A+ Program Guidelines
A+ Incentive Program Processes and Procedures
Overview
The A+ Program provides tuition and student fees for qualified students who have graduated from high schools in Missouri which have been designated as A+ schools. To qualify, students must meet the requirements established for the program including minimum grade point average (GPA), attendance, tutoring, and good citizenship standards.
Steps for Receiving and Maintaining A+ Program Funding
- Apply for admission to Ozarks Technical Community College at http://www.otc.edu .
- Request you high school to submit an official high school transcript with A+ stamp to OTC.
- Complete and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year you intend to utilize A+ Program funding.
- Enroll as a full-time college student (12+ credit hours for FALL and SPRING semesters, 6+ credit hours for SUMMER semester) for each semester you intend to utilize A+ Program funding.
- An A+ Student must be enrolled as a degree or certificate seeking student.
- The student must be a United States citizen.
- After registration each semester, complete the OTC e-Cashier payment plan to defer eligible tuition and fees to financial aid and/or A+.
- A+ Program students must maintain at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average in college level coursework (100 level or higher) at OTC after high school graduation.
- A+ Program students are eligible to utilize A+ Program funding within 48 months after high school graduation, six academic semesters of usage, or until completion of an associate’s degree (whichever comes first).
- Visiting or transient students are not eligible to receive A+ Program funding.
Eligible Programs of Study
An A+ Program eligible student must enroll in a program leading to a Certificate, Associate of Applied Science degree, or Associate of Arts degree. Admission to OTC does not guarantee acceptance into any programs of study.
Items covered by A+ Program Funding
The A+ Program covers the following at OTC:
- Student tuition (in-district and out-of-district only)
- Common student fees
- The A+ Program will not pay for items such as: books, online course fees, supplies, or lab fees
Federal Financial Aid
Students who wish to utilize A+ Program funding must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year they wish to access A+ Program funding. Students may complete the FAFSA online at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov .
If a student is eligible for federal financial aid that does not require repayment (such as the Pell Grant, Academic Competitiveness Grant, or Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant), those funds are applied to the student’s account first. Any eligible tuition and fees not covered by federal grant funding will be billed to the A+ Program. A student cannot receive a full Pell Grant and A+ Program funding simultaneously.
Initial A+ Program Student Eligibility
A+ Program funding can be utilized following high school graduation. The student must be enrolled full-time during any semester of enrollment to access A+ Program funding. Full time enrollment for the Fall and Spring semesters is 12+ credit hours and for the Summer term, 6+ credit hours.
Continuation of A+ Program Eligibility
A student must maintain a minimum 2.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in all college level courses (100 level or higher) at OTC after high school graduation. College coursework (such as dual enrollment/dual credit) gained before high school graduation is not calculated into your cumulative grade point average for purposes of continued A+ Program eligibility. OTC courses numbered below 100 level (such as Math 040, Math 050, etc.) are not calculated into your cumulative grade point average.
Summer enrollment eligibility
- To utilize A+ funding for the summer semester, students must meet all other requirements to receive A+ Program funding and be enrolled in at least six (6) credit hours through any 100% refund periods.
- Students enrolled at 4-year colleges and universities during the prior FALL or SPRING semesters of the current school year are considered transient or visiting students and are not eligible to utilize A+ funding during the summer semester at OTC.
Losing A+ Program Eligibility
A student may lose (or not attain) A+ Program eligibility for the following reasons:
- Not maintaining the minimum cumulative grade point average
- Not having an official high school transcript with an A+ Program seal on file with OTC
- Not being enrolled full-time for a given semester/term
- Not completing a FAFSA for the current academic year and/or not having the results sent to OTC
- It has been more than 48 months since high school graduation
- The student has graduated with an Associate’s degree (AA or AAS)
- The student has used six semesters of A+ Program funding
- The student is not a United States citizen
Reinstatement of Eligibility
A student may regain A+ Program eligibility if the loss of eligibility was due to not meeting the cumulative grade point standard. A student may regain eligibility for the A+ Program by taking enough coursework to sufficiently raise their cumulative grade point average to at least a 2.50. Once a student has raised his/her cumulative grade point average to at least 2.50, he/she can be reinstated for the A+ Program. The A+ Program will not pay for coursework attained during a period in which a student is attempting reinstatement.
Transferring from another college to use A+ Program Funding
A student may transfer from another college or university and utilize A+ Program funding at OTC contingent upon the following:
- The student must have official transcripts from previously attended colleges sent to OTC.
- The student must have at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at the time of transfer to OTC.
- The student must meet all other requirements to receive A+ Program funding.
Please note that transfer credits are not calculated into the cumulative grade point at OTC. The student must maintain at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average of OTC coursework to remain eligible for A+ Program funding. If a student is not eligible for A+ Program funding at the time of transfer, the student must establish at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average at OTC in OTC coursework. Once the student has established the minimum grade point standard, he/she may regain A+ Program eligibility for the next semester of enrollment once the grade point standard has been met. The student must meet all other A+ Program requirements.
**To utilize A+ funding for the summer semester, students must meet all other requirements to receive A+ Program funding and be enrolled in at least six (6) credit hours through any 100% refund periods. Students enrolled at 4-year colleges and universities during the prior FALL or SPRING semesters of the current school year are considered transient or visiting students and are not eligible to utilize A+ funding during the summer semester at OTC.
Dual Enrollment/ Dual Credit
Credits earned while a student is still in high school are not eligible for A+ Program funding. Credits earned before high school graduation are not calculated into the student’s cumulative grade point average for post high school A+ Program eligibility.
Concurrent Enrollment
Students may be concurrently enrolled at eligible post secondary institutions and receive A+ Program funding at OTC. The student must meet all A+ Program requirements at OTC to utilize funding. The student must be enrolled full-time at OTC.
Special Needs Students
The number of credit hours required may be adjusted and other accommodations may be made as deemed appropriate by a Disabilities Services counselor at OTC. The student must still maintain the required cumulative grade point average.
Students enrolled in Developmental Coursework
Developmental coursework at OTC (courses listed below 100 level) qualify for A+ Program funding and count toward the total semester enrollment for that student. However, grades attained from these courses are not counted towards the student’s cumulative grade point average at OTC. Students must take at least one 100 level or higher course at the same time to establish a grade point average.
Enrollment at Education Centers and Online Courses
Students may enroll at any of Ozarks Technical Community College’s educational centers and/or take online courses and be eligible for A+ Program funding. Credit hours and grade point averages from education centers will be used in determining eligibility.
Deferment of Payment of Coursework for A+ Program students
All eligible A+ Program students are encouraged to sign up for the OTC e-Cashier payment plan. This plan allows students with financial aid (such as A+) to defer their tuition and fees until later in the semester. The payment plan allows financial aid payment to be made to the student’s OTC account depending upon what type of assistance is available to the student. In to defer eligible tuition and fees to the A+ Program, OTC must receive a valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) result for the current academic year. Students can sign up for the OTC e-Cashier by going to the OTC website at http://www.otc.edu . Any expenses not paid by the A+ Program or other financial aid will be collected by e-Cashier from the authorized account designated in e-Cashier at a later point in the semester.
Students Graduating from OTC using A+ Program Funding
Students planning to graduate from OTC are required to apply for graduation. For students who are eligible for A+ Program funding during the semester, the A+ Program will cover the application for graduation fee and the cost of eligible tuition and fees (even if you are enrolled less than full-time). You may apply for graduation by going to the OTC website at http://www.otc.edu or by contacting Student Services for an application. Please be aware of deadlines associated with applying for graduation and A+ Program payment. You must apply for graduation for the A+ Program to cover eligible expenses for the given semester of enrollment you plan to graduate.
Disclaimer
If OTC receives an inaccurate high school transcript, the student will be liable for costs associated with any semester of enrollment in which A+ payment was applied or anticipated. An example of an inaccurate transcript would be erroneously A+ stamped and/or marked transcript received from the high school.
This information is accurate as of May 2008. The information contained herein is subject to change as per changes in state law, statutes, rules, and/or guidelines.
