Boston University students struggling to make grades high enough to maintain their financial aid will have to worry a little less this year thanks to a change in policy announced earlier this month.
In a letter sent to students on Sept. 9, the Office of Financial Assistance announced that the minimum grade-point average for students renewing financial aid requests changed from 2.3 to 2.0 starting with renewals for the 2011-12 academic year.
The policy change is aimed at helping students maintain their financial aid throughout college, among other goals, said Financial Assistance Director Julie Wickstom in an email interview. “This change will mean that students, who need BU financial aid to support their enrollment at BU, will no longer be held to a higher standard in order to continue their enrollment at BU.”
Wickstrom said the drop in the GPA requirement will benefit more students who seek financial aid and help align policies in different areas, including standards for graduation.
“Additional aid has been budgeted to pay for the additional expense, so there is no reduction of funding for other students to pay for the shift,” Wickstrom said. “This change will benefit more students and no students will be negatively impact as a result.”
Students expressed mixed reactions on the change in policy.
“If you have a really challenging course load and a stressful schedule, worries about losing your financial aid shouldn’t be added to the noise,” said College of Communication freshman Ella Clausen.
College of Arts and Sciences freshman Shelby Pelesky saw the issue differently.
“I think it lessens the motivation of a student,” Pelesky said. “I wish they would have left it the way it originally was written.”
Pelesky said she also worries that she will not receive enough aid, while others who may not necessarily “need” the grants would get them instead of her. “Financial aid is the only reason I’m able to be here right now.”
Eighty six percent of students who request need-based financial aid receive it, Wickstrom said.
“BU commits significant funds to student financial assistance each year.”
Students who did not receive sufficient financial aid, however, took out a combined amount of $16,345,434 in parent loans, according to BU’s Common Set Data.
Clausen said that she also feared she would not get enough money last year, so much so that she did not want to check her financial aid award.
“I was so scared that I wasn’t going to get a dime, and therefore flush my dreams of BU down the toilet,” she said.
Despite those fears, Clausen said that the new GPA requirement will not cause more stress.
“For financial aid students in general, I think this is an effective advance,” she said.
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Is a 2.3 GPA really a “higher academic standard?” Seems to me like the administration just wants to ensure that its loans pay out in the end. Not sure how good this move is for BU in the long run…