Do you know of any federal policy that says you can't have federal aid after 120 credit hours?

Question

The college I am attending has decided to not give me my fianancial aid & student loans for 2008-09 year.I have 225 credit hours.They limit aid to 120 cr. hours for a BS degree.My old 1985AS degree transferred to the college.My appeal didn't work. I am 48 years old and have48 credits to finish for my BS Pub.Health Adm.(2 more yrs.) The fin. aid gave me a unilaterial decision to put me in Gen. Studies BS degree( a golified HS degree)very useless. I have been a nurse tech in health field for many years.Now I want to go into Administration.They have shattered my dreams.I must do it their way or pay for the next 2yrs out of pocket. Any lawyers out there listening? I am told its policy. do other colleges do this or just this one in NortheastTennessee?Any suggestions? I was awarded my FSFA and loans for the upcoming college year,but, this college will not give them to me.

Answer 1

wow thats a lot of credits.

either way i dont they can. i know lots of ppl at my college who had over 120 credits cuz they took filler classes waiting for the classes that they needed, or they transferred in. so they still got some kind of aid. tho they did lose their scholarships because they were only good for 4 years. so federal aid should still be available. i would try to contact fafsa and ask them if its possible, or try contacting your higher education commision in your state to see what they say. if they say its the state policy then your out of luck, but hopefully thats not the case.

the school probably rather give your aid to other students, and just dont want to keep having to pay your aid. if thats the case then you  should have legal right to fight for your aid.

Answer 2

I think it depends on each individual school. My university's financial aid policy states that aid can only be obtained  to 1.5x the amount of credits needed for graduation. You must be making satisfactory progress toward a degree and they only give you a "safety net" of about 75 credit hours above the 120 needed to graduate.

With 225 credit hours, have you thought about applying for graduation for a degree which you qualify for (pehaps liberal studies)? Your remaining credits and general education credits then should transfer into a second bachelors degree in Pub. Health Adm. Then you would end up with two degrees instead of just one. You would then qualify for new financial aid because you would be obtaining a new second degree. Then all of those extra credit hours would not be wasted and the second degree would look great on a resume. Good luck!