Scholarship + State Grants =?

jlar316

5-Year Member
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Jan 27, 2011
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Hello everyone. I received a 3-yr AROTC scholarship earlier this summer and I have a question regarding financial aid and a scholarship.

I filled out my financial aid information and was awarded aid BEFORE receiving the 3yr scholarship. I know they will "correct" the award due to the ROTC scholarship once they receive it. But my question is: will they take away the specific state grants? (IE. Pell grant, SEOG grant, state need grant)

I've searched and found this link here http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/918656-rotc-scholarship-no-longer-considered-financial-aid.html What I got out of this is that it's dependent on your college?

I will be calling my financial aid office today as well to see what they say but I figure I'd ask here to see if any of you've dealt with similar situations.

Thanks in advance!
 
You don't have any Army scholarship for this school year so I don't know why it would affect this year at all. You don't get any Tuition, fees, book money, or Subsistence Allowance from the Army until around the middle of September, 2013.
 
goaliedad,

My DD is on an Army 3 Yr. AD scholarship, so she received nothing from the Army for her Freshman year. It's been awhile since I read those threads, but in practice, at least at my DD's school, when ROTC begins to pay tuition for her sophomore year, the School's Financial Aid Office took note of it. There is no mention of the ROTC on the FAFSA filed this past April, as there shouldn't be.

For example, my DD had a small need-based grant of $2,500 in her Freshman year, which was renewed for her Sophomore year in early June after the FAFSA (which did NOT show any Army $$) had been received and reviewed by the Financial Aid office. Then, in late July, her email received an amended FA Award notice. Upon entering the FA website at her school, her FA Summary sheet had changed -- it now revealed that the $2,500 Grant was missing, and down the page where Tuition had been listed without annotation, was a NEW note to the right of the Tuition amount: Army ROTC. Indeed, her true NEED had changed based on the Army paying 100% of Tuition and Fees, and the need-based grant of $2,500 was withdrawn. I had no issue with that. Whether FAFSA shows that or not, the fact that the Army is paying 100% of her tuition is right there in her FA Summary. How they know she will validate her scholarship by passing the APFT and weight standards, and actually get the Tuition paid is a separate and curious question... what if she doesn't validate... does she get the $2,500 back?
 
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My fault for not explaining.. I will be a sophomore this school year (2012-13) I competed for an On-Campus Scholarship last year.

I did call my financial aid office and they told me whatever grants that i had could be put towards school only costs such as unpaid tuition and room & board, nothing else.

For amount wise, I would only be given the exact amount to cover whatever was needed.
 
goaliedad,

My DD is on an Army 3 Yr. AD scholarship, so she received nothing from the Army for her Freshman year. It's been awhile since I read those threads, but in practice, at least at my DD's school, when ROTC begins to pay tuition for her sophomore year, the School's Financial Aid Office took note of it. There is no mention of the ROTC on the FAFSA filed this past April, as there shouldn't be.

For example, my DD had a small need-based grant of $2,500 in her Freshman year, which was renewed for her Sophomore year in early June after the FAFSA (which did NOT show any Army $$) had been received and reviewed by the Financial Aid office. Then, in late July, her email received an amended FA Award notice. Upon entering the FA website at her school, her FA Summary sheet had changed -- it now revealed that the $2,500 Grant was missing, and down the page where Tuition had been listed without annotation, was a NEW note to the right of the Tuition amount: Army ROTC. Indeed, her true NEED had changed based on the Army paying 100% of Tuition and Fees, and the need-based grant of $2,500 was withdrawn. I had no issue with that. Whether FAFSA shows that or not, the fact that the Army is paying 100% of her tuition is right there in her FA Summary. How they know she will validate her scholarship by passing the APFT and weight standards, and actually get the Tuition paid is a separate and curious question... what if she doesn't validate... does she get the $2,500 back?

You point out exactly what I meant by States and schools having different rules for awarding grants.

It seems clear that the ROTC unit notified the FA office that she would be receiving a 3-yr AD scholarship hence the mid-summer adjustment. I would imagine that the same office, if some disqualifying event happened over the summer (not that I would wish it on anyone), would reinstate the original offer given that she could not qualify.

This also points out the risk of accepting the scholarship -- if something happens after the term starts and before qualifying, you could be in a bad financial situation.

If it makes you feel any better, my daughter's school withdrew her need-based tuition assistance once her 4-yr scholarship activated.

I'm not agreeing that it is right to punish ROTC cadets for taking on the extra burden (it is very much like a job in terms of time committment) of ROTC, but schools and states are free to do what they want with their financial aid packages.

As to the OP, I suspect that there will be no change to his/her FA package until sophomore year. It is wise to know in advance what the ramifications of accepting the scholarship are. For example, if the family is of very low income and the school is offering what amounts to a full-ride due to that income level, it might be wise to decline or defer the ROTC scholarship as long as possible, as it has less downside potential (100% loss) if something bad happens.
 
It is wise to know in advance what the ramifications of accepting the scholarship are. For example, if the family is of very low income and the school is offering what amounts to a full-ride due to that income level, it might be wise to decline or defer the ROTC scholarship as long as possible, as it has less downside potential (100% loss) if something bad happens.
That is a very good point. In order for there to be risk, the School would have to offer $X dollars in need-based aid. Then the AROTC scholarship activates with 100% tuition+fees. So $X dollars are withdrawn in Financial Aid. Then the Scholarship is lost (voluntary separation, or Cadet Command separation for grades, PFT, conduct) and reasonableness would say that $X dollars in need-based aid would be reinstated... but I suppose it is always possible that $X won't be reinstated, that it would be half of $X.
 
That is a very good point. In order for there to be risk, the School would have to offer $X dollars in need-based aid. Then the AROTC scholarship activates with 100% tuition+fees. So $X dollars are withdrawn in Financial Aid. Then the Scholarship is lost (voluntary separation, or Cadet Command separation for grades, PFT, conduct) and reasonableness would say that $X dollars in need-based aid would be reinstated... but I suppose it is always possible that $X won't be reinstated, that it would be half of $X.

Personally, and I have no experience with this, I'd be worried about it not being re-instated simply because the money was spent elsewhere (another need scholarship) in the interim. But I must emphasize I have no idea how it works, just thinking practically since no one should ever leave money idle
 
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