The 2018-2019 course catalog requires a revision. The following Student Services sub sections should read as follows:
Grants
To apply for financial aid programs administered by the college, students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) listing West Hills College Lemoore, Title IV Code #041113, among the colleges to receive information. Financial aid applications are available online at www.fafsa.gov every year beginning in January for the following school year. A FSA ID will be required to sign the application electronically. To get a FSA ID, go to https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm
Students who apply annually by March 2nd are given priority consideration by West Hills College Lemoore and meet the Cal Grant deadline for state grants. Awards are contingent upon available funds. West Hills College Lemoore participates in the following federal, state and institutional financial aid programs.
Pell Grants (Federal)
Federal Pell Grants are available only to undergraduate students who have not received a bachelor’s degree. This grant must be applied for by students before consideration of any other grant aid program can be made. The Pell Grant amount is determined by a formula that considers the student’s enrollment status and expected family contribution. For the 2018 -2019 academic year, annual awards range from $650 to $6,094 for students who qualify.
California College Promise Grant (CCPG)
The California College Promise Grant is a state program that waives community college enrollment fees. Students must be a resident of California or determined to be AB540 by the Registrar’s Office, and either be eligible through completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the Promise Grant Application by meeting specified income criteria, or being a current recipient or dependent of a recipient of TANF/CalWorks, SSI/SSP or General Assistance, or have a dependent’s fee waiver from the Veteran’s Affairs Department, or Congressional Medal of Honor or 9-11 dependent, or dependent of a deceased law enforcement/fire suppression personnel killed in the line of duty. The CCPG covers an academic year beginning with the summer term and eligibility continues for the fall and spring terms as long as academic progress is maintained. CCPG Applications are available at the Financial Aid Office.
Maintaining California College Promise Grant Eligibility (CCPGC)
Students who qualify for the CCPG must maintain academic and progress standards in order to continue to receive the fee waiver and priority registration. Successful academic standing is a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Students whose GPA falls below 2.0 for two consecutive primarily terms (fall and spring), may lose their fee waiver. In addition, if the cumulative number of units completed is less than 50 percent in two consecutive terms (fall and spring), students may also lose the fee waiver. Students will be notified within 30 days of the end of each term of their status and that a second term of probation will result in a loss of the CCPG eligibility at the next registration opportunity.
If a student loses CCPG eligibility, they can regain eligibility by:
- Improving GPA or course completion
- Appeal under extenuating circumstances
- Appeal under significant academic improvement
- Not attend school for two consecutive primary terms.
Affected students can submit an appeal form to the Office of Student Services. To assist students with improved academic success, students can receive academic support, tutoring, and assistance from their counselor(s) and advisors, student success teams support, workshops or class enrollment in an intervention class
Cal Grant B Program (State)
Cal Grants are available through the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) to students who are residents of California and file the FAFSA by March 2nd. An additional deadline of September 2nd for community college students allows them to be considered for a second round of competitive awards. The Cal Grant program consists of Entitlement and Competitive awards. Entitlement awards are guaranteed to students who have graduated high school in 2015 – 2016 or later and meet the eligibility requirements. As of January 2016, AB540 students are able to apply for an entitlement award by completing a California Dream Act Application at https://dream.csac.ca.gov/. Competitive awards are offered on a competitive basis to those students who did not receive entitlements and are not guaranteed.
A GPA Verification Form must be submitted to CSAC for all new Cal Grant applications by March 2nd. West Hills College Lemoore, as well as most schools, submits these GPAs electronically. Only students who have college units at more than one school must mail a certified Cal Grant Grade Point Average Verification Form to CSAC by March 2nd. Students are advised to submit the GPA verification form to the appropriate school at least 10 days in advance of the deadline. Students awarded a Cal Grant A will have their awards put on reserve until they transfer to a four year California college or university, as these funds are credited toward tuition fees. Students awarded a Cal Grant B receive a stipend to help cover living expenses. If students are transferring to a four year California college or university, students receive tuition assistance in addition to the stipend.
The maximum grant is $1,672 per academic year. Applications and further information are available at California high school counseling offices and on the web at www.calgrants.org.
Cal Grant C Program (State)
Cal Grant C awards are for students enrolled in an occupational or vocational course of study and intend to receive a Certificate of Achievement or Associate’s Degree. Grants are based on the student’s need and help cover the cost of, books, supplies, tools and special clothing. The maximum grant is $547 per academic year.
Student Success Completion Grant
The Student Success Completion Grant is available to Cal Grant B or C recipients who are enrolled full time for the Fall and/or Spring terms. The Student Success Completion Grant pays full-time Cal Grant B or C recipients a maximum of $1,298 annually at $649 per semester for eligible students who enroll and attend 12 through 14.99 units per term and a maximum of $4,000 annually at $2,000 per semester for eligible students who enroll and attend 15 units or more per term.
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The basic purpose of this program is to assist undergraduate students whose exceptional financial need would prevent them from attending college. The grant is awarded to students who have the highest need, have attempted less than 60 units and are eligible to receive Pell grants. Students receiving FSEOG funds must be enrolled in at least 6 units per semester. Students must file a FAFSA by March 2nd to receive priority consideration, as there are insufficient funds to meet the needs of all eligible students. Awards are made on a first come, first served basis to eligible students. The average annual award is $400.
College Work Study (Federal and State)
The College Work Study Program provides part-time employment opportunities giving students the chance to earn money to cover school expenses. An effort is made to find jobs which are related to students’ academic programs, yet do not conflict with their class schedules. Students work a maximum of 19 hours per week during the regular academic period and up to 40 hours per week when classes are not in session. Jobs may be on or off-campus. Off-campus jobs must be for a non-profit agency.
Emergency Student Loan Program
These short-term loans may be made to students who need a small sum during difficult short-term economic times. Students may borrow up to $100.All loans must be repaid within 30 days of request.
The 2018-2019 course catalog requires a redaction. The following Student Services sub section should be removed:
Job Placement
The Financial Aid Office assists students with community job placement, both during school and after graduation. Referrals are posted for both part-time and full-time permanent jobs.