Admissions/Financial Aid

• Admissions
• Financial Aid

Admissions

(Click here to view the Admissions website)

Graduate Admissions Procedures

Application materials may be obtained from the Graduate Admissions’ webpage.  Applicants must pay a one-time, non-refundable application fee.   Admission requirements are listed below.  When all application materials have been received by the Office of Admissions, notification will be sent to the applicant.  Notification will be mailed from the Office of Admissions to the applicant verifying acceptance or denial.

Students who are admitted but do not enroll must reapply to the program by submitting a new application to Office of Admissions for Readmission.  Students who were previously enrolled but have not been in attendance within the last three semesters must also reapply to the program by submitting a new application to Office of Admissions for Readmission.  All documents and materials submitted to fulfill the application requirements for entry to a program at YHC become the property of the College and will not be returned.

Master of Arts in Teaching Admission Requirements

The following documents must be received prior to admission into the Master of Arts in Teaching:

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended.Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES).Evaluations must include certification that the applicant has received a baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution and state a calculated cumulative grade point average.
4. GACE Program Admission Assessment scores.An applicant may exempt GACE Program Admission Assessment with acceptable scores on the ACT, SAT, or Graduate Record Exam General Test.
5. GACE Content Assessment scores with at least a professional level score of 250 for each assessment.
6. Georgia Educator Ethics Program Entry assessment.
7. GAPSC Pre-Service Application which must be notarized along with a clear copy of driver’s license or current passport.

All acceptances are contingent upon clearing the criminal background check stipulated by Young Harris College.

Regular Admission

To qualify for regular admission, an individual must have:

1. Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average of at least 2.75 calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures.
2. Passing score on the GACE Program Assessment or equivalent:
   1. SAT of at least 1,000 (English and mathematics scores combined)
   2. ACT of at least 43 (mathematics and verbal scores combined)
   3. GRE of at least 1,030 (verbal and quantitative scores combined) if taken before August 1, 2011
   4. GRE score of at least 297 (verbal and quantitative scores combined) if taken onor after August 1, 2011
3.  Professional score(s) of 250 on the GACE Content Assessment(s).
4. Georgia Educator Ethics Program Entry Assessment.

Students enrolled in any field-based courses who have not submitted all of the above documentation for review will not be allowed to attend until all documentation has been received and reviewed.

Criteria for Evaluation of Transcripts

The Master of Arts in Teaching degree requires that candidates have completed teaching content requirements prior to being admitted into the program.  Methods to determine whether a candidate meets the content requirement are:

1. No additional content is required if the applicant has a baccalaureate degree in, or one that directly relates to, the area in which the applicant is seeking initial certification.For example, an applicant with a History degree who is seeking initial certification to teach History, has completed the GACE Program Admission Assessment (or the equivalent), and has completed the pedagogy and content in GACE Content Assessments in history at the professional score level will not need to meet any additional content requirements.
2. In consultation with an advisor from the Department of Education, an applicant with a degree in a content field not related to the area in which certification is being sought may be required to take additional content courses prior to admission to the MAT program.For example, an applicant who has a Psychology degree and is seeking initial certification to teach high school English may be advised to complete additional content courses in English before being considered for program admission.

Conditional Admission

Applicants may be granted conditional status for two different admission deficiencies:

1. Applicants who have not completed any determined content courses as outlined above may be granted conditional admission for their first semester in order to complete additional content courses.Such applicants must contact the Coordinator of the MAT program to discuss their status and the likelihood of meeting state standards for initial certification.After the meeting and the fulfillment of the requirements, the student will be notified of his/her admission status.Students admitted conditionally will be reviewed at the end of their first semester to determine eligibility for continuation in the program and eligibility for regular admission status.Conditionally admitted students who earn a grade point average lower than 2.7 during the first semester will not be allowed to continue in the MAT program.Students not allowed to continue because of a deficient grade point average may appeal to the Coordinator of the MAT program for continued enrollment.
2. Applicants who have not completed GACE Content assessments with a professional score of 250, may be accepted with conditional admission status pending the receipt of GACE Content assessments scores by May 15.Upon receipt of satisfactory GACE Content assessments (professional score of 250), the status will be changed to regular admission status.If any required test score is not received by Graduate Admissions by May 15, the student will not be allowed to begin the program for the semester accepted with conditional admission status and will be encouraged to reapply for the next available cohort.

Conditionally admitted students are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Provisional Admission

Applicants who do not meet the regular admission criteria stated above may be granted provisional admission pending a successful admission appeal (see Appeal of Graduate Admission).  Student status will be reviewed to determine eligibility for regular admission following completion of seven hours.  Provisionally admitted students who earn a grade point average lower than 2.7 during the provisional period will not be allowed to continue in the MAT program.  Students not allowed to continue because of a deficient grade point average may appeal to the Coordinator of the MAT program for continued enrollment.

Provisionally admitted students are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Transfer Student Admission

An individual wishing to transfer from a regionally accredited college or university as a graduate student in good standing may apply to YHC as a transfer student.

The following are required for admission:

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Meet the Regular Admissions requirement.
4. Have a GPA of at least 2.75 in all graduate work from the previous regionally accredited institution.
5. Graduate transcripts will be reviewed for possible transferable credits up to a maximum of 6 credit hours.

Non-Degree Admission

Individuals interested in taking graduate education program courses, but who do not want to pursue a graduate degree, may apply for admission as non-degree graduate students.  Individuals must receive pre-approval from the Office of Admissions and the Coordinator of the MAT program before enrolling in courses and may register for no more than a total of 12 semester hours of graduate credit.  Requests will be considered on a space-available basis.

The following documents must be received prior to admission:

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended documenting completion of a baccalaureate from a regionally accredited, four-year institution with a minimum grade point average of 2.50 calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures.Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES).Evaluations must include certification that the applicant has received a baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum grade point average of 2.50.

Transient Student Admission

An individual currently enrolled at a regionally accredited college or university as a graduate student in good standing may apply to YHC as a transient student.  Individuals must receive pre-approval from the Office of Admissions and the Coordinator of the MAT program before enrolling in courses.  Requests will be considered on a space-available basis.

The following documents must be received prior to admission:

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Letter of good standing or transient permission form documenting that the student is not on academic probation or suspension or on disciplinary suspension at the student’s home institution.The letter or form should state that the student is in good standing and should indicate the course(s) the student is being allowed to take at YHC.

Transient admission is for one semester only.  An individual who wishes to return to YHC as a transient student for a subsequent semester must apply to Office of Admissions for Readmission.

Appeal of Graduate Admission

A candidate whose application is denied because the graduate admission cumulative grade point average is below the minimum requirement for the program of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale has the right to appeal the decision.  An appeal must be submitted to Office of Admissions, Young Harris College, 1 College Drive, Young Harris, GA 30582, or gradstudies@yhc.edu.  The letter should clearly state the grounds for appeal.  A student whose appeal is accepted will be admitted provisionally and is not eligible for federal financial aid while under provisional admission status.  Students may not appeal for regular admission.

Financial Aid

(Click here to view the Financial Aid website)

Young Harris College is committed to helping students secure the necessary resources to meet the cost of an excellent education. Financial aid for Graduate students enrolled in a program leading to a degree at Young Harris College include Federal Unsubsidized and Federal Graduate PLUS loans.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed and filed annually by each student seeking financial aid.  This application may be completed online at www.fafsa.gov.

The Office of Financial Assistance and Planning may be contacted for information concerning all application procedures. Financial aid commitments will be made after a student has been accepted for admission.

Young Harris College does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, religion, age, disabled status, or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era in administering its financial aid programs.

To be eligible for renewal of financial aid awards each year, students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress in accordance with federal, state, and institutional policies.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (To Receive Financial Aid)

The U.S. Department of Education mandates that institutions of higher education establish standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for students receiving financial aid.  SAP means a student is progressing through an academic program in a timely manner and successfully completing degree requirements.  Young Harris College applies these standards to all students receiving federal, state and institutional financial aid.  SAP will be determined at the end of each semester. 

SAP Components

Qualitative (GPA) Requirements - Graduate students are required to maintain a cumulative SAP grade point average (GPA) at or above 2.75.  The Office of Financial Aid determines SAP by evaluating the GPA based on the following grades - A, B, C, D, and F. 

Pace of Progression (Completion Rate) - Graduate students receiving financial aid must demonstrate measurable progress toward the completion of their degree program. Students are expected to successfully complete a minimum of 67% of their total credit hours attempted. Grades of A, B, C, and D are considered to be successful completion of a course.  Grades of F, W, and WF are NOT considered to be successful completion of a course.  In addition, hours for repeated courses and hours for which a student received grade forgiveness will be included in the attempted hour’s total.  Completion Rate is determined using the following calculation:

Completion rate = cumulative completed hours / by cumulative attempted hours * by 100 %

Maximum Time Frame

Students must not exceed 150% of the published credit hours required to earn their degree.  For example, a degree which requires 136 hours for completion must not exceed 204 hours (136 x 150% = 204 hours). 

SAP Review Process

The Office of Financial Aid will review SAP for Graduate students at the end of EACH academic session to determine if students are meeting the minimum standards for EACH of the components (GPA, Completion Rate and Maximum Time Frame) listed above.  The following are the statuses to be determined:

Meeting SAP - Students who are determined to be in compliance with all of the SAP components will be Meeting SAP and will be eligible for financial aid.

SAP Warning - Students who are NOT meeting the GPA or Completion Rate components of SAP will be placed on SAP Warning for ONE session following the review.  A student is eligible for financial aid during SAP Warning.  However, if a student is not meeting SAP standards for Maximum Time Frame, they are immediately placed on SAP Suspension and will no longer be eligible for any financial aid.  Students will be notified of their SAP Warning status and will be required to sign an acknowledgment form before their financial aid will be disbursed for the Warning session.

SAP Suspension - Students who are NOT meeting the GPA or Completion Rate components of SAP at the end of their SAP Warning session, will be placed on SAP Suspension and will NOT be eligible for ANY financial aid.  Students placed on SAP Suspension will have the opportunity to submit an SAP Appeal if they have extenuating circumstances.  

SAP Probation - Students who have submitted a SAP Appeal that has been approved, will be placed on SAP Probation for ONE session and will have their financial aid reinstated.  The student will be required to meet with the Academic Success Center as outlined in their SAP Appeal Approval. 

(NEW) Academic Plan - Students who have submitted an SAP Appeal that has been approved, but, have been determined to need more than one session to meet SAP requirements, will be placed on an Academic Plan.  The student will be required to meet with the Academic Success Center and follow the requirements of their Academic Plan.   

SAP Appeal Process

Students who experienced extenuating circumstances that resulted in their not meeting SAP requirements will be allowed to submit an SAP Appeal form to the SAP Appeal Committee.  Extenuating circumstances MUST be due to a situation beyond the student’s control and may include death of an immediate family member, or injury or illness of the student or an immediate family member.  Documentation of the circumstance MUST be submitted with the SAP Appeal.  SAP Appeals must be submitted NO LATER than two weeks prior to the beginning of the session for which the student is appealing.  Decisions of the SAP Appeal Committee are final. 

If the SAP Appeal is approved and the student is placed on SAP Probation, the student will have ONE session to meet SAP Requirements.  Students will be eligible for financial aid during their SAP Probation session.  SAP will be reviewed at the end of the SAP Probation session, and if the student is NOT meeting the requirements, they will be placed on SAP Suspension for the next session they enroll. 

If the appeal is approved and the student is placed on an Academic Plan, the student will be required to meet ALL of the requirements set forth in their Academic Plan.  SAP will be reviewed at the end of the Academic Plan session, and if the student is NOT meeting the requirements, they will be placed on SAP Suspension for the next session they enroll. 

Avoiding SAP Issues

• Withdrawing from classes - Sometimes withdrawing from courses is inevitable, however, students should always speak with a Financial Aid Representative prior to withdrawing from courses to see how it may affect their SAP status.  Also, students should speak with their professor to see if there may be a way to avoid withdrawing from courses.
• Course Load - Sometimes students take a heavy course load, or, take too many demanding courses in one session.  Students should speak with their advisor and/or professors to ensure they are taking the appropriate courses to stay on track academically and to meet the SAP Requirements.
• Dedication - Before enrolling in courses, students should determine if they have the willingness and ability to put forth the time and effort needed to be successful
• Academic Success Center - Young Harris College has excellent resources in place through the Academic Success Center such as tutoring, peer mentoring, etc.  These resources are helpful to ensure the student’s success in their courses and help them avoid SAP issues.

Types of Financial Aid

Young Harris College offers Federal Unsubsidized and Graduate Plus loans for Graduate students. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed and filed annually by each student seeking financial aid.  This application may be completed online at www.fafsa.gov.

• Federal Unsubsidized Loan for Graduate Students:  Recipients must be enrolled at least half-time and must file the FAFSA to be eligible for this loan. Graduate students may borrow up to $20,500 per academic year.  The maximum lifetime limit for Graduate Unsubsidized loans is $138,500. Further details are available from the Financial Aid Office.
• United Methodist Student Loan: This fund, established by The United Methodist Church, offers loans to United Methodist students. The applicant must be enrolled full-time and maintain at least a “C” average. Students may borrow a maximum of $5,000 per academic year. Applications are available in the Financial Aid Office or by contacting the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
• Federal Graduate PLUS Loans are available to credit-worthy students.  For more information about the Graduate PLUS loan, and to access the application, please visit   https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/plus/grad-professional, or contact the Financial Aid Office.

Financial Aid Grievances

The Georgia Non-Public Post secondary Education Commission is responsible for receiving student complaints regarding federal aid.  Contact information for the Georgia Non-Public Post secondary Education Commission is as follows: