NJ STARS Home Page

stars logo

 

Ocean County College Frequently Asked Questions about NJ STARS

 

Eligibility & Benefits | Admissions | OCC Financial Aid | HESAA FAQ's | OCC FAQs | Transfer to OCC

Eligibility and Benefits NJ STARS II | Preparation for NJ STARS II | NJ STARS II Participating Institutions

 

1. What are the admission requirements to be an NJ STARS student at Ocean County College?

 

2. How do I know if my class rank makes me eligible for NJ STARS?

 

3. What costs does NJ STARS cover?

 

4. What if my home county college does not offer the program/major that I choose to study?

 

5. How do I change my school code?

 

6. What happens if my GPA falls below 3.0?

 

7. What happens if I enroll in another school and then transfer to Ocean County College?

 

8. How can I learn more about NJ STARS?

 

9. What happens if I am dismissed from OCC?

 

 

Answers

1. Admission Requirements:

Financial Aid Requirements:

  • Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
  • Returning students who recieved Tuition Aid Grant in 2008-2009 must file FAFSA by June 1, 2009. All other applications must be filed by October 1, 2009, for fall and spring terms. March 1, 2010 is the deadline date for spring term only.
  • Complete any required paperwork requested by the Financial Aid Office, the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (NJHESAA) or the federal government.
  • Graduate from high school in 2009 in the top 15% of your high school class. (Your standing is not subject to rounding. Your GPA must place you at 15.0% or above.)

Please note: Students who graduated from high school in the top 20% of their class prior to June 2009 and postponed college attendance retain potential NJ STARS eligibility if they enroll full-time in an associate degree program at their home county college by the fifth semester immediately following high school graduation. 

  • Be a dependent child of a parent who has been transferred to a military installation located in New Jersey.   
  • Be a New Jersey resident.
  • Be a citizen of the United States or eligible resident alien.

Admission Requirements:

  • Complete an Application for Admission to Ocean County College and indicate NJ STARS on the application.
  • Request a current High School Transcript be sent to OCC Registration and Records Office
  • Submit Test Scores to OCC Registration and Records Office to display college readiness:
      • SAT Scores:  540 Critical Reading, 530 Math 

        or  

      • HSPA Scores: 235 Critical Reading, 250 Math

       

      • If you do not have the above test scores, make an appointment for an Accuplacer Test at 732 255-0401     

Students must demonstrate college readiness through SAT, HSPA or Accuplacer test results. NJ STARS funding will not be awarded until all required remedial courseworks is complete.

    • October 1: New Students Beginning in the Fall Semester March 1: New Students Beginning in the Spring Semester
    • June 1: Returning Students  
  • Request an Official Final High School Transcript to be sent to OCC Registration and Records Office. Final transcripts are sent after date of graduation , include all final grades and class rank.
  • Contact Advising Office at (732) 255-0300 to schedule an Orientation
    • April:             New Students beginning in the Fall semester
    • November:    New Students Beginning in the Spring Semester

2. Your high school guidance office sent a list of those students in the top 15% (June 2009 graduates) of your high school graduating class to the NJ Higher Education Assistance Authority (NJHESSA) in January of your senior year based on your class standing at the end of your junior year. If you did not rank in the designated percentage in your junior year but met this requirement in your senior year, you must complete an NJ STARS Self-Identifcation Form and mail it to the OCC Financial Office.

3. Approved fees are costs directly related to enrolling in class (such as laboratory fees). Please refer to http://www.hesaa.org/index.php?page=nj-stars-i for a complete list of what is covered.

 

4.Students living in Ocean County who wish to study a curriculum not offered by Ocean County College may be authorized to attend another community college and still remain eligible for NJ STARS. Please see the OCC Admissions Office for further details.

 

5. You must list the college you wish to attend as the first choice on the FAFSA. You must also report it as the first college of choice to HESAA before the deadline date of November 15 for the Fall/Spring award and March 15 for Spring only awards.

To change your school code go to:

and

Please print a copy for your records.

6. If your cumulative grade point average falls below a 3.0 you will be be given the opportunity to improve your GPA. You will also be required to enroll in an enrichment course entitled "Student Success" (Course code ACAD-155). Prior to the beginning of the third semester, you will be required to achieve a 3.0 cumulative gpa in order to maintain NJ STARS eligibilty.

7. If you have attended another college or university for 1-2 semesters, you may be eligible to attend Ocean County College as an NJ STARS student. Please call 732-255-0400 ext. 2000 to assess your eligibility.

8. For more information on NJ STARS, visit www.HESAA.org or contact Annamaria Harrison at 732-355-0400 ext. 2028 or aharrison@ocean.edu or Megan Springsted ext. 2939 or mspringsted@ocean.edu.

9. If a student is dismissed from Ocean County College for disciplinary reasons, the student is no longer eligible for a scholarship under this program and must repay the NJ STARS award.