Contact Information
Location: 454 House
Phone: (814) 332-2701
Website
Federal Work Study
The Federal Work-Study student employment program is a program provided to students who are not selected as Resident Advisors through the Office of Residence Life. It is funded partially by the federal government partially by the institution and is based on demonstrated financial need. Participating students usually work an average of 12 hours per week when school is in session to earn the maximum allotment as reflected on the financial aid award letter. Students eligible for Federal Work-Study may work in on-campus positions, or at one of the cooperative non-profit agencies within the Meadville area. Federal Work-Study is not deducted from the college bill. Students receive a monthly paycheck for hours worked. Employees are paid at least the minimum Federal hourly wage. Students and supervisors are responsible for completing all required forms before the student is permitted to begin working.
Campus Employment
Campus Employment is a program provided to students who do not qualify for Federal Work-Study and who are not selected as Resident Advisors through the Office of Residence Life. Students with Campus Employment may be hired to work in many of the regular student worker positions on campus. However, for the off-campus work-study positions preference is given to Federal Work-Study students. Participating students usually work an average of 10 hours per week when school is in session to earn the maximum $2,000 (International students may earn up to $2,500). Employees are paid at least the minimum federal hourly wage. Campus Employment is not deducted from the college bill. Students receive a monthly paycheck for hours worked. Students and supervisors are responsible for completing all required forms before the student is permitted to begin working.
TO APPLY FOR A JOB:
- Visit the Student Employment website to obtain a job application and view a list of student job openings.
- Complete a job application and submit it to the supervisor of the job.
- Follow up with the supervisor about any additional applications required and to arrange an interview.
How Work-Study and Institutional Employment Affect Hours and Jobs
For academic reasons, it is recommended that the student work no more than 10-12 hours per week for all combined jobs, but they cannot exceed 20 hours per week during the academic year. The amount of hours worked per week depends on the work award for the year. To find the maximum number of hours a student can work, divide the total work award by 26 (for weeks of employment), and then divide by the hourly rate of pay.
Under federal regulations, the College must monitor earnings for each student. It is the responsibility of the supervisor and the student to budget allotted time and money accordingly so a student does not exceed maximum earnings. WebAdvisor will track hours worked by a student. A student must stop working when he or she reaches the maximum allotted earnings (for all jobs combined).
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Federal regulations require that all federal financial aid recipients maintain minimum satisfactory academic progress (SAP) to receive financial assistance. A financial aid academic progress policy is required in addition to the institution’s general academic policies.
To receive federal financial aid, students must successfully complete at least a minimum number of credits every semester of full-time enrollment (see chart below.) Only non-repeated coursework will count toward course completion; however, in cases of repeated courses only the most recent grade will be used to determine the cumulative grade point average.
At Allegheny College, a full-time student is expected to complete all degree requirements within a maximum of 10 semesters (five years). Students may not receive federal or institutional aid after registering for 192 credits, or institutional aid after 10 semesters of financial assistance, regardless of the number of credits completed.
Students are also required to meet a qualitative measure of academic performance in order to receive federal financial aid. After two semesters of full-time enrollment, a student must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 1.00, a 1.50 cumulative grade point average after three semesters of enrollment and after four semesters of enrollment, a student must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 in order to receive federal financial aid.
Satisfactory academic progress is measured annually after the conclusion of spring semester by the Financial Aid Office. The chart below lists the qualitative and quantitative measures used by Allegheny College to measure satisfactory academic progress and the student’s eligibility to continue to receive federal financial aid.
| End of Semester |
Min. Cum. GPA |
Min. Credits Completed |
| 2 |
1.00 |
24 |
| 3 |
1.50 |
36 |
| 4 |
2.00 |
48 |
| 5 |
2.00 |
61 |
| 6 |
2.00 |
74 |
| 7 |
2.00 |
87 |
| 8 |
2.00 |
100 |
| 9 |
2.00 |
114 |
| 10 |
2.00 |
128 |
Students who fail to successfully complete the minimum requirements will lose eligibility for federal financial aid.
APPEALS to SAP POLICY PERMITTED
Students who do not meet an institution’s financial aid SAP requirements are allowed to petition for reconsideration of federal aid eligibility. Written appeals for an additional semester of aid eligibility (a probationary semester) must include:
- Why the student failed to make SAP,
- What has changed that will allow the student to make SAP during the probationary semester, and
- The student’s academic plan for success.
Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Financial Aid Office at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester for which the probationary semester is sought.
If the appeal is approved, one probationary semester of financial assistance will be granted to bring the academic record up to the minimum standards (state aid may still be eliminated during this period). If a student is not able to achieve the required standards within one semester, s/he will be placed on an academic plan with requirements for progression toward good standing within the SAP standards. The academic plan may have requirements for credit completion, semester grade point average, or both. Failure to meet the stated minimums after the probationary semester will result in a suspension of all financial aid until SAP requirements are met.
Options When a Student Does Not Have Enough Tuition Money
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and any requested paperwork in a timely fashion. It is best if the Financial Aid Office is made aware of situations early in the semester rather than late in the semester so that assistance can be given because:
- Certain types of financial aid, especially free money, have very limited funds and are awarded based on need first, and then a first-come, first-served basis.
- Student loans have regulations about the certification and disbursement of funds. It often takes a couple of weeks to process the loan before the college receives the funds to clear a bill balance.
It is important for students to pursue all sources of gift aid. Many scholarships are available for current college students (click here).
If there is a situation that is not reflected on the FAFSA, please notify the Financial Aid Office. Commonly seen situations include, but are not limited to, recent job losses, unusually high out-of-pocket medical expenses, and one-time payments received during the calendar year used on the current FAFSA. Federal regulations apply in these situations, which means forms and documents are required, but the Financial Aid Office can help.
All students are eligible for student employment. If a student does not qualify for the federal work study program, then he or she is eligible for campus employment. Students may set up a payment plan with the Financial Services Office to use some or all of the earnings from student employment to pay toward the student bill.
Lastly, although least desirable, student loans can help pay off the student bill. The Financial Aid Office recommends getting through school with the least amount of debt and to use federal student loans before private loans since the federal loans have a fixed interest rate, have a lower interest rate, and do not require a cosigner.
|