PELL grants and Excelsior credits

[WeAintGotNoBadges]

I searched the site and couldn't quite find the answer I was looking for, so here it goes...

First, I understand that starting July 2010 there won't be a minimum credits requirement per semester for the PELL grant, although I haven't have been able to confirm 100%.

However, to get the PELL grant for this semester ending June 2010, it looks like I would still need to agree to take a certain number of minimum credits at Excelsior (6 or more?). And no, it would not be convenient for me to simply wait until July to enroll

So here's the question: do I need to take Excelsior courses in full, or would taking and passing only Excelsior exams for the required number of credits fullfill the purpose for the PELL grant, while also being acceptable to Excelsior?

Anyone else been through this before? Or am I misunderstanding the requirements that the credits need to be taken through the institution, not simply transfered in or earned via CLEP or other exams?

Thanks in advance for any info.
W.

[TMW2010]

I searched the site and couldn't quite find the answer I was looking for, so here it goes...

First, I understand that starting July 2010 there won't be a minimum credits requirement per semester for the PELL grant, although I haven't have been able to confirm 100%.

However, to get the PELL grant for this semester ending June 2010, it looks like I would still need to agree to take a certain number of minimum credits at Excelsior (6 or more?). And no, it would not be convenient for me to simply wait until July to enroll

So here's the question: do I need to take Excelsior courses in full, or would taking and passing only Excelsior exams for the required number of credits fullfill the purpose for the PELL grant, while also being acceptable to Excelsior?

Anyone else been through this before? Or am I misunderstanding the requirements that the credits need to be taken through the institution, not simply transfered in or earned via CLEP or other exams?

Thanks in advance for any info.
W.

Its my understanding that when dealing with anything as far as Financial Aid, only Excelsior classes (and no more than 1/2 of the classes can be the cd rom based) are eligble for pre-disbursement use.

[WeAintGotNoBadges]

Its my understanding that when dealing with anything as far as Financial Aid, only Excelsior classes (and no more than 1/2 of the classes can be the cd rom based) are eligble for pre-disbursement use.

Hi. Thanks for the reply. In the case that you describe, with to the low number of credits that I anticipate needing to complete the degree (I have lots of transfer credits) I suspect that it would probably cost me more out-of-pocket going rather than just CLEP'ing into completion. I'll have to look further into it once I get my eval from EC.

W.

[TMW2010]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. In the case that you describe, with to the low number of credits that I anticipate needing to complete the degree (I have lots of transfer credits) I suspect that it would probably cost me more out-of-pocket going rather than just CLEP'ing into completion. I'll have to look further into it once I get my eval from EC.

W.

If you enroll at EC as a partner member, the price per credit drops to $250, which is still $750/class, and to fullfill the partner obligation, you would have to take 12 credits through them. But in the end does knock $1000 off the Enrollment/Grad fee (Through the partnership, enrollment is $130, and grad fee is around the same I think, kinda fuzzy, been wresting with a few client's databases for the last 4 hours.) And you always have the chance to score a scholarship from them, which about covers the cost of a class, I hear.

So you end up spending about $3k for 12 credits + another $335 to cover the App, Enrollment & Graduation, compared to $75 for the App, $895 enrollment, $495 grad, & $900/class without the partnership. If you *need* to take more than 2 classes through EC (or need classes for the GPA) or you really would rather use financial aid, the partnership is definitely the way to go. (Note that the $75 app fee & $130 enrollment fee are out of pocket, but you can use financial aid to cover the cost of your classes. Books are out of pocket initially, but you get reimbursed at the disbursement time for them and if you leave some of the disbursement in your student account, you can use it to purchase books for the next classes, or pay the grad fee with it.)

Hopefully this post was some comprehendable for you. I'm going to go back and show a database where it can insert itself a null, no matter if the field says it can't...:p

[WeAintGotNoBadges]

If you enroll at EC as a partner member, the price per credit drops to $250, which is still $750/class, and to fullfill the partner obligation, you would have to take 12 credits through them. But in the end does knock $1000 off the Enrollment/Grad fee (Through the partnership, enrollment is $130, and grad fee is around the same I think, kinda fuzzy, been wresting with a few client's databases for the last 4 hours.) And you always have the chance to score a scholarship from them, which about covers the cost of a class, I hear.

So you end up spending about $3k for 12 credits + another $335 to cover the App, Enrollment & Graduation, compared to $75 for the App, $895 enrollment, $495 grad, & $900/class without the partnership. If you *need* to take more than 2 classes through EC (or need classes for the GPA) or you really would rather use financial aid, the partnership is definitely the way to go. (Note that the $75 app fee & $130 enrollment fee are out of pocket, but you can use financial aid to cover the cost of your classes. Books are out of pocket initially, but you get reimbursed at the disbursement time for them and if you leave some of the disbursement in your student account, you can use it to purchase books for the next classes, or pay the grad fee with it.)

Hopefully this post was some comprehendable for you. I'm going to go back and show a database where it can insert itself a null, no matter if the field says it can't...:p

Hi. Thank you, this info is very useful indeed. Well, it turns out that my question is moot: I learned that I'm not eligible for Pell grants either this year or next. I didn't know that the eligibility info was available on my FAFSA applications.

The nice lady at EC discussed the possibility of students loans, but being unemployed right now I'm loath to take on additional debt. On the other hand, with lots of time on my hands I'm trying to accelerate my program of studies.

So, I figure that I'm looking at around $1850 in EC fees plus cost of CLEP and GRE subject exams. The thing is that I was planning to start a Masters immediately after finishing the BA, so the loan thing could get complicated
Thanks again.
W