Frequently Asked Questions
What is CPoS?
Course Program of Study (CPoS) is a federal and state rule that requires you to enroll in courses for your major, core, or other degree requirements to receive full financial aid funding, including aid like the Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, loans, the HOPE Scholarship, and TSAA.
To maintain full-time status for aid, you must be enrolled in at least 12 credits that apply to your program(your major, the core, or other degree requirements). One way to make sure you stay on track is to use the Paradigm for your major.
Why is CPoS important?
CPoS helps you focus on completing courses for your degree, which can keep you on pace for timely graduation and reduce student debt. By taking only courses that count for your program, you avoid unnecessary costs and help keep your costs lower.
Why should I keep track of CPoS?
Only courses required for your program count toward full-time status for aid. For instance, if you’re taking 12 credits but only 9 apply to your program, you won’t qualify as a full-time student, which may affect your financial aid. In this situation, you might owe money out-of-pocket to cover courses that are not part of your program.
Do minors count toward CPoS?
Because a minor is not required to obtain a degree at MC, credits for a minor count as electives or fulfill general education requirements. To ensure maximum aid eligibility while working towards a minor, you need at least 12 CPoS hours each semester. Once you have 12 CPoS hours for a semester, then you can add other hours toward the minor (because the minimum 12 for aid will have been met). It is essential to work with your academic advisor to plan for the minor, because if you have used up all of your elective credit, then you may run out of aid.
What about double majors?
You must plan carefully and complete the requirements for both majors in the same semester. You should also make sure that your declared major(s) in the Highlander Hub are correct.
How can I make sure my courses count?
1. Declare your major and minor early. Declaring your major and minor will allow you to work with your Academic Advisor on a degree plan that maximizes your ability to use financial aid.
2. Meet with your Academic Advisor. Before you make any changes to your course schedule, meet with your Academic Advisor to review your degree plan and courses required.
3. Check your Academic Record. Regularly review your Advising Worksheet in the Highlander Hub to ensure you’re enrolling in courses required for your program of study.
4. Monitor schedule changes. Before adding or dropping classes, check how the changes might affect your CPoS status.
5. Register for at least 12 hours. Be sure that your course schedule includes at least 12 credit hours that count toward your major and core courses every semester. Remember that to graduate in 4 years, you should average 30 credit hours each academic year.
What if one or more of my courses don’t count?
If a course isn’t counting, don’t adjust your schedule without talking to your Academic Advisor first! They can help you decide if there is another course you should take instead.
How does the federal Repeat Rule impact CPoS?
The Repeat Rule allows retakes for failed courses as needed until you earn at least a “D-” After earning a “D-” or higher, you can retake the course one more time for it to count toward aid, even if your program requires a higher grade. See the “Repeat Classes and Financial Aid Eligibility Policy” page on the website.
If you think you have a CPoS issue:
1. Meet with your Academic Advisor. If you need to adjust your schedule, meet with your Academic Advisor to ensure that your classes align with the regulations for Course Program of Study.You can also meet with a staff member in the Advising Centerfor help.
2. If your advisor approves, you might need to swap out a course and/or add a course to make sure you have at least 12 hours that count toward your degree requirements.
3. Check that your major is correct in the Highlander Hub.
4. Visit the Financial Aid Office if you still have questions after working with your Academic Advisor.