Special Circumstances

Special circumstances

Current circumstances are not always reflected accurately on the FAFSA since tax information being reported is two years old.  If your financial situation has changed dramatically over the past two years due to COVID-19 or other difficult circumstances, PTC’s Financial Aid Office may be able to help with a professional judgment appeal.  This appeal process may allow for a recalculation of financial need, based upon special or unusual circumstances.
 

What is considered a “special circumstance”?

•    Loss of employment for 10 weeks or more due to lay-off or termination (student, spouse, parent).
•    Change in income due to a divorce or separation.
•    Death of a spouse or parent.
•    Disability of a student, parent, or spouse.
•    One time income (example: 401K or IRA withdrawal).

What is the appeal process?

To appeal, you must first complete the FAFSA and any additional required documentation in your PTC pathway account.

Our Professional Judgment form is available on the Financial Aid Tab of your Pathway Account and will walk you through needed information and documentation.

What happens after I appeal?

Appeals are reviewed by a team member and are handled on a case-by-case basis; judgment is made by a financial aid administrator, serving as the final decision. 

If approved, the administrator will make adjustments to information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so that the Department of Education can recalculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC is the number that the school uses to determine if a student is eligible for need based financial aid.

Please Note: The school does not have the authority to make direct adjustments to the EFC or to the formula used to calculate the EFC, just data elements on the FAFSA which may change the EFC.

The final decision will be communicated with you via your Piedmont Technical College Student Email Address.  Requests may be denied or may not result in significant changes to your aid eligibility.

Still have questions?

To discuss your circumstance prior to completing the appeal, you can schedule an appointment with your financial aid counselor at www.ptc.edu/fa.