Adult Financial Aid

I've taken all of my courses online through GSC. I love that whenever I have a question, whether it be about financial aid, courses, or even if I need advice, someone is always there to listen and respond promptly. The financial aid office is extremely helpful and very friendly. I feel like the faculty and staff at GSC actually care about me, my progress as a student, and my future success.

- Candice

Honestly, I never thought I'd be able to balance living on my own and getting a college degree. It always seemed like I'd have to give up hours at work to go to class and I couldn't afford to do that. With GSC's online courses, I'm on my way to accomplishing something I never thought possible. I had a rocky start last year due to some problems with my financial aid, and for a while I wasn't sure I was going to be able to start classes. But thanks to my advisor's help and support, here I am and I couldn't be happier. Thank you all so much for this chance.

- Mitchell

For me, Granite State College is one of the many places that I hold close to my heart. Not only is the facility close to my home, but it's also a very wonderful learning environment. I feel that I can get a lot more of my work done while I am there rather than at my house. The staff provides as much assistance as possible when it comes to courses, financial aid, or anything of the sort. I have met some of my older and newest friends and colleagues there, have already gotten my first degree from GSC, and am currently pursuing another one. GSC is definitely one of my favorite places. Even while I was still in my younger years, I had already made up my mind that Granite State College was where I wanted to go, and here I am today, 20 years old, almost three years out of High School, and I am nearing completion with my I.T. Bachelor's Degree. Thank you, Granite State College! May you be around for many more anniversaries to come!

- Alexander

I always knew I wanted to go to college, but never knew what I wanted to do. I finally decided that I wanted to start taking classes and see where it led me. I'm only in my second semester, but I couldn't be happier with Granite State College. Between my advisor, the teachers I've dealt with this far, and anyone I've come in contact with, including the financial aid office, I couldn't be happier. Everyone is so helpful and patient - and the classes are easy to negotiate through. I didn't realize there would also be tutorials to help with someone (like me) who has never done online learning before. Every part of Granite State College has been amazing!

- Amie

I have been planning on transferring to Granite State College since Spring 2012. I was accepted into the Bachelor in Behavioral Sciences Program. I did not graduate when I expected to and had to postpone my transfer until Winter 2012. When I graduated with my associates, I faced many difficult situations. The school I was transferring from was not cooperating and did not send my transcripts quick enough. Throughout the financial aid process I faced many issues and then found out it was not going to cover my tuition. Classes were scheduled to start within days of my receiving this information. I was even dropped from my classes. My GSC advisor, Becky, (who is absolutely amazing) worked with me daily on these issues. She supported me the entire way and ensured me it would work out and not to stress during the holidays. In the end, it worked out - I have started my classes as a Psychology Major and couldn't be happier! I am so grateful for my advisor as well as the staff in the Financial Aid department for helping me and guiding me through this extremely stressful time!

- Michelle

There's so much to love about GSC that it is hard to begin. All of the teachers that I have had are amazing! They have all be incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and wonderful! The classes fit my schedule. The Admissions and Financial Aid offices are the best I have encountered. Last but not least, the tuition is affordable! I truly love Granite State College and constantly recommend it to my friends who are considering colleges in New Hampshire.

- Randi

I fell in love with Granite State College almost immediatley. I was initially drawn to GSC for two reasons: the main reason being it was one of a few schools in NH that offered a Criminal Justice degree. Secondly, it is a part of the NH university system, so I knew a majority of my credits from UNH Manchester would transfer over. I entered into GSC a 'different' type of student than I did when I entered into UNH Manchester almost 5 years ago to obtain my associates degree. This time around, I was a full-time working mom with bills to pay and more determined then ever to complete my bachelor's degree. I needed a school that would not only work around my schedule and daughter, but consisted of other faculty and students that knew where I was coming from. From the day I started, I knew GSC was the right choice for me. I fell in love with my online classes, the teachers, faculty, and fellow students. Not only have I been truly impressed with my courses, but I have also had such a pleasant experience dealing with the staff, whether it be financial aid or my counselor. GSC has given me a confidence that I have never felt before and an unparalleled passion for learning. I have been very successful at GSC and I am proud to say that I am a GSC student.

- Stephanie

After waiting almost 10 years to complete my degree, I decided it was long overdue to go back to school. I researched online programs and found that GSC had exactly what I needed to complete my psychology degree. The people I spoke with were fantastic, and they really cared about what I was trying to accomplish. This is my 3rd semester with GSC and it has been a great experience. Everyone I have dealt with at GSC, from financial aid to a professor, have been great and truly care about their students. The classes are challenging but I have certainly applied my learning to everyday life and my career. I couldn't ask for a better advisor - Miss Bette! She is a gem and has helped me beyond what I can put into words. Thank you GSC - one more semester after this and I can proudly say I'm moving on to graduate school!

- Lisa

I had been taking classes at another college and wasn't honestly doing so well. When I needed help there wasn't any: for help in classes, financial aid, anything. I was just frustrated and ended up leaving the school. Almost a year later I enrolled at Granite State College. Not only was the staff helpful and friendly, but if you had an issue with almost anything they were, and are, happy to assist if possible. Financial aid was a breeze and all of the extra help that was available helped me earn a spot on the Dean's list in the Spring of 2012. Classes are great, even the difficult ones, with instructors and staff that are willing to work with you. I'm now just over half way through my associate's degree and excited to finish it here at GSC.

- Viktoria

I am only in my 3rd term at Granite State College, but already feel very at home. From the first day that I stepped foot into the offices in Manchester, I was welcomed with friendly faces and had all my questions answered. I was not even planning on enrolling in GSC when I went to speak with someone in Manchester, and when I left that day, I was all enrolled in a B.A. program. Everyone I have been in contact with from financial aid to scheduling classes, has made everything stress-free for me. I love that I can get my entire degree online if I want to also!

The #1 reason why I love GSC, is their affiliation with the school district where I work (Hudson, NH), and my district will pay for some of my classes! I thought I would never see a light at the end of the tunnel, but I plan to graduate from GSC with my bachelor's degree in the Spring of 2014! From there, I hope to get a job teaching Math, and once I am settled, I will continue my education at GSC and someday receive my Master's Degree.

- Rachel

Just started my first classes at Granite State College and it has been great. All of the departments from admissions to financial aid to the professors, everyone has been helpful. Thanks GSC for being there!

- Catherine

There are some really cool things that Granite State College provides there students with to help them succeed. One huge helper is my WebROCK portal. I log into that and I have access to so much more! I can change my name and adress if I move or get married, I can check my grades, and my financial aid. This year I even get to take control over my financial aid package through WebROCK. The coolest thing for me to be able to do in WebROCK is too keep tabs on my degree! I can see what courses I have taken, what courses need to be taken and all of my course options all laid out in front of me!  I don't have to call and ask someone else what they think I should do. After all, this is my degree! If I am smart enough to get through the classes then I think I am smart enough to choose them. Besides, I have a specific mind of where I want to go. I want to be a child psychologist someday, so for my electives I want to choose classes that would make sense for my studies. I know when I am through with my undergraduate psychology degree I am going to be 100% satisfied because I chose the classes I wanted based on what interested me. I have to say that my favorite feature on WebROCK is the "What if Analysis". Let's say I get bored with psychology and want a BS Health Care Management. All I have to do is click a few buttons and the screen will show me what courses would transfer into the new degree program and what courses I would have left to take! Is that not the coolest thing ever? No more wasting money bouncing from program to prgram. I can try it out for free to see if it "fits"!

As many of you may know, Adult Financial Aid has been a hot topic in recent federal and state budget debates. These debates have left many of us wondering, “What is financial aid going to look like in the future?” I can’t speak for other schools, and I certainly do not profess to know exactly what is going to happen, but here are my thoughts and opinions on how Granite State College students may be affected.

With regard to State Financial aid, I believe we will see a cut to many of the grant and scholarship programs for New Hampshire. Governor Lynch proposed the elimination of the Post-Secondary Education Commission as a stand-alone agency. They are currently the ones administering the NH Incentive Grant. With the proposed elimination, it is unclear who, if anyone will be administering this program. There have been mentions of each state school receiving an allotment of funding to be used at the school level, but we have not received any official word as of yet.

We have been notified; however, that we will no longer have funding for the Unique Allocation Scholarship or the Unique Endowment fund. These funds will be re-directed to support public institutions of higher learning in New Hampshire.

In addition, Congress is still debating the proposed cuts to its budget as well. There have been talks of decreasing the annual Pell Grant allotment from $5550 (maximum annual award) to $4705 (maximum annual award). Senate is planning to vote on these proposed cuts this week, and if they are not passed, they will return to the drawing board until they can come to an agreement.

That being said, Granite State College is still able to fund the majority of our students using the Federal Aid Programs available to us. Because we are mainly an Adult and Continuing Education college and do not have the high costs of residential campuses, we will not be as heavily affected by these proposed cuts as some of the more traditional colleges in the area. We are confident that no matter what happens, we will have proper funding to assist our students.

There are, however, things students can do on their own to help supplement their educational expenses. Because we may have to use more Stafford loan money to cover the portion of charges typically covered by the State Grant Programs, Students should take a good, hard look at what they are borrowing. Students should keep a close eye on their outstanding loan debt by checking the National Student Loan Data System on a regular basis. This will allow them to track how much they have already borrowed and reconsider their borrowing habits. Another good tool to use is the financial aid loan payment calculator. This will give them an idea of what their monthly payment will look like once they have finished their program. These tools allow students to make informed choices as to how they want to spend their money and more importantly, what they can really afford.

Another option students should be aggressively pursuing is scholarships. It takes a little more leg work since most have an application and essay requirement, but with the cuts to many grant programs, this is another very feasible way to get free money for education.

Students can create a profile on a scholarship search engine which will then send them different scholarships that may be applicable to them. Another excellent scholarship resource for New Hampshire residents is the New Hampshire Charitable Fund. Specifically, the adult student aid program is designed for adults returning to school to upgrade skills for employment or career advancement. In addition, the statewide student aid program is designed for the traditional student in a four year baccalaureate program.  

Keep in mind that not all scholarship opportunities are legit. Take a look at these Scholarship Tips to avoid being caught in the middle of a scam.

So as we move forward into the 2011-2012 financial aid award year, things are still very uncertain. Rest assured though, Granite State College will have aid to cover our students regardless of what happens with both the State and Federal governments.

It’s that time of year again! It’s time to start thinking about filing the 2011-2012 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For many, this can be an overwhelming process, so here are a few tips to help make your FAFSA filing experience less stressful.

• Many traditional schools require the FAFSA to be filed no later than March 1^st. Granite State College, however, does not have a filing deadline since our institution provides Adult and Continuing Education classes with rolling admissions. This means that our students can apply for Financial Aid at any point during the year. We do strongly encourage our students to apply by May 1^st if possible so they will be considered for any State Grants available. However, if students file after the priority filing date, they will still be considered for the federal aid programs including the Federal Pell Grant and the Stafford Loan Programs.
• Students must be enrolled at least Part Time to be eligible to receive federal financial aid. Each school determines what they consider to be Part Time Classes and for Granite State College, students are required to take at least four credits to be eligible for aid. This means that our students who want to Take College Classes Online or in one of our centers, but can only do one class per term are still eligible to receive Federal Financial Aid.
• For those students who recently got married, please be very careful when filing your new FAFSA. If you have not received confirmation from Social Security that your name has been updated in their system, you do not want to file your FAFSA using your married name. This will cause the FAFSA to reject. Always file your FAFSA using your legal name; this means the name that is listed on your Social Security card. Do not use abbreviations or nicknames either as this will cause the FAFSA to reject as well.
• If at the time you filed your previous year’s tax return you were married, but you are now separated or divorced, still use the joint income listed on the tax return when filing your FAFSA. The Office of Financial Aid can separate out your income to reflect a more accurate financial picture, but will need additional documentation to do so. You will be required to complete a Special Circumstance form. Once your documents are received, the Office of Financial Aid will review them and make any adjustments possible to the information listed on the FAFSA. It is required that the Office of Financial Aid makes these adjustments since any change to a student’s income must be fully documented for audit purposes.
• To be considered a veteran, you must have served on Active duty and must have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. If your service was only for training purposes such as the National Guard or Reserves, you are not considered a veteran for federal financial aid purposes.
• The number one mistake students make is leaving a field blank. All income questions must be completed. If the answer is zero or the questions do not apply to you, write in a zero. Do not use dashes or leave the question blank.
• If you have an unborn child who will be born before or during the award year (July 1 through June 30^th) and that child will receive more than half of his or her support from you, you can count that child as a member of your household when answering the household and dependents questions on the FAFSA.
• Always remember to electronically sing your FAFSA with your PIN. The FAFSA will not be considered valid until your signature is applied.

For more tips and instructions, check out this FAFSA Video.