Financial Aid

[Agapegirl]

NAP- I signed up for Common Knowledge, and I emailed them asking if the scholarships applied for CLEP tests separate from college tuition. They said they weren't sure, but they didn't think so. Have you used them for CLEP costs or do you know anyone who has used them for that? I am not enrolled in a college, so I want to know if I can use it before I spend time taking quizzes. Really appreciate the help!!

[EI2HCB]

Here's how its worked for me, this has been answered on the forum a few years ago so we'll go for a refresher answer! You sign up half time / Full time at a college. For example the New Mexico Community College were it costs 2500 for 18 credits (you fill in the blanks I'm getting rusty) your Pell grant for 12 credits (full time) is $3000. you have $500 left over and they cut you a check about a month after its awarded. You can use this as you see fit including CLEPs. Since I'm enrolled in Excelsior and taking 6 credits this semester I got a pell grant of $1411.00 for being enrolled for 6 credits. This was used up to pay for my classes. I got a Presidents Scholarship of $750 for destitute students. This killed the extra grant FSEOG which I got from FAFSA due to having low income so my scholarship was a benefit of $250 to me. I have stafford loans kicking in as detailed below which means they'll "refund" me what is left over from paying for classes. This is for me to use for living expenses while I'm enrolled full time. Once I drop below full time (this Saturday) I'll get a notice to complete an exit counseling and then I've got six months either to repay the loan without interest or wait six months and begin paying on it in installments. You could use your stafford loans for CLEPs but you have to repay them. I'm repaying mine in about two months time with the checks they refunded me.


3/04/2014 DLSTAFFUN-SP_15WK(2013-2014) 2-1 -$990.00 -$990.00
03/04/2014 0 DLSTAFFSUB-SP_15WK(2013-2014) 2-1 -$742.00 -$742.00
02/12/2014 /0 REFUND $720.00 $0.00
02/10/2014 0 PARTNERSHI-SP_15WK(2013-2014) 1-1 -$720.00 $0.00
02/10/2014 0 REFUND $983.00 $0.00
02/06/2014 /0 PELL GRANT-SP_15WK(2013-2014) 1-1 -$1,411.00 $0.00
02/04/2014 7/0 DLSTAFFSUB-SP_15WK(2013-2014) 1-1 -$742.00 $0.00
02/04/2014 /0 DLSTAFFUN-SP_15WK(2013-2014) 1-1 -$990.00 $0.00

[Westerner]

Just to throw in my experience with TESC. There, you have to take at least 6 credits at a time to qualify for the Pell Grant at all. And that's a good number to take. You can take more than that, but if you just take 6, all your course tuition for those 6 credits will be covered by the Grant, and you'll have about $30 left over, for which they'll mail you a check.

[NAP]

NAP- I signed up for Common Knowledge, and I emailed them asking if the scholarships applied for CLEP tests separate from college tuition. They said they weren't sure, but they didn't think so. Have you used them for CLEP costs or do you know anyone who has used them for that? I am not enrolled in a college, so I want to know if I can use it before I spend time taking quizzes. Really appreciate the help!!

I just found the site last month. From reading the rules and FAQs on the website, it looks like they want to send the money to a college, so that won't help with CLEP. They will give you up to one year after you graduate from high school to claim the scholarship you won. If you think you will be enrolling in college by then and will have enrollment/course/graduation expenses, I would expect those to be applicable for the scholarship money.

The quizzes can take quite a bit of prep time, so it will be important to decide if the chance of winning is worth the effort.

[Agapegirl]

Thank you everyone for the info on Pell grants and qualifications for that! I will be using this information in the future. NAP- That's what I thought. Thanks so much for your time and info!

[NAP]

Thank you everyone for the info on Pell grants and qualifications for that! I will be using this information in the future. NAP- That's what I thought. Thanks so much for your time and info!

I hope you'll still give the quizzes a try and see what you think of them.

[Agapegirl]

I just might do that! They look a little fun, too!

[NAP]

I hope more forum members will give the quizzes a try. I know one of them is currently in the lead for the Exodus quiz!!!

That was so close!!! A member of this forum placed third in last week's scholarship quiz. The member did a fantastic job by getting all of the questions correct, but just missed winning by less than one minute in the final score.

Here is the link again to check it out: Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation (CKSF) No Essays, No Applications, No GPA Requirements, Just Scholarships!

[NAP]

That was so close!!! A member of this forum placed third in last week's scholarship quiz. The member did a fantastic job by getting all of the questions correct, but just missed winning by less than one minute in the final score.

Here is the link again to check it out: Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation (CKSF) No Essays, No Applications, No GPA Requirements, Just Scholarships!

Another heartbreakingly close result - missed by only 7 seconds! Keep up the great work!!!

[NAP]

That was so close!!! A member of this forum placed third in last week's scholarship quiz. The member did a fantastic job by getting all of the questions correct, but just missed winning by less than one minute in the final score.

Here is the link again to check it out: Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation (CKSF) No Essays, No Applications, No GPA Requirements, Just Scholarships!

My turn - I just missed the winning score by 11 seconds! It is tough to be fast and accurate, but I'll keep trying!