VCOM College Catalog and Student Handbook

4. Assign lenders to first time borrowers; 5. Refuse to certify a loan based on the borrower’s choice of lender; 6. Participate in opportunity pools with lenders; 7. Accept borrower benefits for students or VCOM as a ploy for marketing; 8. Permit lender staff to assume school call center or financial aid office staff functions; 9. Serve as advisory member or board members for compensation from any lending agency responsible for student loans to VCOM students; or 10. Accept philanthropic contributions that are made in exchange for loan volume. Statement of Ethical Principles The primary goal of the Office of Financial Aid is to help students achieve their educational potential by providing appropriate financial counseling and resources. Our commitment: • To help remove financial barriers for our students and make every effort to assist students with financial need. • To be aware of the issues affecting students and advocate their interests at the institutional, state, and federal levels. • To educate students and families through quality consumer information. • To respect the dignity and protect the privacy of students and ensure the confidentiality of student records and personal circumstances. • To ensure equity by applying all need analysis formulas consistently across the institution's full population of student financial aid applicants. • To provide services that do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sex, race, color, creed, national origin, religion, ancestry, marital status, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or status as a protected veteran. • To recognize the need for continued professional development and educational opportunities for our staff. • To commit to the highest level of ethical behavior and refrain from any conflicts of interest or perceptions thereof. • To maintain the highest level of professionalism. VCOM Estimated Cost of Attendance A student's cost of attendance (COA) includes tuition, books, and educational supplies, room and board expenses while attending school, and other miscellaneous expenses. The COA is the foundation for establishing a student’s financial need because it sets the limit on the total financial aid that a student may receive. At VCOM, the COA is established for each aid year by using the current year's tuition plus a calculated average of books and educational supplies, room and board expenses while attending school, and other miscellaneous expenses. The COA is computed for each individual year of instruction, not for each individual student. Expenses such as dependent care, expenses related to a student's disability, and other specific expenses are handled on an individual basis by means of a Dependent Care & Special Circumstances, or Cost of Attendance Appeal. Please visit our website at https://www.vcom.edu/admissions/tuition-and-fees/cost-attendance for a detailed breakdown of costs per year, which is updated annually. Applying for Financial Aid Financial aid is available to qualified students to assist in paying for expenses directly related to the cost of attendance (COA) including tuition, books, and educational supplies, room and board expenses while attending

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