Financial Aid Changes

 The Rules are Changing:

Beginning now, Federal Financial Aid regulations are changing and these changes may affect how students pay for their college education.

Federal Financial Aid is awarded to students with the understanding that students will successfully complete the semester. Not successfully completing any or all of your classes may result in your financial aid funds needing to be returned.  

If you are a student who decides to withdraw from a class or receives anything other than a passing grade in a class, TCC is required to run a calculation and determine if we must return some or all of your financial aid funds to the Department of Education.  This often leaves a student with a balance owed to TCC that must be repaid. For this reason, it is crucial that all students who receive any type of financial aid visit with both an academic advisor and a financial aid advisor before withdrawing from a class or if they feel they are not doing well in a class.

Think About Your Future!

Many students hear that withdrawing from a class and receiving a "W" as the final grade is no big deal.  They also hear its fine to change midway through a class to an "Audit" or "Incomplete".  All of these situations can have negative effects on students' academic records and their financial aid.  Too many Withdrawals, Audits, Incompletes or Failing grades can mean no more financial aid.  When this happens, student must pay for their college out of their own pocket.

Still, TCC understands that sometimes withdrawing from a course cannot be avoided.  If, after visiting with the instructor, an academic advisor, and a financial aid advisor, a student still wants to withdraw from a class, here is some helpful information.