A+ Schools

The A+ Schools program is a school-improvement initiative established by the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993. The State Board of Education approves high schools for A+ once they have met the program requirements. Students who graduate from a designated A+ School may qualify for state-paid assistance to attend any public community college or technical school in the state.

A+ students can receive benefits up to four years from the date of their high school graduation or up to completion of the required credits to complete a degree or completion of 105% of the credit hours required for their degree program, whichever occurs first.

Application deadlines are established each term to allow sufficient time for processing of A+ files in order to ensure A+ funding for each student.

A+ students are required to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each school year. This should be done soon after you and your parents have filed taxes from the previous calendar year. Your parent’s taxes are not necessary if you are declared an independent student as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. You will not be processed for A+ funding until we have received the results of your FAFSA. Files selected for verification by the Department of Education must be completed prior to A+ processing. New students to SCC must submit an official certified A+ transcript.

To avoid pre-payment of tuition and fees your FAFSA results must be received in the SCC Enrollment Services Department, along with any additional required documentation if selected for verification by the scheduled deadline. Students new to SCC must also have an official A+ certified transcript on file by this deadline. The deadline for the fall semester is July 1 and the deadline for the spring semester is Dec. 1.

Should you not meet the scheduled A+ application deadlines set for each term, you will be required to pay your tuition and fees by the payment due date in order to secure your class schedule. You will then have additional time to complete your file and still be processed for A+ funding as a reimbursement once SCC receives funding from the state of Missouri.

The final deadline to complete your A+ file for the fall semester is Sept. 15, and the deadline for the spring semester is Feb. 15. Class schedules must be approved by an advisor and finalized by these deadlines as well. Any additions or changes made to your class schedule after the Sept. 15 and Feb. 15 deadlines will not be funded by A+.

Incoming transfer students must provide official transcripts from each institution previously attended by these same deadlines.  Each transcript will be evaluated to award credit at SCC for previously completed courses.  These credits will be calculated toward the 105% of the required hours for their program of study.  Also, the SCC school code (017027) must be added to your FAFSA application by the previously mentioned deadlines.

State program regulations require that any eligible federal and/or state awards that fund tuition must be applied to a student’s account prior to utilizing A+ funding. In the event a student is eligible for any federal and/or state awards and a balance remains on the account after applying those awards, we will then bill the A+ program for the remaining amount owed.

Eligibility Requirements to Maintain A+ Benefits

• A+ students must meet with an academic advisor every semester to have their class schedules approved in order to ensure A+ funding. Unapproved registrations will be at the expense of the student.
• A+ benefits cover the cost of tuition and fees for only those courses required for your degree program at SCC, including any developmental courses you may be required to complete. The program does not cover the cost of telecourse fees, private music lesson fees, nursing or art supplies, or insurance. Students are responsible for any charges not covered by the A+ program.
• A+ students are required to be enrolled full-time (12 or more credit hours).
• A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 must be achieved at the end of each term.

Students must also be meeting the SCC financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.

• A+ students must be enrolled full-time within the first two weeks of each new term.
• Courses dropped after the first two weeks of a semester will be submitted for A+ eligible funding. Any credit hours dropped or for which an “incomplete” grade was received in a term and the associated tuition charges will be deducted from the current semester’s A+ eligibility determination. It is the student’s responsibility to pay any charges due to non-completion of courses from the previous term.
• A+ benefits cannot be used during the summer, or any other semester, if the student is not degree seeking at SCC, with the exception of A+ students attending the summer term immediately following high school graduation. 
• SCC will allow A+ students to be concurrently enrolled at another institution if this is the student’s last semester prior to completing their associate’s degree. Coursework must be required for the student’s degree program and not offered by SCC for that term. Exceptions to this policy may be considered on an individual basis with prior approval from the A+ coordinator.

Students who fail to meet A+ eligibility requirements will no longer be processed by the  Enrollment Services Department for A+ funding. It is your responsibility to notify the A+ coordinator for reinstatement after you have again met the minimum requirements.

Benefits/requirements of the A+ program are subject to change at any time. All changes are made by the Missouri Department of Higher Education.