| 20 • Writing (English) Placement Test – optional for those students who scored below 19 on ACT English or 470 on SAT Critical Reading. This test can be taken if a student wishes to improve his/her course placement or eliminate an English course which would not earn graduation credit. Placement tests may be attempted twice but must be completed before the semester begins. Students are not eligible for placement testing after beginning any MATW, MATH, or ENGL course.
Learning Communities Dr. Eric Gumm, Director ACU Box 29104; Abilene, Texas 79699-9104 Hardin Administration Building, Room 305 Phone: 325-674-2212 Email: fyp@acu.edu Web: www.acu.edu/fyp A Learning Community is a set of classes grouped around a common theme. For example, a community on the theme of “The Power of the Word” might include Bible, English and speech courses or the theme of “Being Counter-Cultural People” might include Bible, English and Sociology courses. While the course content will not be parallel for the entire semester, the teachers of these courses will work together to help students recognize and understand how the knowledge gained in each course relates to the learning that is going on in the other courses. Some Learning Communities may plan special group service projects or identify other opportunities to learn while doing. Depending on the courses in the community, most groups will include 25-35 students. When a student enrolls in a Learning Community that automatically enrolls him or her in all of the classes in that community. Learning Communities are designed to help students: • • • • •
become involved in college more quickly become acquainted with other students form student study groups learn more about a topic of interest enhance learning by seeing connections among classes
Financial Information Phone: 325-674-2300 888-588-6083 Fax: 325-674-6850 Email: depot@acu.edu Web: www.acu.edu/sfs Abilene Christian University is a non-profit institution. All funds from student charges are spent to provide services related to the university’s educational mission. Other funds for operational expenses come from endowments and gifts from concerned individuals and organizations. As a policy, auxiliary operations such as cafeterias, housing and bookstores are self-supporting. The Board of Trustees has charged the chief financial officer and his/her designees with the responsibility of enforcing all regulations for student accounts. If a student is of legal age, he or she is deemed to be the primary party liable for his or her financial obligation. A schedule of costs detailing current tuition, fees, meal plans, and residence halls may be found at: www.acu.edu/costs.
Financial Aid Abilene Christian University maintains a comprehensive program of financial aid, including financial planning and consultation to help students and their families meet the expenses of a college education. Appointments with our financial aid specialists are made through the Depot. The primary responsibility of financing a college education rests upon students and their families. Assistance from ACU and other sources should be considered as supplementary to the primary responsibility of the student and the family. ACU strives to supplement students’ needs by awarding a combination of grants, scholarships, loans and work-study for eligible students. ACU attempts to distribute all financial aid resources in an equitable manner and follow the guidelines established for federal, state, and institutional funds. Financial aid application forms are available online. Students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) found at www.fafsa.gov. ACU forms are at: www.acu.edu/depot. These forms should be submitted by March 1 for fall enrollment and by November 1 for spring enrollment. Late applicants may find that certain forms of grant and scholarship funds are depleted by the time their applications are submitted to the Student Financial Services Office. Satisfactory Academic Progress Students must make satisfactory academic progress in order to maintain eligibility for financial aid. The minimum acceptable cumulative grade point average requirements are 2.0 for undergraduate students and 3.0 for graduate students. Additionally, all students must earn a cumulative minimum of 75 percent of the hours attempted. Satisfactory academic progress is generally measured once each year at the end of the spring semester. If a student fails to meet the requirements during the fall and spring semesters, summer courses may be counted in order to determine eligibility for aid. Students who fail to meet the satisfactory academic progress standards for financial aid may file an appeal at: www.acu.edu/sfs/appeal. The appeal must be filed prior to the start of the term for which financial aid has been denied. If a student withdraws from the university after being declared ineligible for aid, the student is required to file an appeal for aid at the point of readmission. Only approved appeals will be deemed eligible for financial aid. Work-Study/Student Employment Students who desire a part-time job to assist in meeting their financial obligations are encouraged to check the job postings at: www.acu.edu/campusoffices/hr/employment, my.ACU.edu classified ads, and also to inquire at area businesses. Work-study awards are not