Veteran Student Enrollment Guide TTC appreciates your service to our country, and we want you to have the best possible start to your college experience. Please use this guide to answer your questions about how to apply for and use your veterans benefits. To receive your veterans benefits, you must complete each step described in this booklet. 1
Step 1. Apply to TTC Submit Admission Application If you are new to TTC and have never applied before, complete the online application at www.applyweb. com/apply/trident, or apply in person in the Admissions office on any campus. Submit the $30 non-refundable application fee. If you are new to TTC, but you applied within the last two years, complete an Application Update Form at www.tridenttech.edu/application_update_form.pdf. Provide Transcripts Request all official transcripts from previous colleges and any military training to be sent to: Trident Technical College Admissions Office, AM-M P. O. Box 118067 Charleston, SC 29423-8067 TIP Students TIP receiving veterans educational benefits can be certified for benefits for only two semesters until all transcripts have been evaluated by the TTC Registrar s office. The VA will not pay for audited courses or courses for which you have already received transfer credit or a passing grade. 2
Apply to TTC continued Open Your TTC Express and my.tridenttech Email Account A few business days after you apply to TTC, the Admissions office will send you a letter acknowledging that your application has been received. Follow the directions in this letter to open these two important communication tools. From now on, almost all of TTC s communications with you about admissions, financial aid, veterans information and other important information will be through your my.tridenttech email. We recommend that you check your my.tridenttech email account at least twice a week. TTC Express is a vital link to see your balance due, check grades, pay tuition online and complete other important functions. Complete the Admission Process Submit qualifying ACT, SAT or previous college coursework, or schedule a TTC COMPASS placement test at www.tridenttech.edu/testing. htm or by calling Main Campus at 843.574.6410, Palmer Campus at 843.722.5516, Berkeley Campus at 843.899.8079, or Mount Pleasant Campus at 843.958.5810. Submit proof of high school graduation or GED. TIP If you have TIP problems logging in, call 843.574.WWWW for help. 3
Step 2. Apply for veterans benefits Apply for educational benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) online at www.ebenefits.va.gov. Click on Apply and proceed to Apply for Veterans Benefits Online (VONAPP). Once you receive a Letter of Eligibility, bring it to the TTC Veterans Assistance office, and the TTC Veterans Assistance office will assist you from there. TIP You must review the terms of your veteran TIP educational benefits at www.gibill.va.gov before applying. This step is especially important as there have been many changes from the former Montgomery GI Bill to the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. 4
Step 3. Apply for financial aid Apply for all aid (including Lottery-Funded Tuition Assistance) except scholarships by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. Make sure that TTC receives your financial aid application by including TTC s school code: 004920. Financial aid is calculated based on your previous year s earnings. If this amount doesn t accurately reflect your income at the time you will be taking classes, file a Request for Special Circumstance Review at the TTC Financial Aid office. TIP TTC also has TIP a number of campusbased scholarships that can be viewed at www.tridenttech. edu/ttcscholarships.htm. For outside scholarships go to www. tridenttech.edu > my.tridenttech and click on the Financial Aid tab. Step 4. Attend Orientation and Have Advisor Assigned You may complete Orientation in person on any campus or online. Call 843.574.6436 for Main Campus, 843.722.5516 for Palmer Campus, 843.899.8079 for Berkeley Campus or 843.958.5810 for Mount Pleasant Campus. For online orientation, go to www.tridenttech.edu/online_orientation.htm. 5
Step 5. Meet with your advisor and register for classes Students receiving veterans educational benefits must declare a major, call and make an appointment with the advisor you were assigned after Orientation within the dates indicated. Otherwise, plan to be advised and register on the last in-person Registration Day at the location shown in On Course. VA will not pay you benefits for developmental study (remedial) courses or bridge courses if the courses are taught online or mixed mode. Also, VA will not pay you benefits for a remedial course for a third attempt when the grade of U has been earned for the course. TIP TIP To get the courses you want, register early. Step 6. Submit Your Class Schedule After you have registered for classes, bring your class schedule to the TTC Veterans Assistance office and complete the VA registration process. You must bring your class schedule each semester to have your enrollment information sent to the Department of Veterans Affairs. TIP To avoid the longest lines, try to visit the TTC VA office TIP during off-peak times; avoid the week before and after classes begin and the weeks after a payment deadline, if possible. 6
Step 7. Buy books Students receiving veteran educational benefits, except for those attending under Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Vet Success- Chapter 31 are responsible for buying books and supplies. Students attending under Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Vet Success Chapter 31 must pick up a book slip authorization from the TTC VA office during the scheduled bookstore charge dates. These dates are available at www. bookstore.tridenttech. edu. You must have your bookslip authorization and supply list to present to the TTC Bookstore for charges to be billed to Chapter 31. TIP When you TIP buy books, do not open any packaging or write in them until you are sure that you have the correct books, that the class has not been cancelled due to low course enrollment, and that you will not change your mind about your schedule. 7
Step 8. Pay tuition and fees Students eligible for veterans educational benefits, except for those attending under Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Vet Success Chapter 31 and Post-9/11 GI Bill Chapter 33, are responsible for paying their tuition, fees, expenses and instructional fees by the published dates in the TTC On Course and on the website. Each semester there are two payment deadlines. If you register for classes before the first deadline and want to keep that schedule, then you must pay any balance due by the first deadline. If you register after the first payment deadline, then your balance is due no later than the published final payment deadline. Pay online in TTC Express or in person at any campus Business office, or by check at a Business office drop box. TTC also offers a payment plan. For more information, log into your TTC Express account and click on NBS Tuition Payment Plan Information under the Financial Information heading. TIP View your balance due TIP in TTC Express. TTC does NOT mail bills. Step 9. Obtain student ID You may obtain your Student ID in the Student Activities office on Main Campus, in the Admissions Office on Palmer Campus, in the Learning Resources Center on Berkeley Campus or at the reception desk at the Mount Pleasant Campus. Proof of registration and a photo ID are required to obtain a Student ID card. 8
TTC resources for veterans VETS Center Located on Main Campus in Bldg. 700/Rm. 201 and on the Palmer Campus adjacent to the Spot Café, the VETS Center offers veterans a quiet place to study, relax and network with other veterans to build support and friendship. The lounge houses several computer workstations, space to set up your own laptop for wireless Internet access, a microwave and a refrigerator. A dedicated Veterans Educational Benefits Counselor is also available to provide you with educational benefits information and help you apply for VA benefits and financial aid or get assistance with TTC Express, Desire to Learn (D2L) and MYITLAB. 9 Counseling and Career Development Services Need help in choosing a career path, skill development in areas such as communications, assertiveness, stress management, time management, problem-solving and conflict resolution? Please call Main Campus at 843.574.6131, Palmer Campus at 843.722.5516, Berkeley Campus at 843.899.8079 and Mount Pleasant Campus at 843.958.5810 or email counseling@tridenttech.edu. Disability Services These services are located in our Counseling and Career Development office on Main Campus, in the Student Success Centers on the Palmer and Berkeley Campuses, and at the reception desk at Mount Pleasant Campus. This office provides a wide range of individual and/or group-based services for students with disabilities.
TTC resources for veterans Veterans Online Resources Visit www.tridenttech.edu/ military.htm to access online resources for veterans, including informative videos and PowerPoint slides to assist with the transition from the military to college, as well as links to scholarship opportunities. Navy College Program Distance Learning Partnership (NCPDLP) Trident Technical College is honored to be among the institutions of higher education which have been selected as Navy Distance Learning Program partners. TTC will work with you to maximize your transfer credits and earn an associate degree through Web-based distance learning. Each degree can be completed entirely online. Visit www. tridentttech.edu/navy.htm. The Veterans Voice Student Organization Established as a means of support for persons interested in supporting our military families both veteran and active duty, this club is open to all TTC students, focuses on fundraising for use in community service projects, and is actively seeking members and officers. Attend a meeting during a student activity period. 10
Responsibilities to continue receiving veterans benefits Maintain satisfactory attendance, conduct and progress as outlined by Trident Technical College s academic probation/ academic standing policy. Report any change in program, address, telephone number, or class schedule to the TTC VA office. Submit a copy of your class schedule and register with the TTC VA office each semester to have your enrollment information sent to the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is to your advantage to submit your schedule as soon as possible. The first week of the semester or the week after a payment deadline is an extremely busy time. Schedules submitted during these times will be submitted for certification on a firstcome, first-served basis. If your class schedule is purged for non-payment of tuition, your enrollment to the VA will not be processed until your courses are reinstated. You must bring your reinstated class schedule to the TTC VA office and request your enrollment certification to be submitted to the VA. Maintain class attendance in a traditional class and maintain active involvement in online or other modes of distance learning courses. Failure to maintain these requirements for two consecutive weeks will result in a reduction of credit hours enrolled which will be reported to the Department of Veterans Affairs. 11
Responsibilities to continue receiving veterans benefits Immediately notify the TTC VA office of any changes that may affect your pay status. Students who withdraw from a class or classes are subject to having the amount of their award recalculated by the Department of Veterans Affairs and may be required to repay any unauthorized amounts received. If you drop a class or classes or completely withdraw from school, you are required to complete an official withdrawal form that includes the instructor s signature and last date of attendance in the class. The withdrawal form must be submitted to the Registrar s office for processing as well as a copy of the form submitted to the TTC VA office. If withdrawal is due to call to active duty, submit a copy of the active duty orders to the TTC VA office and a copy to the TTC Registrar s office. If you change your major you must complete a Student Major Update Form which you can obtain at the Admissions office and bring a copy of this form to the TTC VA office when processed. Trident Technical College does not discriminate in admission or employment on the basis of race, gender, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity. Produced and printed by Trident Technical College. 8/11 12