Student Rights and Responsibilities

Appeals

You and your family may request a re-evaluation of your financial aid eligibility based on changes or special circumstances in your family's financial standing. All appeals are due by August 1, unless the condition being appealed occurs after that date. In this case, appeals are due within 30 days of the change in circumstances.

You Have the Right to Know

  • The financial aid programs available.
  • Application deadlines for each of the programs.
  • How financial aid will be distributed; how distribution decisions are made and the basis for these decisions.
  • How your financial need was determined, including how cost for tuition, room and board, travel, books and supplies, and personal expenses were considered in your budget.
  • How much of your financial need has been met.
  • The resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, and personal assets) considered in the calculation of your need.
  • What portion of the aid you received is grant and what portion must be repaid.

Your Responsibilities

  • Complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time.
  • Provide correct information. In most cases, misreporting information on a financial aid application is a violation of the law and may be a criminal offense.
  • Return all additional documentation, verification, corrections and/or new information requested by either the Office of Financial Aid or the agencies to which you submitted applications. You are responsible for reading, understanding and keeping copies of all forms you are asked to sign.
  • Accept responsibility for all agreements that you sign.
  • Perform the work agreed upon in a work-study job.
  • Notify your work-study employer if the amount of your award changes.
  • Be aware of and comply with the deadlines for aid application or reapplication.
  • Know and comply with the College’s refund procedures.
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress according to the policies and standards of the College.
  • Notify the Office of Financial Aid in writing if the circumstances reported on your application change, or if any additional awards from an outside source will be received.

If you are recipient of a federal Stafford Loan or Plus loan, you must notify your lender should any of the following occur before the loan is repaid:

  • You change your address
  • You graduate
  • You withdraw from school or are enrolled less than half-time
  • You change your name
  • You transfer to another school

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Undergraduate Financial Aid

To be eligible for federal, state and institutional aid, students are required by the U.S. Department of Education and the State of California to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their degree objective. In compliance with the prescribed regulations, Whittier College has established guidelines that are designed to ensure that students successfully complete courses. These requirements also serve as standards against which to evaluate student progress, grade point averages and the overall time periods in which students complete their programs.

Programs governed by this satisfactory academic progress policy include the Federal Pell grant, Federal Carl Perkins Loan Federal Work-study, Federal Stafford Student loan, and auxiliary loans including the federal Parent Loan for Students, and Cal Grant. The policy also applies to state-supported grants, either within or outside California, agency-sponsored assistance as well as all need-based programs funded by the College.

If you receive any of these awards, you must comply with the following policy in addition to the Academic Review guidelines required of all Whittier Students. To satisfy academic progress requirements for financial aid, you much accomplish the following:

  • Maintain a minimum grade point average (2.0 cumulative GPA)
  • Complete a minimum number of units per semester (24 units each year)
  • Complete your degree objective within the maximum time allowed for the total number of semesters enrolled and units attempted (max is ten semesters)

Failure to meet Requirements will place you on probation for one academic year. During the probation period, you will be eligible to receive financial assistance if all other requirements have been satisfied. We encourage you to seek academic counseling to ensure that you satisfy all deficiencies during this period.

At the end of the probation period, your academic progress is reviewed again. If you have not met the minimum unit or academic progress requirements, you will be placed on financial aid suspension and will be ineligible for future financial aid until ALL deficiencies have been corrected. The Office of Financial Aid will notify you of your financial aid ineligibility if you have reached the maximum semester allowance.

You must continue to complete all financial aid applications by the deadlines for priority, regardless of possible satisfactory academic progress problems.

Loan Exit Interviews

Loan ext interviews are required upon graduation or withdrawal from the College, if you received any type of loan. Exit interview sessions are scheduled prior to commencement for graduating students and/or students can complete sessions online via www.exitinterview.com/whittiercollege. An individual session will be conducted by the Office of Financial Aid or Business Office if you leave the College at any other time during the school year.

Disclaimer

Although every effort is made to present the most accurate, helpful, and up-to-date information, the content of this publication is subject to changes in Federal, State, College or lender policies and procedures.