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Home > Prospective Students > Graduate Study > Master of Arts in Professional Counseling > Admission, Tuition and Financial Aid
Admission, Tuition and Financial Aid
McKendree welcomes applications from students holding a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution who seek a challenging educational experience in a stimulating and friendly environment. Applicants are considered on an individual basis without regard to sex, race, disability, nationality, or religion.
Admission Requirements
The program admits students who present evidence of their potential for scholarly and clinical work. The following documentation and/or components are required for consideration for admission to Master of Arts in Professional Counseling:
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Official transcripts from each college or university attended. Official transcripts are those mailed from institution to institution.
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The successful completion of the equivalent of six undergraduate credit hours in a behavioral science. Of these six credit hours, three hours must be in introduction to psychology. Students lacking these credit hours may be conditionally admitted to the program on the provision that deficiencies are corrected within one year. Once deficiencies are corrected, students should submit a transcript as proof of meeting this requirement.
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A current vita or resume.
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A 3.0 GPA on a four-point scale in undergraduate studies. Strong applicants with a GPA of 2.75-2.9 may be conditionally admitted. Conditional status will be removed provided that students maintain a minimum a 3.0 G.P.A. for the first 12 hours of graduate coursework with no grade lower than a B. Current undergraduates will be admitted on the basis of current transcripts – final admission status will be determined after receipt of a final transcript showing the student has graduated.
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A 2-4 page personal statement describing his or her interest in pursuing a degree in counseling, relevant experience, strengths and weaknesses, and future career goals.
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Three letters of recommendation (recommendation form) from master's or doctoral level references who can attest to the applicant’s ability to pursue graduate work in a clinical program. Recommendations from personal acquaintances (i.e., friends, church leaders, family members, etc.) are not acceptable. While letters of reference are acceptable for submission, we require each reference to complete our recommendation form.
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Participate in an interview to assess readiness and appropriateness for graduate level clinical training.
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Information about the Professional Counseling Program's curriculum, internship experiences, and exit requirements is available on the program's website.
Tuition
Tuition for the Master of Arts in Professional Counseling is $330 per credit hour
Financial Aid
McKendree offers financial aid in the form of Federal Stafford Loans and Federal Work-Study.
Stafford Loans:
The maximum annual Stafford Loan eligibility for a degree seeking graduate student is $18,500.
$8,500 Subsidized maximum (if eligible)
$10,000 Unsubsidized Stafford
Full-time status is considered nine hours per semester.
Half-time status is considered 5 hours per semester.
You must be enrolled in at least half-time status (more than 5 hours) as a degree seeking student to receive the Stafford Loan.
The aggregate loan limit for Graduate Students is $138,500.
Applying for Financial Aid
An application for financial aid cannot be considered until a student is admitted to the College and enrolled in a degree-seeking program. Students must be enrolled in at least half-time status (more than 5 hours) to be eligible for federal loans. To apply for a federal loan, an admitted student must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with the federal student aid program. This form is available at www.fafsa.ed.gov or from the McKendree Office of Financial Aid. When the FAFSA has been processed, the student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). McKendree (Title IV code number 001722) will receive the SAR electronically if McKendree is listed as one of the schools on the FAFSA. Once the Office of Financial Aid receives this information, the student will then be notified of aid eligibility. A student may be selected for verification by the federal government. This requires that the student submit additional documentation. The Office of Financial Aid will notify a student of the documents that need to be provided. Verification must be completed before any federal loans will be certified and/or Federal Work-Study funds earned.
McKendree School Code: 001722.
Helpful Financial Aid Websites
fafsa.ed.gov -- (Please be certain to use the correct extension ed.gov not com). Complete as soon after January 1st as possible. The PIN mentioned below will allow a student to complete the application on line and an expected family contribution (EFC) will be provided at the end of the process.
pin.ed.gov -- This is the site where a student can obtain a Personal Identification Number (PIN). This number is unique to each individual and represents an electronic signature which can be used to sign your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a promissory note for a federal student loan.
Payment Plan
McKendree partners with Tuition Management Systems (TMS) to offer families an interest-free monthly payment option. For an enrollment fee, the billing cost is spread out over the time period that you are taking the courses. For more information please contact the Business Office at 537-6868 or go online at www.afford.com.
Employer Reimbursement
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Only the amount that will be paid by the employer can be deferred. The entire amount will be subject to interest charges until the student’s portion is paid.
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A letter from the employer stating that the employee is eligible for tuition reimbursement will be required each semester. Depending upon the employer’s tuition reimbursement requirements, a copy of the policy from the company may be sufficient. This letter should be submitted to the Business Office.
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The employer should make McKendree the Payee (or at least the co-payee) on the check.
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Deferment period will terminate 30 days after the date grades are issued.
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The balance will be subject to interest charges if payment is not received within 30 days from the date grades are issued.
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Office of Graduate Admission
701 College Road
Lebanon, IL 62254
618-537-6576
800-BEARCAT ext. 6576
graduate@mckendree.edu
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