The Financial Aid application process is a lengthy, and at times, a complicated procedure. The goal of the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College’s (JSRCC) Office of Financial Aid is provide students and parents with the information, tools, and assistance needed to navigate the application process as quickly and efficiently as possible.

To help facilitate this, the JSRCC Office of Financial Aid has developed a five step financial aid application guide for students.

Step 1 – Get a Personal Identification Number (PIN)

Apply for a Federal PIN at www.pin.ed.gov (if you don’t already have one). You will need this PIN to electronically sign your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you are dependent, your parents will also need to get a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov to electronically sign the FAFSA. This will ensure the quickest, most accurate filing process. In addition, your PIN will also allow you to:

• View the status and results of a processed FAFSA application on the FAFSA website.
• Make corrections to your FAFSA online.
• Access your Federal Student Financial Assistance information on the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website.
• Request a duplicate copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR).

Step 2 – Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

To be considered for any type of financial aid (grants or loans), all students must file the FAFSA.There are two ways to complete the application:

• Paper Application: The FAFSA is available at your local high school, community college or local university. There is no fee to apply for financial aid using the FAFSA.
• Online Application: The online FAFSA can be completed on the Department of Education website at www.fafsa.ed.gov. There is also no fee to apply online.

The JSRCC Office of Financial Aid recommends that applicants file the FAFSA electronically as it has proven to be the fastest, most efficient, and most accurate application method. Results are sent to you and JSRCC usually in a week from filing if your application is electronically signed with a PIN.

Remember to include our school code on the FAFSA. If you do not include our school code, we will not receive your application. J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College’s school code is 003759.

The JSRCC Office of Financial has established priority deadlines. In order to be considered for all the financial aid you may be eligible for, please adhere to the following deadlines:

            Fall/Spring        April 15

            Spring              September 15

            Summer            March 15

Please note that you must apply once every school year (usually after you file your yearly income tax forms). You must also be accepted into a degree program by Admissions and be in good academic standing to receive financial aid.

Step 3 – The Student Aid Report (SAR)

After your FAFSA is processed, you will be sent a Student Aid Report (SAR). Electronic filers who provide an e-mail address will be sent an e-mail providing an electronic link to their SAR. Electronic filers who do not provide an e-mail address and those who complete a paper FAFSA will be sent a paper SAR in the mail.

Once you receive your SAR, you should review it for accuracy. If you need to make corrections to your SAR, follow the directions on the SAR and return it to the federal processor. Students who receive their SAR electronically can make their corrections online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be sure to make a copy of the SAR for your records. Once the corrections are processed, you will be sent a revised SAR.

A request for any additional documents will be mailed to you after the College receives the electronic record of your application. Processing of your award may take three to four weeks after we have received your accurate application record and all other documentation. Please check your My JSRCC account regularly to see if we are requesting any additional information.

Step 4 – Additional Information

After your FAFSA is processed, JSRCC will be sent the information electronically. For electronic filers, the data is usually received in 1 to 2 weeks. For those who completed a paper FAFSA, the data is usually received in about 4-6 weeks.

Once your FAFSA data is received, you may be required to submit additional information to the JSRCC Office of Financial Aid. Additional information is often required for one or more of the following reasons:

• Database Mismatch – Your FAFSA data is matched against various federal databases (Social Security, Selective Service, Dept. of Veteran Affairs, etc…) to make sure you meet the basic eligibility requirements for federal financial aid. If it cannot be determined that you meet the basic eligibility requirements, you may be asked to submit any of the following:
  1. Copy of your Social Security Card.
  2. Copy of your birth certificate.
  3. Proof of U.S. citizenship.
  4. Selective Service registration confirmation.
  5. Copy of your alien registration card.
  6. Proof of being a veteran of the armed forces.
• Verification – One third of all federal aid applicants are randomly selected for a process called “verification”. If you are selected for this process, you will be required to submit the following to the JSRCC Office of Financial Aid:
  1. Verification Worksheet
  2. Copy of student’s Federal tax return
  3. Copy of parent’s Federal tax return (Dependent students only)

Please be aware that all errors, mismatches, and verification issues must be resolved before your financial aid can be finalized and applied to your student account.

Step 5 – Award Notification & Additional Applications 

After your FAFSA is processed and all required information has been reviewed, you will receive notification of your Federal and state financial aid awards.  Any grants that you are eligible for will be credited towards your tuition charges.   However, not every student will qualify for a Pell grant or be eligible for a state grant large enough to meet their educational costs.

Student loans are available to students who need additional funds to meet educational costs. To apply for a student loan, you must complete a “Federal Stafford Loan Request Form,” which can be obtained from any Access Center or the JSRCC Office of Financial Aid website. First time loan borrowers at JSRCC will also need to complete a Loan Entrance Counseling session and complete a Master Promissory Note, as required by the Department of Education. Information regarding the Loan Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note are located on the back of the Loan Request Form.

Additional Information:

q    If you are new to JSRCC, make sure that you apply for admission as a degree/ certificate candidate.  Students must be admitted into an approved curriculum program in order to be eligible for financial aid.  The process may involve sending official high school transcripts and/or placement testing.   Non-curricular students are not eligible for financial aid.  

q    If you are not eligible for any grants, you will be mailed a student loan packet in case you are interested in applying for a student loan to cover your college costs.  These packets will be sent out approximately 1 – 2 weeks after we have received your financial aid application (FAFSA) data from the government.    

q    Paying for classes.  If you have already been awarded financial aid in amounts sufficient to cover  your tuition and fees, you only need to come to class.  If your financial aid award is not enough to cover your fees, you should pay the difference at the Business Office.  

q Purchase your books.  Set aside enough money to purchase your books from personal funds in case your financial aid is not enough to cover your costs.  Required Books and Supplies can cost nearly as much as tuition.  The following are good estimates for book costs based on the number of credits you take.  Plan ahead.   

q       Attend your classes.  Federal regulations require a student attend the classes for which they have enrolled.   Students who never attend classes are not entitled to any aid dollars.   If you need to withdraw from a class that you have already attended, please contact your campus Access Center before making the decision.    Students are expected to complete their courses with a grade of C or better (R or S in developmental classes.)  Over time, grades of W, F, D, I, or U could cause a student to loose eligibility for student aid.  See the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for more details.

  WHO CAN YOU CONTACT FOR HELP?

Staff at the following campus Student Access Center locations can answer questions or concerns about financial aid: