Denied Financial Aid Because of 182 Credits.

[bjcheung77]

Someone made a mistake in the department, I repeat what I mentioned in post #18: "If I'm reviewing your account correctly, I don't see that a bachelor's degree has been earned at a prior institution so requirements are not met for financial aid."

Respond to them immediately, you're going for your first degree and that's the reason you need financial aid. What other requirements are needed to get financial aid? Individuals apply for financial aid to finish their degree, I'm confused why I need a degree in the first place before I get financial aid.

[Hotdogman1]

The requirements can be found directly from FAFSA. If you meet these requirements, you should qualify for Financial aid. (https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/el...quirements). 

“A grant is a form of financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid” (https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types) “Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree.” (https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell) Therefore, an associate’s degree would not affect Pell Grant/Financial Aid eligibility. Additionally, since ACE credits only “provides recommendations on college credit to be received” and does not award a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree, any amount of ACE credits on a transcript would not affect Pell Grant/Financial Aid eligibility.

“If I'm reviewing your account correctly, I don't see that a bachelor's degree has been earned at a prior institution so requirements are not met for financial aid.” This statement is absolutely ridiculous. So, is this person is stating to receive financial aid for a bachelor’s, you have to have a bachelor’s to qualify for financial aid? However, “Once you have earned a bachelor’s degree or your first professional degree, or you’ve used up all 12 semesters of your eligibility, you are no longer eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant.” (https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answe...pell-grant) With that logic, it would be impossible for ANYONE to qualify for Pell Grant since the bachelor’s “requirement” would immediately disqualify EVERYONE. Even if that was true, not having a bachelor's wouldn’t deny other forms of financial aid such as direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans. "Direct Subsidized Loans are available to undergraduate students with financial need" and “Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available to both undergraduates and graduate or professional degree students. You are not required to show financial need to receive a Direct Unsubsidized Loan.” (https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/ty...subsidized)

In my opinion, I think you are somehow emailing the UMPI call center people. Please call UMPI directly and do not continue this email chain with this person.

[Adam54321]

Someone made a mistake in the department, I repeat what I mentioned in post #18:  "If I'm reviewing your account correctly, I don't see that a bachelor's degree has been earned at a prior institution so requirements are not met for financial aid."

Respond to them immediately, you're going for your first degree and that's the reason you need financial aid. What other requirements are needed to get financial aid? Individuals apply for financial aid to finish their degree, I'm confused why I need a degree in the first place before I get financial aid.

I am in good standing with all colleges. 

I have responded. 

I have also contacted ACE, Coursera, etc., letting them know my situation. Hopefully, someone will reply. 

I sincerely appreciate you and the others in this forum for helping in my journey so far.

---

The requirements can be found directly from FAFSA. If you meet these requirements, you should qualify for Financial aid. (https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/el...quirements). 

“A grant is a form of financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid” (https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types) “Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree.” (https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell) Therefore, an associate’s degree would not affect Pell Grant/Financial Aid eligibility. Additionally, since ACE credits only “provides recommendations on college credit to be received” and does not award a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree, any amount of ACE credits on a transcript would not affect Pell Grant/Financial Aid eligibility.

“If I'm reviewing your account correctly, I don't see that a bachelor's degree has been earned at a prior institution so requirements are not met for financial aid.” This statement is absolutely ridiculous. So, is this person is stating to receive financial aid for a bachelor’s, you have to have a bachelor’s to qualify for financial aid? However, “Once you have earned a bachelor’s degree or your first professional degree, or you’ve used up all 12 semesters of your eligibility, you are no longer eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant.” (https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answe...pell-grant) With that logic, it would be impossible for ANYONE to qualify for Pell Grant since the bachelor’s “requirement” would immediately disqualify EVERYONE. Even if that was true, not having a bachelor's wouldn’t deny other forms of financial aid such as direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans. "Direct Subsidized Loans are available to undergraduate students with financial need" and “Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available to both undergraduates and graduate or professional degree students. You are not required to show financial need to receive a Direct Unsubsidized Loan.” (https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/ty...subsidized)

In my opinion, I think you are somehow emailing the UMPI call center people. Please call UMPI directly and do not continue this email chain with this person.

Thank you for your post, I will review and apply each point you made as it applies to my situation. Thank you for the details you have provided. 
UMPI states because I have 182 credits and have not received a bachelor's degree, I don't qualify for financial aid. I understand your statement regarding this. I have sent emails to several organizations and ACE. I will look into the other financial aid options, but it seems I have been denied.

[Hotdogman1]

There is no point in contacting those other organizations (ACE, Coursera, etc) since they can do absolutely nothing for you.

"Your college uses your FAFSA data to determine your federal aid eligibility." (https://studentaid.gov/h/understand-aid/how-aid-works). The source of the error can be from your FAFSA Application, government (issues with SNN, Tax Returns, Etc.) and UMPI. It's quite obvious that UMPI is wrong here but that doesn't mean there could be other errors. You're supposed to call your University's Financial Aid department to get this sorted out.

If you're not willing to directly call UMPI, just apply at one of the other schools on this forum. Since the schools themselves decide based on your FAFSA info and most schools are independent of each other, different financial aid offers can be expected at separate universities. i.e. A Financial aid denial at UMPI would not influence the offer decision at any other school in America (except maybe those in the University of Maine system?). So either call UMPI or move on.

[ss20ts]

Thank you for your post, I will review and apply each point you made as it applies to my situation. Thank you for the details you have provided. 
UMPI states because I have 182 credits and have not received a bachelor's degree, I don't qualify for financial aid. I understand your statement regarding this. I have sent emails to several organizations and ACE. I will look into the other financial aid options, but it seems I have been denied.

I've asked this before but you haven't responded. Have you called the financial aid office at UMPI? Who knows who you're emailing. Clearly there's a miscommunication. Many of us have transferred that many credits or more to UMPI and still received financial aid.

[dy4242]

I'm thinking of paying the entire lot on my credit card, it'll be an extra 2.95% though... They have payment plans, you can split this into 3 payments... However, you missed the deadline, so you can only split it into two now...

Side note - I just paid my tuition today for the Summer II term at TAMUC - no additional fee for credit card payment! Racked up 5x points on the credit card!

[AirborneAgent]

180 is the maximum number of credits for financial aid, and transfer credits count against it.  Every school must set a policy on what their limit is, and this is UMPI's.  You can find this under any school's Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.  That's the downside to recommending people take all these alternative credit routes and transfer in a bunch of unneeded credits, they will disqualify you from financial aid.

LINK TO UMPI POLICY

[ss20ts]

180 is the maximum number of credits for financial aid, and transfer credits count against it.  Every school must set a policy on what their limit is, and this is UMPI's.  You can find this under any school's Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.  That's the downside to recommending people take all these alternative credit routes and transfer in a bunch of unneeded credits.  They will disqualify you from financial aid.

LINK TO UMPI POLICY

I had over 180 transfer credits and received financial aid at UMPI without a problem. The OP didn't answer many of the questions asked so who knows what really happened.

I don't see people saying to transfer in a bunch of unneeded credits. I see people inform posters about what exactly they need for their UMPI degree. UMPI accepts pretty much every credit one has ever completed, but that doesn't mean that they're applicable to a degree program.

[AirborneAgent]

I had over 180 transfer credits and received financial aid at UMPI without a problem. The OP didn't answer many of the questions asked so who knows what really happened.

I don't see people saying to transfer in a bunch of unneeded credits. I see people inform posters about what exactly they need for their UMPI degree. UMPI accepts pretty much every credit one has ever completed, but that doesn't mean that they're applicable to a degree program.

It's not necessarily here on DegreeForum, but I've seen people on Reddit and Discord talking about taking every Sophia course and several Coursera courses for no reason.

I am not sure why UMPI decided to enforce their policy on the OP but not you.  Maybe they changed their policy recently, but their current policy to qualify for federal financial aid is a maximum of 180 credits.  The link to this policy is in my post above.  It also states transfer credits count against the 180 credit max, which matches most universities' 150% rule.  It does not matter if the credit counts toward an applicable degree program, the credits still count against the 180 max.

A fix could be to go into Credly and reject the unnecessary badges, but I am not sure if UMPI would remove them once they have received a transcript showing them.  If not, the student could file an appeal with the school, but Title IV funds have a lot of restrictions on them.

[MuneebAzhar]

Is it possible for international students to get an aid or any scholarship for your pace program as far as I know I think there's no financial aid available but I don't know about scholarships so if anyone knows about it please share