FINANCES
What does APS/ASCENT pay for?
CCA & MSU Scholars
For the purposes of ASCENT, full-time is considered 12 or more college credits per semester. Part-time is considered 9 or fewer credit hours per semester.
ASCENT covers the cost of tuition and fees for fall & spring semesters. Full-time CCA & MSU Scholars can take up to 18 credits per semester.
If a student is part-time fall semester, they are limited to part-time spring semester as well.
Full time students can take up to 2 online classes a semester, part-time students can take 1. Online classes must be approved by the ASCENT Specialist. Online math & science classes are typically NOT approved.
MSU Scholars receive a RTD/Light Rail pass.
Laptops & graphing calculators are available for check out.
Books are checked out through the CCA and Tivoli bookstores and returned at the end of each semester.
Pickens Scholars
ASCENT covers the cost of tuition and some fees for half-day attendance both fall & spring semesters or full-day attendance, fall semester only, for a single program (not all programs have a full-day option).
ASCENT covers clinical fees. Fees for consumables, for example, your program kit, are the student's responsibility. Fees for certification exams and professional organizations/conferences are also the responsibility of the student.
Books can be checked out through the college and are returned at the end of the school year.
Other forms of financial aid
FAFSA/CASFA
While students are encouraged to apply to FAFSA or CASFA, if a student accepts an ASCENT scholarship, they CANNOT utilize FAFSA (pell grants, work study, student loans).
Private Scholarships
You can accept private scholarships. For example, a scholarship through a parent's employer or a foundation.
Many organizations require that the scholarship be applied to tuition, fees, or books. Since ASCENT already has these covered, you should speak with the organization about deferring your scholarship for 1 year or, discuss the possibility of receiving the scholarship as a check to be applied to school related expenses or savings.