Financial Aid

Books – Electronic Process

Thursday, May 23

Financial Aid recipients who are due a credit balance for the summer 2013 semester (after tuition/fees/housing charges are deducted) will be allowed to participate in the electronic book allowance process.

Students will go to the bookstore to utilize the electronic book allowance process. Students will not need to go to the Financial Aid office to obtain a paper allowance. Please access this link for more information regarding the electronic book voucher process.

NOTICE: Students with Scholarships, Exemptions, or Waivers that will be providing a book allowance will not be able to utilize the electronic book allowance process. If a scholarship, waiver, or exemption will be providing your books, you must go to the Business Office, Building F – 1st Floor, to obtain a paper book voucher.

Appeals/Extension Deadlines:

NOTE: APPEAL DEADLINES HAVE CHANGED

Spring 2013 semester - Two appeal opportunities

  • January 31 (Appeal Committee will meet mid February)
  • February 28 (Appeal Committee will meet mid March)
    • After February 28, you may not appeal for the spring semester

Summer 2013 semester - One appeal opportunities

  • June 28 (Appeal Committee will meet mid July)
    • After June 28, you may not appeal for the summer semester

Official transcripts from ALL colleges/universities previously attended must be submitted to the Admissions Office and posted to the BPCC computer system BEFORE the student will be allowed to submit a financial aid appeal.

If you have been suspended (academically) from BPCC, you are not eligible to submit a financial aid appeal.

Important information regarding the Financial Aid appeal process may be obtained by reading the 2012-2013 Policies and Procedures for Financial Aid appeals.PDF File

The BPCC Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policyPDF File has changed.
EFFECTIVE SUMMER 2012 for all BPCC students:

The new SAP policy is the result of the federal revision of the regulations governing Satisfactory Academic Progress, October 29, 2010 to be effective 1 July 2011. The applicable regulations are in 34 CFR 668.16(e), 668.32(f) and 668.34.

It is your responsibility to read and understand the NEW SAP policy.PDF File

All previous SAP policies you may possess or have read are no longer valid. This is the only valid policy.

FINANCIAL AID OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAYS:

The Financial Aid Office will use Fridays to process submitted paperwork. The office will not be open to traffic, phone calls, or email while we use this valuable time to process financial aid files. We hope this time will allow your aid package to be processed in a more timely manner.

Please visit, call, or email our office during business hours Monday – Thursday:

Monday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

In order to serve you better, the Financial Aid office has developed a list of the questions most frequently asked by our students. You will probably find the answer to your question here or you may access LOLA to view your Financial Aid summary which will also provide you with up-to-date information regarding your Financial Aid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered financial aid?

Any type of assistance used to assist with the Cost of Education is considered Financial Aid. (i.e. grants, loans, scholarships, waivers, vouchers, work-study jobs, etc…)

How do I apply for all types of aid?

A student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You may complete the FAFSA electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov.Will open new browser window or tab BPCC has a link to the FAFSA website on our website at www.bpcc.edu/financialaid. Once you complete and SUBMIT your application electronically, you will receive a Student Aid Report within two weeks. Each school you listed on the FAFSA will also receive your information electronically and will then be in contact with you. We will notify you electronically (see item b. below).If you do not receive an email from BPCC within two weeks of receipt of your Student Aid Report, contact us at 318-678-6026 to confirm receipt by the school.

  1. Upon receipt of your FAFSA information, a “Student Requirements” Notification will be sent electronically to the email address listed on the FAFSA and also to the BPCC student email address instructing you to view your Financial Aid Student Requirements on LOLA.
  2. All students must complete an Authorization Form (2012-2013).
  3. Once you submit all documents required, your information will be reviewed by Financial Aid counselors. Based on your FAFSA information, a financial aid package listing all awards for which you are eligible will be determined and an award notification will be sent via email to your email address listed on the FAFSA and also to the BPCC student email address. (If you indicated on your FAFSA that you are interested in student loans, your package will include student loans.) You may access your awards and “accept” the loan awards via LOLA.

What types of aid are available at BPCC?

BPCC offers grants, Stafford Loans, work-study and scholarships. All programs are designed to assist students with the resources necessary to further their education at BPCC.

What is "Cost of Attendance or Budget"?

Cost of Attendance is an estimated budget of costs for attending college. This includes tuition, books, transportation, etc. Your total aid package (grants,scholarships, loans, etc.) cannot exceed this Cost of Attendance (2012-2013)PDF Filebudget.

My FAFSA indicates that I am selected for verification. What is verification?

At least 30% of all FAFSA applicants are selected for verification by the Department of Education. This merely means that you are asked to supply additional paperwork to "verify" income, family members, untaxed income, etc. BPCC is required by the Department of Education to verify this information before aid can be awarded to you. If you are unable or unwilling to provide requested documentation, BPCC will be unable to process any Federal aid for you.

What is an EFC?

EFC - Estimated Family Contribution is a number determined by the U. S. Department of Education (based on your FAFSA information) that is subtracted from your Cost of Attendance to determine eligibility for Pell Grants and other need-based aid.

When should I apply for financial aid?

You should apply for aid as soon as you file your federal tax return each year. If you are not required to file a federal tax return, you may complete the FAFSA as early as January 1 each year.

Priority Deadlines for Financial Aid are dependent upon the type of aid of which you are applying:

Grants and Loans for Fall -June 1
Grants and Loans for Spring -October 1
Scholarships for Fall -March 31
Scholarships for Spring -October 1

What is LOLA?

LOLA (Log On Louisiana) is your 24/7, one-stop resource that allows you to completely manage your college career. You can use LOLA to: monitor your financial aid application, register for classes, review your class schedule, review your work study or student worker schedule, check on important upcoming dates, and catch up on campus news and announcements.

Here are some important things you can do to stay connected and learn of LOLA updates:

  • Monitor your campus email account
  • Like BPCC's Facebook pageWill open new browser window or tab
  • Regularly check for announcements at www.bpcc.edu/lola
  • Attend campus meetings regarding the new system

How do I log-in to LOLA?

Go to www.bpcc.edu and select the LOLA icon from the menu on the left side of the page. Select the icon “Never Used LOLA before”. Follow the instructions to “Look Up Your User ID” and “User Name and Password Guide”. If you need help, call the Support Line at 855-227-8102.

See also: LOLA Registration Quick Reference GuidePDF File

Will my financial aid be affected if I drop a class?

All Financial Aid recipients are subject to the policies concerning Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) (2012-2013).PDF File Satisfactory Academic Progress is defined as passing the required number of hours, obtaining the required grade point average, and not exceeding a maximum attempted hours.

How do I appeal to regain my financial aid eligibility?

A student must appeal to receive financial aid after failure to obtain standards required by Satisfactory Academic Progress by reading/accepting the criteria and completing a Financial Aid Appeal Form (2012-2013). A student is only allowed to appeal twice at BPCC.

Do I need to complete the Payment Process?

All students must pay their tuition and fees – either self-pay or payment via Financial Aid funds. Do not assume that your financial aid funds will be applied to your account. You must access LOLA to determine if your account balance has been paid. If you owe a balance, you MUST contact the Financial Aid office (or make payment arrangements) or your classes will be dropped. If your aid has not posted to your account, and you have submitted all required documentation but your file has not been processed by our office, you may be eligible for a “Financial Aid Deferment”. It is your responsibility to request a Financial Aid Deferment.

What is a Master Promissory Note (MPN)?

The Master Promissory Note (MPN) essentially opens a line of credit for education expenses during your academic career. When you sign a Federal Stafford Master promissory note, you promise to repay your student loan(s). The note also includes important language about your rights and responsibilities as a borrower.

As a dependent student, is there additional aid available?

As a dependent student, the amount of aid is determined by eligibility and need. You may be eligible for additional grants or apply for a Parent PLUS Loan. If a parent is denied a Parent PLUS loan, additional loan proceeds may be certified for the student.

What is an over-award?

Federal and State rules state that a student cannot receive aid in excess of their Cost of Attendance budget. Any time a student receives any federal, state, or institutional aid in excess of their Cost of Attendance, funds must be returned or adjusted to accommodate the overage.

Can I receive financial aid for summer school?

Students can receive aid for summer school attendance, if eligible. Pell recipients who attend full time in the fall semester and full time in the spring semester will have NO Pell grant eligibility left for summer. Loan recipients who accept the maximum annual loan limit for the fall and spring semesters combined will have NO loan eligibility left for the summer semester. If you are a “visiting” student and are attending BPCC for the summer semester “only”, you are not eligible to receive aid.

If I resign from school, will I owe money?

After an official or unofficial withdrawalPDF Filefrom the College, a refund and/or repayment evaluation must be performed on students' account to determine eligibility for refund or repayment. Federal Regulations require that we determine the amount of time enrolled at the institution and apply appropriate refunding. You must earn more than 60% of your aid by attending more than 60% of your registered class time to keep all aid disbursed. NOTE: If a recipient of federal aid stops attending class without officially resigning from the College, a last date of attendance will be applied based on information received from the instructors and appropriate refunding applied.

You must maintain attendance in at least one class beyond the 60% date. The 60% date is posted on the financial aid webpage.

How long does it take to process my aid?

Once you submit all required documents (i.e. Authorization form, Verification form, tax transcripts, birth certificates, etc.) please allow at least four to six weeks for processing.

I submitted my documents. Why do my Financial Aid Student Requirements on LOLA still indicate "Received, not yet reviewed”?

“Received, not yet reviewed” means that we have received your document(s), but your verification counselor has not reviewed your file information. Since we process files in date order, other students may have submitted documents prior to the date you submitted your documents. Those student files will be processed first (in date order). During peak processing times, your status may be "…not yet reviewed" for six-eight weeks or more due to the volume of files to be processed. Keep checking LOLA and watch for all requirements to indicate "Requirement Satisfied". Once the requirements are satisfied, an award notice will be sent to you via email. Check your BPCC student email often.

Does LOLA contain all my financial aid information?

Yes. When you call our office to inquire about your financial aid file, we are accessing the information on LOLA.Will open new browser window or tab You are able to access this same information via LOLA. LOLA is an excellent tool that will give you all the information you need. If LOLA indicates that you have missing requirements, you need to submit the required documents. If all your documents are “completed, pending review”, this means your verification counselor has your file and will process your file in date order.

My aid is processed, when will I receive my refund?

The Financial Aid office cannot estimate the date you will receive your refund. The BPCC refund process is outlined on our webpage at Financial Aid Refunds.

Will LOLA show my refund amount and when it was generated?

Yes. You may access the Student tab and then select Student Account. Select “Student Account Summary by Term” to view your charges, credits, and refunds. If your aid has been applied to your account and a refund is due to you, your account summary will indicate “BPCC System Generated Refund”. If you would like to view the date the refund was generated, you must select “Account detail for Term” from the Student Account menu. The Refund Generated date does not indicate the date your refund was submitted to Higher One. Refunds are submitted to Higher One on Tuesday and Thursday each week. See Financial Aid Refunds for more information about Higher One.

Does BPCC issue book vouchers?

Yes. If you want your financial aid monies to pay for your books, you may come by the Financial Aid office and request a book voucher to be used for the purchase of your books.

My aid is not processed. Will my classes be dropped?

You need to request a Financial Aid deferment to hold your classes while your financial aid is being processed.

My aid is not processed. Should I go to class?

YES! Go to class. (If you need books, request a book voucher.) If you do not go to class, your instructor may suspend you for non-attendance. In order to receive federal aid, you must attend class.

I submitted my documents electronically, by mail, or fax but LOLA still indicates that these items are “missing” or “unsatisfied”.

Once you submit your documents electronically or via fax, please allow 1 -2 weeks for the staff to “post” the document(s) to the system and update LOLA. We received hundreds of forms and faxes weekly and it takes time to post these items to student accounts. If you mail your forms, allow an extra week.

Will I receive an award letter?

Yes, you will receive an award notification via email. The award notification will be sent to the email address listed on your FAFSA and to your BPCC student email address. The notification will instruct you to view your awards on LOLA. (Some awards require your acceptance via LOLA.)

Do I have to “accept” my awards via LOLA?

You do not have to "accept" grants or scholarships, as these awards are automatically accepted. Since student loans must be paid back, the student must choose to "accept", "decline", or "accept, partial amount" for student loans.

I don’t have enough Financial Aid to support my family.

Financial Aid is provided to students for educational purposes only and is not intended to be your source of income.

Why is it when I try calling your office I can never get through?

Our office handles several hundred phone calls per day during peak times. We have two incoming phone lines that stay constantly busy. A good strategy if you are in the area is to stop by in person. You may also e-mail us.

IHow do I obtain an IRS Tax Transcript?

You can obtain an IRS Tax Transcript by contacting the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-1040 and ask for a tax return transcript. (Do not request a tax summary)

My aid is not processed. May I still register for classes?

Yes, you should register for classes. Once you are enrolled in classes, you will need to request a Financial Aid deferment to hold your classes while your financial aid is being processed.

My aid is not processed. How will I pay my tuition and books?

Once you are enrolled in classes you will need to request a Financial Aid deferment to hold your classes while your financial aid is being processed. You may pick up a book voucher in the Financial Aid office to pay for your books while your financial aid is being processed.

How do I know how much I owe for tuition and fees?

Access LOLAWill open new browser window or tab and select the Student TAB and then select “Student Account” and then, “Account Summary by Term”.

Will financial aid pay for remedial/developmental classes?

Yes, you may receive federal financial aid for developmental classes, up to 30 credit hours.

DEGREE AUDIT NOTICE:

Federal financial aid may NOT be awarded for courses that do not apply toward a student’s degree program. Each student is strongly encouraged to check with an advisor to ensure that the courses in which he/she is enrolled will apply towards the student’s degree program.

SUBMIT YOUR DOCUMENTS EARLY!
Applying for Financial Aid is a lengthy process. The entire process could take up to 90 days after the student submits ALL documents required to complete his/her financial aid file. In order to have the student’s financial aid processed in time for registration/fee payment he/she must submit ALL requested documents according to the priority deadlines.

  • Provisionally admitted students are not eligible for federal financial aid. If a student’s Admissions file is incomplete, he/she is considered a provisional student.
  • All students must have a high school diploma or a GED in order to receive federal financial aid.
  • If a student is missing official college academic transcripts or if his/her financial aid file is incomplete, the student is NOT eligible for financial aid deferment. It is the student’s responsibility to make payment arrangement on the day of registration.
  • If a student is determined ineligible for financial aid once all missing information is provided, he/she must make payment arrangement on the day of registration. The student’s class schedule will be dropped if payment arrangements are not made on the day of registration.

Awards may be reduced or cancelled without prior notification if a student is determined ineligible for financial aid funds that he/she has already received.

YOU WILL OWE MONEY IF:

  • You do not begin attendance in ALL classes (your instructor notifies the Financial Aid Office of all students who never attend classes.)
  • You resign or stop attending ALL classes before completing more than 60% of the semester.

Students must begin attendance in ALL classes. Financial aid will be adjusted if a student does not begin attendance in ALL classes. If a student receives his/her financial aid check(s) and never attends any classes, the student will be responsible for immediate REPAYMENT of the FULL amount of the financial aid. If a financial aid recipient begins attendance in class, but resigns or stops attending all classes before completing more than 60% of the semester, he/she will owe money to the aid program and BPCC.

60% DATE FOR Spring 2013:

March 18, 2013

BPCC Teacher Institute:

A person who is a full-time Louisiana classroom teacher teaching on a temporary Louisiana teaching certificate in Louisiana in a public or private school, and who is working on permanent certification, may participate in the Teacher Institute. A teacher may take up to two 3-hour courses for $100 each ($200 maximum). Teachers must provide a copy of their T-Certificate and a letter from the school principal where they teach certifying that the course(s) they are taking at BPCC apply toward permanent certification. A new letter is required each semester! For more details, contact Dr. Stan Wilkins, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, at 678-6377. (The program does not include paraprofessionals or teacher aides.)