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View Dates Institutional Financial Aid Renewal
Student Commitments
Generous benefactors of John Paul the Great Catholic University have contributed funds for scholarships with the explicit intention of forming men and women who will impact culture for Christ. The University, in turn, awards these scholarships based on merit and need, and seeks to ensure that the recipients reach their full potential as Christian witnesses. Scholarships are initially awarded for the first two quarters on campus, and then renewed each subsequent quarter after review by the Financial Aid Renewal Committee. JP Catholic exhorts scholarship recipients to demonstrate that they are good stewards of our benefactors’ investment. The Financial Aid Renewal Committee determines the student’s eligibility for financial aid by assessing his/her Personal Plan for Success. In particular, the Committee will examine the student’s progress in and commitment to spiritual formation, community participation, and academic performance.
Spiritual Formation
Even though the University would never presume to measure a student’s growth in holiness, nor attempt in any way to legislate piety and devotion, it expects every student to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Dean of Students and other spiritual directors will be happy to assist students in developing the spiritual component of their Personal Plans for Success. Key elements of such a plan will include frequent reception of the Sacraments, Eucharistic adoration, and participation in retreats, such as the “On Mission” evenings held twice per quarter.
Community Participation
Christians never live their respective vocations in isolation. The Church itself is the family of God, the communion of saints, the mystical body of Christ. JP Catholic understands, therefore, that a vibrant community life is an essential component of authentic Christian formation. Students who wish to reach their full potential as ambassadors of the Gospel will love to build up the community at JP Catholic and the community at large. Thus, the Financial Aid Renewal Committee considers carefully each student’s commitment to community service and involvement.
Students at JP Catholic learn to reach out to others, to live in harmony with mutual respect, and to develop a servant’s heart. A student who never wants to get involved with others will undoubtedly have little or no positive impact on the culture or society. A student who deliberately or frequently causes division or disharmony in the community, moreover, does not belong at JP Catholic, and will not receive financial aid.
At the same time, the University understands that each person has the need for solitude, and the right to privacy in personal matters. The University also respects the fact that some students are more outgoing than others. The Financial Aid Renewal Committee will take each student’s personality and experience into consideration, while evaluating how fully and actively the student follows his/her Personal Plan for Success, and participates in community activities.
Academic Performance
John Paul the Great Catholic University is an institution of higher learning dedicated to forming wise and skilled professionals. Courses at the University level require discipline, concentration and perseverance. The University must ensure that financial aid is granted to students who are capable of serious study, and dedicated to their vocation.
To this end, the University has determined that students receiving financial aid must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Since grades provide the most objective metric of student commitment, their effect on the renewal of financial aid is automatic and nonnegotiable. Students who fail to maintain a 3.0 average will forfeit a percentage of financial aid according to the table below. JP Catholic’s faculty and administration stand ready to offer academic assistance to any student who may be struggling.
|
Academic Performance |
|
| Cumulative GPA | % of Eligible Financial Aid |
|---|---|
| 3.00-4.00 | 100% |
| 2.90-2.99 | 80% |
| 2.80-2.89 | 60% |
| 2.70-2.79 | 40% |
| 2.50-2.69 | 20% |
| 2.00-2.49 | 0% |
| < 2.00 | Withdraw from JP Catholic |
Conclusion
If it is determined that a student has lost eligibility for financial aid, he/she may request to appear before the Financial Aid Renewal Committee. The Dean of Students is available to serve as the student’s advocate at such a meeting, helping the student to demonstrate his/her commitment to human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation, and formation for mission. The Committee will consider all the facts and circumstances involved and make a decision about the financial aid, if any, to be granted for the upcoming quarter. This decision is final and may not be further appealed.