FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS For more information and additional frequently asked questions about financial assistance at Northwest, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/finaid. What is the Standard Scholarship Application and do I need to complete it?
The Standard Scholarship Application is intended for most major-specific scholarships (not including any performance-based scholarships). Students will be able to complete the application on CatPAWS after they have been accepted for Admission, available September 1. Students will be asked to provide activities they have participated in, honors they have received, positions they have held and provide short answers. Each student’s completed application, along with the necessary academic information, will be forwarded to the appropriate departments for evaluation and consideration. This standard scholarship application will not be required for the Admissions-Based Scholarships. If I lose my Distinguished Scholar Award, can I get it back?
Once you do not renew on the Distinguished Scholar Award (below a Northwest cumulative GPA of 3.50 and completion of 24 hours during the academic year), you cannot be reinstated in the Distinguished Scholar program. You may be eligible for the Northwest Scholar (3.30), Tower Scholar (3.40) or Academic Excellence Scholar (3.50), depending on your Northwest cumulative GPA and can continue to float within these scholarships as long as minimum renewal criteria are met. Can I receive my general University scholarship in the summer?
If you are enrolled full time (at least 12 hours), then you can receive the scholarship for the summer trimester by contacting financial aid at 660.562.1363.
Do I need to reapply each year to continue to receive any of the general scholarships?
General University scholarships are checked for meeting renewal criteria at the end of the spring trimester. If you meet the renewal criteria, the scholarship is automatically renewed for the next academic year. Those students attending summer will have an additional check at the end of the summer trimester. The summer trimester is the final determination in the award for the subsequent academic year. Students may view scholarships awarded through CatPAWS. I was not eligible for any general academic scholarships when I enrolled at Northwest. Are there any scholarships that I might receive the next year?
If you complete 24 credit hours during the fall and spring trimesters with a Northwest cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher, you will automatically receive the University Scholar Award in the amount of $500 ($250 per trimester) for the next academic year. You also will be eligible for the Nonresident Award and either the Midwest Student Exchange Program or the Out-of-State Award. (See pg. 10 or 12.) There also are departmental scholarships available that require an application. (See the website www. nwmissouri.edu/finaid for specific eligibility criteria, deadline dates and applications.) Will my GPA affect the Pell Grant and loans I receive?
To be eligible to receive federal, state and some private student aid, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate. To be considered making satisfactory quantitative progress, undergraduate students must pass at least 75% of the cumulative credit
hours which they have attempted and have a cumulative GPA of 1.75 for first time freshmen and 2.00 cumulative GPA for sophomores, juniors or seniors. Failure to meet the appropriate completion rate at the end of the trimester will result in the student being placed on financial aid probation status for the next term. Failure to meet the appropriate completion rate by the end of the probationary term will result in the loss of eligibility for all types of federal aid until the deficiency is removed. For more information and academic progress petition, see Academic Progress at the following website: www.nwmissouri.edu/finaid/ forms.htm Why was my loan adjusted when I reported a private scholarship?
We are obligated by law to include all sources of student assistance in the financial aid package. In order to receive a subsidized loan, there must be calculated need. With the addition of an outside resource such as a scholarship, the subsidized need may be reduced. How do I get a job on campus?
Start looking for jobs during the summer before classes begin in the fall. Fall positions are posted to the website beginning approximately the third week of June. Jobs continue to be posted throughout the entire year. Most departments will have a specific application and interview process. Once hired, you are paid for hours worked on a monthly basis. Both regular employment and work study eligible students will receive a paycheck, paid directly to the student; the amount is not applied directly to your University account. Job postings can be found at the following website: www.nwmissouri.edu/hr/ student/jobs
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
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