Program Objective Enrollment Compliance (POEC)

A Program Objective Enrollment Compliance (POEC) review is required for every student seeking federal student aid. In accordance with federal law, federal student aid funds can only be applied to classes that are recognized as being truly necessary for completion of a student's declared degree. To that end, we must verify (on a term-by-term basis) whether or not all classes for which a student is enrolled are required or not. Those classes which are confirmed to be required, i.e. POEC compliant, will be covered by federal student aid (as long as all other relevant eligibility criteria has been met). Classes which are identified as not required for degree completion will be flagged as such, and these non-compliant courses will be excluded from financial aid coverage. 

To be clear, any coursework that is not required will not be included when calculating eligibility  for Title IV funds (Pell Grant, Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, etc.). Students who qualify for aid which exceeds the actual cost of their compliant coursework may be able to apply that difference to non-compliant classes. If excess aid does not exist, the student who wishes to keep such classes on their schedule will need to pay for those classes out of pocket.

*A student must be enrolled in a minimum of six POEC compliant credit hours to be considered for a federal student loan.

If you are unsure of which classes are required for your chosen degree you can review your degree’s program sheet online or speak with an academic advisor. You can also view your degree audit online- it will be specific to you and will detail which required courses you have completed as well as those which are still outstanding. If you are unsure of the degree/career you would like to pursue you may also want to visit a  Broward College Career Center. There you'll find helpful information regarding possible careers and can even complete a self-assessment survey to help you determine the degree and career which best suits your personality and interests.

Benefits of POEC

The amount of Pell Grant funding that a student can receive is limited to the equivalent of six years of funding. Since the maximum amount of Pell Grant monies they can receive each year is equal to 100%, the six-year equivalent is 600%. Once a student reaches this lifetime limit of six years/600% they will no longer be eligible for Pell funds, no matter their Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or the fact that they have not yet completed their degree etc. Students who are mindful of POEC compliance are far less likely to lose Pell Grant eligibility as a result of the LEU limit.

Students who would like to view their LEU status can log on to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)

 

Like Pell there are also federal limits that apply to student loans. The Maximum Eligibility Period is one such limit and refers to 150% of the published length of the student's declared degree. Once a student reaches this limit they will lose the ability to receive any additional loan funding regardless of whether or not they meet other eligibility criteria. POEC compliance increases the likelihood that students who are interested in loans will avoid being flagged for MEP.

Students who would like to keep track of their loan amounts and eligibility periods etc. can access this information on the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

As required by federal law, students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards in order to remain eligible for federal student aid. One such standard is the requirement that students complete their degree within the maximum timeframe of 150%. For example, an Associates of Arts (AA) degree requires sixty credit hours. That said, the maximum timeframe to complete an AA is 150% of 60, or 90 credits. Students who do not stay within this timeframe, regardless of their GPA or completion rate (the other two standards of SAP), lose eligibility to receive federal student aid. It should be noted that in the example listed a student does not necessarily get funded up to the 90th credit hour; as soon as it is determined that a student cannot complete their degree within the required timeframe they lose eligibility. Taking only classes that are required for one's declared degree i.e. engaging in POEC compliance, greatly increases the likelihood that the 150% SAP standard will not be an issue.

Students who graduate earlier incur less debt. They are also able to get their careers started that much sooner, thereby gaining seniority more quickly and qualifying for any related pay increases, promotions etc. earlier than they otherwise would have. Students who graduate as early as they can are also able to possibly retain some financial aid eligibility just in case they choose to go back to school and switch careers at some point in the future.