I’m not sure if this is the appropriate forum to post my inquiry but I was just wondering how FAFSA works for postbaccs.
I applied for FAFSA and had listed myself as a non-degree seeking or a beyond 5 year undergraduate student on my application. The several schools that I listed returned a letter stating to me that they can’t prepare my financial package because I’m a non-degree seeking student. So now my only other alternative is a supplemental student loan?
But what’s really frustrating to me now is that one of the schools is my alma mater. I decided I want to do my postbacc there since it’s a great school and I like the small class size and the individual attention. However, they wouldn’t even let me take classes unless I apply to the college and get accepted as a transferee! Argghhhh! For crying out loud, I graduated from this school!
Anyway, sorry for the digression…I was hoping to start my postbacc this spring but I guess I’ll have to wait until summer again. When one thing goes wrong, everything seems to go wrong. Sighs
The school I attended for my post-bacc had us enroll as 2nd bachelor degree students strictly for the ease of administration and financial aid. Nowhere on my transcript was that listed, so medical schools didn’t see it as not completing something (such as not completing a masters that you start). You might want to see if your school can change your status.
Hope that helps.
Tara
Did you go to a small school for undergrad? You mentioned small classes so I just wondered… Who told you you’d have to apply as a transfer student just to take classes? If it was someone in financial aid, I’d be sure to call the registrar, and if they can’t help you, ask the dean of academics. At big universities, I suppose you would have to start from scratch, but that’s hard to believe if it’s a small college.
I’m just asking, because I’m currently attending the school I graduated from, and they have some special policies that apply to alums. You have to have graduated at least five years prior, and you can only take one class per term. But there’s a huge alumni discount on tuition, which presumably, goes straight into the coffers of the annoying alumni fund raising office. So they have a motive! However, no one on campus knew about this policy–I only found out when I called a former boss of mine in the registrar’s office who looked it up in their book of special policies. I have yet to meet one prof or campus official who was aware that alums could really take classes…anyway, you might want to check on it more!
BTW, back when I was applying for financial aid, I was told that I didn’t qualify for anything besides loans, because I already had a bachelor’s degree. I don’t know if that’s true everywhere though.
-andrea
I applied to 3 formal post-bac programs and 2 informal programs as a 2nd-degree bachelor’s student. I put “2nd degree bachelor’s” down on the FAFSA even though technically that wasn’t correct for most of my programs. I just thought it would be easier…and would get me more FA than putting down “certificate program.” Maybe you can change it to “2nd degree bachelor’s”?
I don’t think the federal government/schools you apply to are going to track you down if you didn’t complete that 2nd bachelor’s degree. At least that’s what I hope b/c I’m not planning on completing a 2nd bachelor’s degree. 