TUITION AND FEES
How are tuition and fees set?
When are tuition and fees due?
Deferment while awaiting a federal student loan...
Deferment while awaiting a private student loan...
Can I request a payment plan to meet my tuition
obligations?
What happens if I don’t pay my tuition and
fees on time?
If I withdraw from school, do I get a refund of
tuition?
If I withdraw, do I keep my Stafford loan (Return
of Title IV Funds)?
How much can I get in financial aid?
What sources of financial aid are available?
How do I apply for a student loan?
What are the steps in processing a Stafford loan application
and how long does it take to receive the funds?
What is the
process for applying loan funds to my ASL account?
When can
I get a check from ASL for my living expenses?
How does my academic
performance at ASL affect my student loans?
How do I get a
deferment on my undergraduate loans?
How do I apply for a scholarship
from ASL?
What should I do if I have more questions?
Consumer Information
Student Rights and Responsibilities
Administrative Responsibility
for Financial Aid
Financial Aid Glossary
How are tuition and fees set?
Tuition and fees are approved each year by the
Board of Trustees. The level of tuition and fees in effect
when you matriculate at ASL will remain fixed for you for
the duration of your continuous attendance at ASL.
When are tuition and fees due?
Tuition and fees for each semester are due
no later than the first day of classes. Students who will
not have their tuition and fees paid in full by the due
date must have an approved payment arrangement on file in
the Business Office no later than the first day of classes.
Without an approved payment arrangement, your account will
be considered to be “past due” and may result
in cancellation of your registration or an interruption
of services provided by ASL.
If my student loan is delayed, can I defer
payment of my tuition and fees while I am waiting for my
student loan to arrive?
You may be eligible to defer the payment
of tuition charges based upon the amount of federally guaranteed
student loans approved through the Financial Aid Office.
In addition, you may be eligible to defer tuition pending
the disbursement of private loan funds.
Deferment while awaiting a federal student loan:
You will be granted a deferment of the current
semester’s tuition if you:
- have applied for a federal student loan
for the semester that tuition is being charged, by application
to the ASL Financial Aid Office, by the Financial Aid application
due date;
- have submitted all the necessary documentation
for qualifying for such federal student loan and have been
“cleared” by the ASL Financial Aid Office for
disbursement of funds;
- have filed a Request for Deferment of Payment
with the Business Office by the due date for
tuition payment; and
- will receive federal loans in an amount
at least equal to the outstanding tuition and fees balance
or have paid the difference between the amount of net loans
being received and tuition and fee charges outstanding.
Deferment while awaiting a private student loan:
You will be granted a deferment of the current
semester’s tuition if you:
- have applied for a private student loan
for the semester that tuition is being charged, by application
to the ASL Financial Aid Office, by the Financial Aid application
due date;
- have submitted all the necessary documentation
for qualifying for such private student loan and have been
“cleared” by the ASL Financial Aid Office for
disbursement of funds;
- have been approved by the lender for the
private loan;
- have filed a Request for Deferment of Payment
with the Business Office by the due date for
tuition payment; and
- will receive private loans in an amount
at least equal to the outstanding tuition and fees balance
or have paid the difference between the amount of net loans
being received and tuition and fee charges outstanding or
are awaiting a federal loan that will cover such outstanding
charges.
Can I request a payment plan to meet my tuition obligations?
You may request a payment plan for all or
part of your tuition and fees. However, payment plans are
approved only in extraordinary circumstances and your deferment
is subject to the following conditions:
- You must submit a request for a payment
plan to the Business Office by the first day of classes
for the applicable semester.
- Approval will be considered based on information
provided in your request. If you have defaulted on a previous
payment plan, that will be a ground for denying your request.
It is your responsibility to make sure that the Business
Office receives the payment plan.
- If any scheduled payment under an approved
plan is late, you will be considered to be in “Past
Due” status. The result of “Past Due”
status will include the immediate full payment of the student’s
account balance or the student will be withdrawn from all
course work.
What happens if I don’t pay
my tuition and fees on time?
If you fail to pay or make arrangements to
pay tuition and fees, you will be subject to the following
action:
- Registration will not be processed.
- Transcript requests will not be processed.
- Grade reports will be withheld.
- Registered students may be removed from
current class enrollment.
- Certification of graduated students to
bar authorities will be withheld.
- Diplomas will be withheld.
If I withdraw from school, do I get a refund of tuition?
Students who voluntarily withdraw from the
School are responsible for paying all assessed tuition and
fees due for that semester. For purposes of determining
the amount of tuition owed by a withdrawing student, the
Law School will follow the method described by the federal
Return of Title IV Funds regulations to calculate the percentage
of the academic term completed. The amount of tuition owed
by a student will be assessed based upon the percentage
of time the student spent in academic attendance. For the
purposes of this policy, the one-week Introduction to Law
class is included in the definition of semester for first-year
students. This policy will apply to all students regardless
of whether the student received Title IV funds. Student
fees are not refundable.
Up through the 60% point in each period of
enrollment, a pro rata schedule will be used to determine
the amount of tuition the student owes at the time of withdrawal.
After the 60% point in the period of enrollment, a student
owes 100% of the tuition for that semester.
Because the amount of tuition owed depends
on the number of calendar days of the academic term completed
by the withdrawing student, any student contemplating withdrawal
should contact the Financial Aid Office for a calculation
of tuition and fees owed as of the student’s intended
withdrawal date.
Withdrawal forms are available from the Director
of Student Services. Withdrawal is effective only upon completion
of the Law School’s withdrawal form, approval of that
form by the Dean or his designee, and payment of all tuition
or fees owed to the Law School. Any tuition paid by the
student prior to withdrawal that exceeds the amount for
which the student is responsible will be refunded by the
Law School to the student at the address provided to the
Law School by the student within three weeks of the date
of withdrawal. However, if the Law School is obligated under
the terms of a student’s loan program to remit the
excess tuition to a lender or other appropriate agency,
the Law School shall do so.
If I withdraw, do I keep my Stafford loan (Return of Title
IV Funds)?
The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 include
new provisions governing the return of federal financial
assistance for financial aid recipients who withdraw from
school. In general, the new law assumes that a student must
“earn” federal financial aid awards directly
in proportion to the number of days of the term attended.
In other words, a student earns financial assistance as
they attend class. If a student withdraws from classes during
a term, ASL must calculate the portion of the total scheduled
financial assistance earned. If the student received (or
ASL received on behalf of the student) more assistance than
earned, the unearned excess funds must be returned to the
Stafford Loan program.
The portion of the Stafford Loan the student
was entitled to earn is calculated on a percentage basis
by comparing the total number of calendar (not class) days
in the semester to the number of days completed before official
withdrawal. (Scheduled breaks of five consecutive days or
longer are excluded from both the numerator and denominator,
but weekend days are included.) Up through the 60% point
in each payment period or period of enrollment, a pro rata
schedule is used to determine the amount of Title IV funds
the student has earned at the time of withdrawal. After
the 60% point, a student has earned 100% of the Title IV
funds.
ASL takes the responsibility on behalf of
the student to return unearned federal aid funds that were
applied directly to institutional charges. ASL will reinstate
institutional charges no longer covered by financial assistance
and the student becomes immediately responsible for the
entire outstanding balance. The student is responsible for
return of unearned federal funds that were disbursed directly
to him or her, although funds due for repayment to the Stafford
loan program permit the student to repay according to the
terms of the promissory note.
ASL must return its share of unearned funds
no later than 30 days after it determines that the student
withdrew or stopped attending classes. Funds returned to
lenders by ASL will be distributed first to the Federal
Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, then to the Federal Subsidized
Stafford Loan, then to any other Federal, State, private
or institutional scholarships and loans; and, finally, any
remaining balance to the student.
Loan recipients intending to withdraw must
have an Exit Interview before a withdrawal form is processed
and before leaving ASL. The Exit Interview must be completed
before the withdrawal will be processed. Contact the Financial
Aid Office to schedule the interview.
Be aware that federal regulations treat a
leave of absence exceeding 180 days in length as a withdrawal
from law school. In the event of such a leave, the return
of funds procedures are triggered.
FINANCIAL AID
How much can I get in financial aid?
The amount that you can receive in financial
aid from all sources is capped by ASL’s Cost of Attendance
(“COA”). The COA is basically a budget, and
includes tuition, fees, and an allowance for books, supplies,
transportation, living expenses, loan fees (if applicable),
and miscellaneous expenses. ASL reviews the COA figures
for possible adjustment every year. The COA used to determine
your aid eligibility may vary from your actual costs to
attend law school. There are additional educational expenses
not included in the COA that vary from student to student,
depending upon personal circumstances.
In individual cases, your COA budget can
be adjusted to reflect actual costs if the budget does not
fairly reflect what you pay, such as uninsured medical expenses
or childcare. If you would like to request an adjustment
in your COA, please visit the Financial Aid Office. Documentation
of expenses will be required. Note that federal regulations
prohibit the Financial Aid Office from providing federal
student loan funds to students for covering the following
expenses:
- Automobile payments, repairs and insurance
- Bar review courses
- Bar exam fees
- Consumer debt (i.e., credit card payments)
- Job interview costs
Please realize that the living allowance
within our COA embraces a modest lifestyle. Single students
should plan on at least one roommate to fall within the
housing allowance. We strongly urge all students to stay
within these budgetary guidelines to ensure that their future
debt will not grow larger than necessary.
The links below show the Cost of Attendance
for full-time students for the entire 2008-09
academic year. The first-year budget contains an allowance
of purchase of a laptop computer and for living expenses
during the summer externship; these two elements are not
included in the budgets for second- and third-year students.
(The cost of attendance for second- and third-year students
is available from the Financial Aid Office.) Remember that
this budget is used for determining eligibility for student
loans, as well as other purposes. This budget is an estimate
of the average cost, and your actual cost of attendance
may vary.
What sources of financial aid are available?
A. Scholarship Grants
Grants are provided both from the Law School's
institutional resources and from the generosity of private
donors. Grants are awarded on the basis of merit and/or
financial need. The maximum possible amount of any scholarship
or combination of scholarships is the amount of tuition.
Certain entering students qualify for an
Angela D. Dales merit scholarship based upon their entering
credentials. ASL will endeavor to make these awards to all
qualifying applicants each year, but reserves the right
to limit their award if the number of awardees exceeds the
availability of resources in a particular year. Notification
of a merit scholarship will follow your letter of admission.
Merit awards will remain effective as long the recipient
student (1) is enrolled at ASL, (2) remains in good academic
standing, and (3) for second- and third-year students, meets
the retention criteria in effect at the time your merit
scholarship was awarded. If a student does not meet the
retention criteria, the merit award may be reduced or revoked.
A limited number of other scholarship grants
are made possible by the generosity of other donors. Award
criteria may be based upon the student’s place of
residence, among other factors. Qualification information
is available from the Financial Aid Office.
Scholarship grants are credited one-half
each semester to the student's account through the Business
Office.
More information about Merit
scholarships offered for 2008-09.
B. Assistance from the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia residents qualify for a Tuition
Assistance Grant (TAG) as a student enrolled at a private
Virginia university. For the 2008-2009 academic year, the
value of this grant is estimated at $1,900 ($950 per semester)
for full time students (each semester, fall/spring). The
Tuition Assistance Grant may be obtained for three years
of law school study. A recipient must be a Virginia-domiciled
resident. Domicile is established by at least twelve months
of consecutive Virginia residency prior to entering school,
supported by actions demonstrating intent to remain in Virginia
indefinitely. The amount for each TAG award may vary per
academic year. If you are a Virginia resident, you must
submit a TAG application before you can be considered for
any other institutional aid (deadline is July 31). Students
must maintain a minimum of nine credit hours per semester
in order to receive full TAG benefits. Students also may
not receive more than three years’ worth of VTAG grants
during their law school education.
C. Educational Loans
Several types of loans are available through
ASL. You should become fully informed of the terms of each
type of loan and your obligations for repayment.
Federal student loans, some of which carry low or subsidized
interest, are an important part of ASL's financial aid program.
1. Subsidized Stafford Loans (formerly GSL)
are available in the maximum amount of $8,500 per year,
with a cumulative maximum of $65,500, including the unpaid
balance of any undergraduate subsidized loans. Eligibility
for these loans is based on need and determined from information
contained in the FAFSA. Stafford loans are available only
to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
Stafford loans currently carry a six-month
grace period and an annual variable rate of interest. The
interest rate will be determined each year by June 15 for
the following period, July 1 through June 30, and may not
exceed 8.25%; the 2008-09 rate is 4.70% during in-school,
grace period, and during deferment. However, if you have
any outstanding balance on a prior loan(s), the deferments
that were stipulated in your original promissory note(s)
will pertain to any new disbursements as well. First-time
borrowers, of course, will be subject to all terms and deferments
that are in effect at the time their loans are disbursed.
Two fees may be deducted from your loan funds
and included in the amount you pay back. An origination
fee equal to 3% of the principal of the loan is charged
by the Department of Education. A guaranty fee may or may
not be charged by the loan guarantor, but may not exceed
1%. Loan repayment can be deferred for a variety of reasons,
including further study, unemployment and economic hardship.
2. Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. If you do
not meet the federal needs test in order to qualify for
all or part of the subsidized Stafford loan (SS) or if the
SS does not meet the entirety of your financial needs, you
should be eligible for an unsubsidized Stafford loan (US).
The annual maximum US is $20,500, less any amount of SS
for which you are eligible. The cumulative maximum is $138,500,
less any SS and less the remaining balance of any undergraduate
Stafford or SLS loans. The terms of the US are identical
to the SS with the following two exceptions:
- There is no needs test. You may borrow
up to $20,500 per year, less any amount of SS for which
you may be eligible, except that the combined SS and US
may not exceed the difference between the cost of attendance
and all other financial aid (including other loans received
for that period of enrollment).
- There is no interest subsidy. This means
that the US borrower is responsible for the interest that
accrues while (s)he is enrolled in school, either by making
regular monthly or quarterly payments, or by capitalizing
the interest. “Capitalization,” which must be
negotiated with the lender, means that all of the interest
that accrues during the in-school period is added to the
principal and payments are based upon the new (larger) capitalized
principal.
All other SS and US terms are identical:
six-month grace period, various repayment options, standard
SS deferments and an annual variable interest rate which
may not exceed 8.25%.
Subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans
are available from a wide array of commercial and independent
lenders.
You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) so that your possible eligibility for SS may
be determined. Be alert to the fact that loan fees may vary
among lenders and repayment terms could change when changing
lenders. Further information and applications are available
from the Financial Aid Office.
3. Graduate PLUS Loan
Graduate PLUS loans are federally sponsored loans for students
attending a graduate level school. With a Graduate PLUS
loan, you may borrow up to the full cost of your education,
less other financial aid received including Federal Stafford
loans.
- A credit check, by the lender, is required
- The Graduate PLUS interest rate is fixed
at 8.5%
- There is a 3% origination fee charged by
the federal government. Up to a 1% federal default fee is
also charged.
4. Other Private or Supplemental Loans
In addition to federal loans, you may wish
to use certain private supplemental loans. ASL currently
participates in the private loan programs of several lenders
to help address your remaining financial need
Private loans are made on the basis of your
(and, in certain cases, the co-applicant’s) credit
history. If you have poor credit history, it is quite possible
that you will not qualify for any private loans. If you
are considering a private loan, we strongly advise you to
review a copy of your credit history. This review may alert
you to a problem of which you are unaware and provide an
opportunity to resolve such problem before submitting a
loan application. To obtain a credit history, contact the
following credit agencies. In some cases, there may be a
nominal charge.
Equifax: (800) 685-1111
Trans Union: (800) 888-4213
Experian (formerly TRW): (800) 682-7654
4. ASL Emergency Short-Term Advances
As a nonprofit institution, ASL is not an
authorized lender and, as a matter of policy and given the
availability of other forms of financial aid, does not issue
institutional loans of any kind. However, in some circumstances,
a student may obtain an emergency advance of funds. These
advances are applied for in the Financial Aid Office and
are subject to availability of funds. The Business Office
normally disburses the funds by check within five to ten
business days of receiving a complete and approved Emergency
Advance Request.
An Emergency Advance will only be issued
to a student who, in the current semester:
- is enrolled;
- is awaiting approved financial aid loan
funds; and
- is approved by the Director of Student
Services and the Dean.
Emergency advances will be issued for a maximum
of $1,000 and are repayable from federal or private student
loans. In no event may the repayment of the advance exceed
30 days or continue past the end of a semester.
Other sources of emergency funds might be
available under certain circumstances. The Appalachian Women
in Law maintains a student emergency fund. In addition,
the New Peoples Bank has established a short-term revolving
emergency loan fund for students from communities within
the Lenowisco and Cumberland Plateau Planning Districts
and Mercer County, West Virginia.
How do I apply for a student loan?
Complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) application.
Be sure to answer all questions as instructed.
In particular, be sure to use your name as it appears in
the records of the Social Security Administration. ASL’s
Title IV federal code number for the FAFSA is G35593. Returning
(2L and 3L) students need only file a condensed Renewal
FAFSA.
We recommend that you complete FAFSA on-line
at www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after January 1.
If you apply on-line, it is very important that you execute
the signature page immediately so that it will reach the
processing office within ten days. On-line applicants also
automatically receive a PIN number that enables you to make
online corrections to your FAFSA data. You also will need
your PIN number to file an on-line Renewal FAFSA in subsequent
years.
FAFSA
Federal Student Aid Programs
P.O. Box 4008
Mount Vernon, IL 62864-8608
Make sure to complete the FAFSA with your name as it appears
on your social security card. If your name has been legally
changed, you must obtain a new social security card and submit
a copy to the Financial Aid Office.
Please note that all students must reapply for financial aid
and complete the FAFSA each year so that awards are determined
in response to actual present need.
If you are required to participation
in application verification, provide your tax returns and
other required documentation
to the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible.
Select a lender for your Stafford
loan (and private loan, if applicable) and complete the loan
applications carefully.
Return all completed applications to the Financial Aid Office
promptly. Applications that are incomplete or improperly filled
out will be returned, thus delaying processing of the loan
and causing trouble for you and for us. Delays in processing
mean that your money will also be delayed.
Complete the required Entrance Counseling. Federal regulations
and American Bar Association standards require that each borrower
receive entrance counseling about education financing, debt
management, and related matters.
TIP:
Resolve any defaults on previous student loans before
applying
for new loans. It is ASL’s
policy to refuse financial aid to a student who is in default
on
any federal
or university student loan or who owes a refund to the Department
of Education, ASL or any other institution. Further, if you
are found to be in default after being offered financial aid,
ASL will withdraw all aid immediately while continuing to hold
the student responsible for any charges that may have been
incurred.
TIP: Keep
all of your financial aid information in a personal file.
Keep track of how much you have borrowed
each year, and
be aware of your monthly payments. It is important that you
know your payments before you take out additional loans and,
therefore, increase your monthly debt.
Federal regulations require that ASL report to the Inspector
General of the U.S. Department of Education or other law enforcement
officials any information indicating that an applicant may
have engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct in connection
with his or her federal loan application.
What are the steps in processing a Stafford loan application
and how long does it take to receive the funds?
There are several steps in the process. First, it ordinarily
takes three to four weeks for your FAFSA to be processed. You
can usually obtain a faster turnaround time if FAFSA is completed
online. You can use the Application Status Check at the FAFSA
website to check the status of your FAFSA at any point during
the processing period. Your FAFSA is processed by the U.S.
Department of Education, not by ASL or your chosen lender.
Processing of your FAFSA will take longer if you do not answer
all of the questions, or make errors in your application, or
do not submit your signature page.
A Student Aid Report (or “SAR”)
is generated based upon your FAFSA.
Your SAR summarizes the data you reported on your FAFSA. Once
you receive your SAR in the mail, please check the information
carefully to make sure that it is accurate. If you listed ASL
on your FAFSA, ASL receives an electronic version of the same
information, called the Institutional Student Information Record
(ISIR). Make sure that you keep a copy of the SAR and note
the DRN (Data Release Number) in the upper right hand corner
of the first page. If the information is complete, an Expected
Family Contribution (EFC) will be printed next to the DRN.
The EFC is based on the income and expense information you
provided on the FAFSA, and is used to determine your financial
aid award and your eligibility for a subsidized Stafford loan.
As part of the processing of FAFSA, the
federal government seeks to “match” information
that you provided on your FAFSA with federal income tax,
citizenship, social
security, student loan, and immigration records. If the government
is unable to match your information with their records, or
if their records indicate a prior default on a student loan
or other circumstance that might preclude you from qualifying
for a loan, you and ASL may be advised that we cannot process
your loan further until the discrepancy is resolved or further
information is provided.
Next, as another part of the FAFSA process,
the government’s
computers randomly select approximately 30% of the applications
for “verification.” (ASL also can select applications
for verification.) If your application is selected for verification,
you will be asked to supply tax returns and other documentation
to the Financial Aid Office. The purpose of verification is
to double-check that the information you furnished on your
FAFSA matches other information that you have submitted to
the federal government. If the verification process reveals
a discrepancy, processing of your loan will cease until the
discrepancy can be resolved. We are not permitted to disburse
your loan until the verification process has completed.
After your FAFSA has been processed and
you have completed a loan application and Master Promissory
Note from the lender
of your choice, the Financial Aid Office will “certify” your
loan to the lender, confirming that you are enrolled as a student
and eligible to receive a loan. The lender and the lender’s
guarantor each will process your application. Although this
processing time typically is under two weeks, it is out of
ASL’s control and you likely will be able to obtain more
information about the status of your loan application from
your lender than can the Financial Aid Office.
Finally, after your loan is approved and funds are sent to
ASL, the Financial Aid Office is required to reconfirm your
eligibility for the loan before we can apply the loan to your
account or you can receive any funds. This process ordinarily
can be completed in a day or less.
Loans typically are disbursed to ASL by the lenders twice
each academic year, at the beginning of the fall and spring
semesters.
The ASL “Where’s My Loan?” form
(see p. 28) will give you periodic updates.
What is the process for applying loan funds to my ASL account?
ASL participates in Electronic Funds Transfer programs through many lenders. Other lenders typically transmit
loan funds via paper check. Loan funds received by ASL through
EFT will be credited to student accounts within 3 business
days of receipt of such funds in the ASL bank account, subject
to reconfirmation of your eligibility by the Financial Aid
Office. Within 48 hours after application of funds to their
accounts, students will receive a receipt for funds in their
student mailbox. Credit balances remaining from excess of loan
funds over tuition, fees, and other charges will be issued
to the student in the form of an overpayment check.
When ASL receives a loan check payable to ASL and to you,
or to you individually, you must come to the Business Office
to negotiate the check within 7 days of receipt by the Business
Office. Checks not negotiated within the 7 days will render
a deferment of payment null and void and cause the student
account to be placed in past due status. In accordance with
government regulations, checks not negotiated within 30 days
of receipt by ASL will be sent back to the lender. Checks that
are co-payable to you and to ASL must be signed by you and
processed through your account. Overpayments will not be processed
unless your account is paid in full. Under limited circumstances,
loan proceeds also may be applied to unpaid charges incurred
in prior years.
When can I get a check from ASL for my living expenses?
ALERT: Loan proceeds may take a few days to be released following
registration. Therefore, please plan accordingly to have necessary
funds for books, deposits, living expenses, etc.
The Business Office is dedicated to processing overpayment
and reimbursement checks in a timely manner. Due to the large
volume of checks that the Business Office processes, certain
procedures are followed to ensure that the processing is efficient
and timely:
Most student loan funds are deposited with ASL by electronic
transfer, helping to streamline the disbursement process. The
disbursements of overpayment checks are governed by regulation.
Under these regulations, checks for overpayments and excess
funds for living expenses will be available to you as soon
as possible after:
- Funds have been received by ASL from your lender;
- Your continuing eligibility has been confirmed by the Financial
Aid Office;
- The Business Office has applied the loan funds to your account,
and determined that there is an excess available for distribution
to you;
- You have registered for classes; and
- A check has been prepared by the Business Office and signed
by the ASL Dean and Treasurer.
The Business Office will put a note in your student mailboxes
when an overpayment check is available. If you have met all
of the financial aid deadlines, you ordinarily can expect a
check by the end of the first week of classes. Please plan
your finances accordingly.
Some lenders do not participate in EFT and some students have
elected not to participate in EFT. In these cases, checks are
sent to ASL from the lenders. As ASL receives the loan checks,
the Business Office will notify students for whom loan checks
are ready for negotiation. The student then must go to the
Business Office to endorse the check. The requirements listed
above for EFT then must be satisfied. If all of the requirements
have been satisfied, an overpayment check normally will be
available within a few days after a student has endorsed a
check.
How does my academic performance at ASL affect my student
loans?
The federal regulations governing the student financial assistance
program stipulate that in order to continue to be eligible
for Title IV financial aid (including Subsidized and Unsubsidized
Stafford Loans), you must be making satisfactory progress towards
a degree. This includes a statutory qualitative and quantitative
measure of progress, including a maximum time frame in which
you are expected to finish the program of study. A school must
determine a student's qualitative progress at least once during
the academic year. ASL students will be assessed at the end
of each Spring for continued eligibility for the Fall semester.
Full-time students at ASL do not make satisfactory academic
progress if they:
1. Fail to earn 20 credits during the previous year;
2. Fail to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0;
or
3. Exceed a maximum time frame for earning the J.D. degree
of 9 semesters.
Part-time students at ASL do not make satisfactory academic
progress if they:
1. Fail to complete each course attempted
with at least a “C” grade.
2. Exceed a maximum time frame for earning the J.D. degree
of 10 semesters.
Incomplete courses will not be counted in the credit accumulation
until a passing grade has been earned. Students who fail to
meet the standard for credit accumulation, but are able to
achieve a grade within the semester, may be able to regain
eligibility for that term and the following academic period.
If you fail to meet the satisfactory progress standard, you
may appeal to the Dean. The appeal will be evaluated for mitigating
circumstances resulting from personal illness, injury, personal
tragedy, etc., and your ability to improve your academic record.
Ordinarily, a successful petition for academic probation will
suffice as a request for continued financial aid. A successful
appeal would result in your being placed on financial aid probation
with continued receipt of financial aid funds. If you fail
to meet the standard at the end of the probationary period,
then you will lose eligibility for aid. Only one probationary
period will be granted.
Students who lose eligibility without an appeal or whose appeal
is denied may regain eligibility for federal aid by leaving
ASL for one year. Students who decide to remain at ASL can
do so without the benefit of receiving Title IV assistance.
They can request to have their academic record reviewed after
a term in attendance to ascertain whether the course work taken
will bring them up to the appropriate level.
How do I get a deferment on my undergraduate loans?
Enrolled students in good standing are generally eligible
for deferment of payments on undergraduate student loans. Most
lenders have a specific form that they would like you to complete
to obtain a deferment. Deferment requests from ASL students
are processed on behalf of the law school by the National Student
Clearinghouse. Please submit your completed form to the Financial
Aid Office for forwarding to the Clearinghouse.
How do I apply for a scholarship from ASL?
The Angela D. Dales merit scholarships are awarded automatically
to first-year students based upon entering credentials. If
you received a merit scholarship during your first year, you
automatically will be considered for the continuation of a
merit scholarship during their second and third years based
on academic performance. You must meet the retention criteria
applicable to your class in order to retain all or part of
your scholarship.
Students will be considered for need-based scholarships by
ASL based upon the information contained in the FAFSA and upon
information gathered from needaccess.org.
What should I do if I have more questions?
If you have additional questions, please call
1-800-895-7411, or visit, or e-mail the Financial Aid Office
at jfields@asl.edu or hsawyers@asl.edu.
CONSUMER INFORMATION
Federal law also requires that ASL make available to currently
enrolled students, prospective students, and employees certain
information. In addition to the information on policies and
procedures contained elsewhere in this Guide, please be aware
of the following:
Campus Crime: ASL maintains records of
the number (if any) of certain crimes committed on the ASL
campus and files an
annual report containing this information. This annual report
includes information about ASL’s security policies and
procedures, crime-prevention programs, and campus crime statistics.
This report is distributed annually to all students and employees
and also may be inspected in the Office of the Dean.
Drug-Free Workplace: It is the policy of ASL to provide a
drug-free, healthful, safe, and secure work and educational
environment. Employees and students are required and expected
to report to their class or student activities in appropriate
mental and physical condition to meet the requirements and
expectations of their respective roles.
ASL prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation,
possession, or use of narcotics, drugs, other controlled substances,
or alcohol at the workplace and in the educational setting.
Unlawful for these purposes means in violation of federal/state/local
regulations, policy, procedures, and rules, as well as legal
statutes. Workplace means either on ASL premises or while conducting
ASL business away from ASL premises. Educational setting includes
both institutional premises and approved educational sites
off campus.
In order to prevent the consequences of alcohol and drug abuse
at the workplace and in the educational setting, ASL has implemented
this policy to ensure a drug-free work and educational environment.
ASL recognizes that chemical dependency through use of controlled
or uncontrolled substances, including alcohol, is a treatable
illness. ASL supports and recommends employee and student rehabilitation
and assistance programs and encourages employees and students
to use such programs.
ASL also will implement drug-free awareness programs for employees
and students. Such programs will annually ensure that employees
and students are aware that:
Alcohol and other drug abuse at the workplace and in the educational
setting is dangerous because it leads to physical impairment,
loss of judgment, safety violations and the risk of injury,
poor health, and even death.
Alcohol and other drug abuse can also significantly
lower performance on the job and in the classroom, thus impacting
on ASL and its mission as well as seriously affecting the student’s
educational and career goals.
Employees must report any personal conviction under a criminal
drug statute for conduct at the workplace to their personnel
officer within five days.
It is a condition of employment and admission that all employees
and students must abide by the policy on alcohol and other
drug use as well as related procedures, statements, laws, and
guidelines. Violation of any provision may result in disciplinary
action up to and including termination or expulsion, and may
have further legal consequences consistent with federal and
state laws and regulations. In addition, management may require
an employee or student to enter an employee/student assistance
or drug rehabilitation program as a condition of employment
or enrollment.
Use of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), Student Assistance
Programs (SAP), or drug/alcohol rehabilitation services is
encouraged.
Licensing and Accreditation: ASL was granted provisional approval
by the American Bar Association on February 19, 2001. During
the time (up to five years) in which ASL may be in provisional
approval status, the ABA will conduct annual accreditation
reviews. ASL also has been granted provisional approval to
confer the Juris Doctorate degree by the State Council on Higher
Education for Virginia.
Student Right-to-Know Act: ASL is required
to make available its graduation rates by July 1 of each
year. The graduation
rate for each year is available to any person upon request
from the Dean’s Office. This information also is reported
to the U.S. Department of Education by ASL through the annual
National Center for Education Statistics graduation-rate survey.
Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act: ASL does not have an intercollegiate
athletic program.
STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
IN THE FINANCIAL AID PROCESS
You have the right to:
1. Receive information regarding application procedures and
programs
2. Know how your need was determined
3. Know how aid is awarded
4. Know how your aid will be disbursed
5. Know how satisfactory academic progress is measured
6. Know ASL’s refund and repayment
policies
7. Confidentiality
You are responsible for:
1. Completing applications accurately
2. Reapplying annually
3. Providing correct information
4. Complying with follow-up requests
5. Reporting changes in your financial circumstances
6. Reporting the amount and source (s) of outside aid
7. Reporting address changes
8. Repaying your loans
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AID
The responsibility for the administration
of financial aid functions is split between two offices because
federal law
imposes “checks and balances” or separation of
functions requirements.
| The Financial Aid Office |
The Business Office |
| Provides information and applications for loans and scholarships |
Maintains information on student accounts (including
both charges and credits) |
| Determines eligibility for financial aid programs |
Prepares student account invoices |
| Certifies loan applications to lenders |
Receives tuition and fee payments and student loan proceeds
and applies them to student accounts |
| Processes deferments for undergraduate loans |
Prepares checks for living expenses and loan overpayments |
| Awards scholarships to students |
Processes refunds and return of funds for students who
have withdrawn |
| Establishes the Cost of Attendance and considers requests
for adjustment of COA |
Approves tuition payment plans |
| Assembles financial aid packages for students |
|
| Monitors students’ “satisfactory academic progress” |
|
| Maintains files on each student’s financial aid
activities |
|
| Provides entrance and exit counseling |
|
Currently, the Financial Aid Office is housed organizationally
and physically within the Student Services Office. A Financial Aid Officer and Financial
Aid Assistant perform the day-to-day functions of the office,
under the supervision of the Student Services Director. The
Student Services Office reports to the Dean. The Business Office
is staffed by a Business Assistant and a Business Clerk. The
Business Office reports to the Chief Operating Office/Dean.
FINANCIAL AID GLOSSARY
Please vivit www.finaid.org for the glossary listings
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