warren Wilson College
Office of Admission
P. O. Box 9000
Asheville, NC 28815-9000
FAX (828) 298-1440

Types of Financial Aid Assistance and Scholarships:

Name of Program or Award Source Number Amount Requirements
Wilson Honor Scholarship College 1 $8,000/yr. Academic Merit
Warner Honor Scholarship College 2 $7,000/yr. Academic Merit
Transfer Honor Scholarship College 4 Varies/yr. Academic Merit (3.8 College GPA)
Sutton Honor and Achievement Scholarship College 20 $Varies Academic Merit
WWC Work Scholarship College 2 $2,000/yr. Extraordinary Work
WWC Service Scholarship College 2 $2,000/yr. Extraordinary Service
WWC Sustainabilty Scholarship College 2 $2,000/yr. Extraordinary Efforts
National Merit Scholar College/NMSC Unlimited $4000/yr. National Merit Scholar
Valedictorian/Salutatorian Scholarship College 10 $4000/yr. Number 1 or 2 in class
NC Presidential Scholarship College 30 $4000/yr. NC Resident Top 20% and 1100 (CR / M) SAT/24 ACT
NC Legislative Tuition Grant North Carolina Unlimited $1,950/yr. NC Resident
NC State Student Incentive Grant North Carolina Varies Up to $700 NC Resident/ need, early aid applicants
NC Contractual Grant North Carolina Limited Varies w/ need NC Resident
NC Lottery Grant North Carolina Limited Up to $2,500/yr NC Resident, high need, early aid applicants
Presbyterian Scholarship College/PCUSA 1 Up to $1,400 Designated by PCUSA
Presbyterian Matching Grant College Unlimited Up to $500 Matches grant given by a Presby.Church
Presbyterian Minister Grant College Unlimited $1000/yr. Dependent of a Presbyterian Minister
Federal Pell Grant Federal Govt. Unlimited Up to $5,350 High Need
Federal SEOG Federal Govt. Limited Varies Pell recipients with high need
Federal Stafford Loan-Subsidized Federal Govt. Unlimited $5,500 First yr. $6,500 Soph yr. $7,500 Jr and Sr yr. Repay over 10 years
Federal Stafford Loan-Unsubsidized Federal Govt. Same as Subsidized Same As Subsidized Interest accrues while in college
Federal Perkins Loan Federal Govt. Limited Up to $4,000 Pell recipients with high need
Federal PLUS Loans Federal Govt. Unlimited Up to COA Made to parents
ACG Federal Govt. Unlimited $750 to $1,300/yr Pell receipents in the 1st and 2nd year who meet ACG requirements
SMART Federal Govt. Unlimited $4,000/yr Pell recipients in the 3rd and 4th year who meet SMART requirements
WWC Work Program Compensation College Unlimited $3,480/yr. All full time enrolled residential students

Commonly Asked Questions

When should I apply for aid? As soon as you can accurately complete the FAFSA (after January 1). Ideally, you should do your taxes first, but that is not always possible. Student Aid Reports (SAR's) received from admitted students before April 1 receive preference.

How do I apply for aid? Accurately complete the FAFSA online. The WWC code is 002979. Next, send us the completed WWFASA available from the WWC Admission Office.

Where can I get the forms I need? The FAFSA is on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Click here for a PDF of the WWFASA.

Who determines how much aid I get? First the federal government. They have established the basic formula called Federal Methodology. When we receive your FAFSA results, it will include your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). We subtract your EFC from the total cost of attending Warren Wilson. This gives us your federal need, and allows us to put together your financial aid award or package.

What is a "Financial Aid Package"? Your financial aid package is the different types of financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans, and work) put together to form your award. Most Warren Wilson students have a combination of grants, loan and work in their packages. The amount of institutional gift aid in proportion to loan is determined primarily by your level of need and loan eligibility, your successful application for non-need-based grants/scholarships (church/community) and your academic performance. Even with a high need a WWC need based grant may not be awarded to a student with poor academic performance in high school or at a previous college.

What happens after my first year? You will reapply for aid each year using the same forms. Aid changes year to year based upon changes in the family situation and increases in college expenses. Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards will also apply.

Who do I go to with questions? The Admission Staff is trained to answer the majority of your financial aid questions. The number for the Admission Office is 800.934.3536. However, when a question is particularly technical, it will be forwarded to the Financial Aid Office. Also, you may email the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@warren-wilson.edu or call them at 828.771.2082.

Important Dates

November 15 - Early Decision application deadline
December 1 - Early Decision notification
December 20 - Early Decision deposit deadline
February 1 - Acceptances mailed
February 15 - Regular Decision application deadline
March 15 - (WWFAFA) Honor and Competitive Scholarship application deadline receipt
April 1 - Financial aid priority handling deadline
May 1 - Deposit deadline (received by)

Useful Websites

www.fafsa.ed.gov (electronic FAFSA form)
www.studentaid.ed.gov (General information site)
www.pin.ed.gov (apply for electronic signature)
www.cfnc.org (for North Carolina Students)

Financial Aid Glossary

FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Form required by the federal government that helps determine your aid eligibility.

Gift Aid - Money you do not repay - scholarships, grants or entitlements.

Need - The difference between the college tuition and how much you can afford, calculated annually, based on the FAFSA and WWFASA analysis.

SAR - Student Aid Report. You receive this after filing the FAFSA.

Scholarship - Money that is awarded to a student based only on merit (usually academic merit). Need is not considered when awarding scholarships.

Self-Help Aid - Money the student earns or repays.

Student Loan - Money that is borrowed to help pay for your education and must be repaid. (Normally at low interest rates after you leave college.)

Work Program Compensation - All resident students attending Warren Wilson can earn $3,480 per year for the work they do at the College.

WWFASA - Warren Wilson Financial Aid and Scholarship Application. This form is required if you want to be considered for institutional aid from the College.

Costs for 2010-2011

Tuition and Fees: $25,626
Room and Board: $8,028
Total Cost: $33,654
Minus Work Compensation: $3,480 credit
Tuition, Room, and Board Cost after work compensation: $30,174
Fall Orientation Fee: $250
Security Deposit: $200
Lab fees, field trips, private lessons Varies
(Off-Campus Day Student Fee per semester) $500

Warren Wilson College does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, or financial aid programs. The tuition refund policy can be found in the Warren Wilson College Catalog.