By Alba Galvan
The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) helps undergraduate California students pursuing a bachelor’s degree with financial aid, lowering the cost of attending a university for up to eight semesters or four years. Cal Poly Humboldt, like many universities, posts estimated MCS awards in student financial aid packages, which were distributed on Oct. 19.
The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) administers and finalizes the MCS for students and distributes once CSAC has confirmed enrollment of a student after the add/drop date and has calculated other financial aid awards, eligibility varies from student to student.
“Eligibility depends on several factors, including a student’s financial circumstances, enrollment and academic progress,” Morgan McBroom, Senior Associate Director of Student Services, Financial Aid, said. “Meeting these requirements does not guarantee a particular award amount. The final amount also depends on the student’s other financial aid and the funding available for the program.”
Alejandro Paz, a junior environmental studies major, believes the MCS 4-year eligibility rule has been a stressor for students.
“I think [it] is stressful for students because some students may have to [or] may not graduate in four years; they may graduate in five or six years, or you just even add an extra semester. So when they don’t get that additional support from the middle-class scholarship, it’s a lot,” Paz said. “It makes a big difference basically in terms of financial help, especially when you’re adding an extra year, and so because it was only limited to four years, it very much forces people to stay on the four-year track when they know they can’t.”
Students need a minimum of six units to qualify for the MCS and 12 units to receive 100% calculated aid. Taking fewer units will result in a reduced MCS award. Students can apply for the MCS by submitting a FAFSA or California Dream Act application by the March 2 priority deadline. McBroom shared how transfer students’ eligibility differs from that of students who go straight into a four-year college.
“CSAC uses information reported by colleges to determine a student’s eligibility, including community college coursework, university units and Advanced Placement (AP) credits,” McBroom said. “As a result, a student who transfers as a junior may have less than two years of MCS eligibility remaining, depending on how CSAC evaluates their educational history. Students with questions about their remaining eligibility should contact the Financial Aid office.”
Violeta Rivas, a junior social work and political science major, found the timing for the MCS distribution to be ideal, but has an issue with how the Department of Financial Aid informs students.
“I feel like we should get, like, a call or something, not just an email, because emails are easy to miss, whatever and this is people’s money,” Rivas said. “I remember my freshman year. I was really confused because I was like, ‘Wait, I’m getting this money, but I don’t even know when I’m getting it,’ and nobody really explained it to me, so it was definitely just very confusing.”
CSAC is able to recalculate the MCS award throughout the academic semester if student aid information changes. Students are encouraged to check their student accounts for updates regarding awards and balance.
“If CSAC reduces a student’s MCS award after the funds have already been disbursed, the student may owe money back to the University. We understand that this can be stressful, especially if a student has already used the refund to pay for rent, food or other essential expenses,” McBroom said. “If this happens, students should contact both the financial aid office and Student Financial Services as soon as possible. The financial aid office can help explain why the award changed, while Student Financial Services can discuss the outstanding balance and available repayment options.”
Alba is a reporter and opinion editor for the Lumberjack. She enjoys listening to people’s opinions with an open mind. You can reach her at agg83@humboldt.edu.