Phi Theta Kappa to Induct New Members
Toys for Tots Brings Holiday Cheer
PTK hosts their first Phi Theta Kappa induction ceremony since 2019.
Toys for Tots bins, located in the Tutoring Center, now accepting donations.
Located on Page 3
Located on Page 6
The
Chronicle
at WVU Parkersburg
Volume #47 No. 6
THURSDAY, Nov. 16, 2023
Financial Aid Changes Abound
by Nick Riggs During a tough semester, students may want to drop their classes, but it is important to know the effects that has on their path to graduation. Dropping a class can affect a student’s academic progress and their financial aid. Financial Aid such as the FAFSA and scholarships may be affected when dropping a class during the semester. Most financial aid programs, such as federal grants and loans have a minimum credit hour requirement to maintain eligibility. Dropping a class can decrease your credit hours and make you ineligible to receive financial aid. Financial aid programs have Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), students must meet the SAP to continue to receive financial aid. WVU Parkersburg’s standards include maintaining a 2.0 GPA and completing 67 percent of attempted credits. When withdrawing from classes, it is important to consider the requirements for financial aid. Another thing to consider is the return of Title IV funds. If a student receives federal financial aid and withdraws from their classes, the school may be required to return a portion of the aid to the government. This can result in a student owing money to the school or government.
Not only is federal financial aid impacted when dropping classes, scholarships are too. Scholarships from WVU Parkersburg and outside organizations may have specific requirements, such as maintaining a full course load or achieving a minimum GPA. Withdrawing from a class can have effects on earning scholarship money. If a student’s withdrawal is due to medical issues or external reasons, they may be able to appeal for a reduction of financial aid. Students can provide medical documents or other paperwork to explain their reasoning for withdrawing from their classes. For students who feel dropping a class is necessary, it is critical that they speak to the Financial Aid office here at WVU Parkersburg. The financial aid office can provide guidance on the specific impact on a student’s financial aid and help them understand the steps to take without having any negative effects. Recently, a change has been made to the federal aid regulations. Students will only receive financial aid for classes that count toward a student’s declared major. Filler classes, not part of one's program, to gain extra credit hours will no longer be supplemented by federal financial aid. It is important to determine which classes are a part of a student’s
Course Program of Study (CPoS). Taking classes that are not in a student’s CPoS can reduce the overall financial aid package. Students at WVU Parkersburg who are not sure of their CPoS can find their courses in their MyDegree located in OLSIS. You can also reach out to your adivor. The FAFSA release date has been extnded. The FAFSA is normally available by Oct. 1. However, the FAFSA Simplification has caused a delay and the FAFSA will not be released until December, the specific date is unknown. Federal law requires it to be released before Dec. 31. Students should monitor their WVUP email for updates.
Graphic by McKenzie Stalnaker