Recent changes to the federal financial aid system are raising concerns for local college officials.

Two-thirds of the students at Essex County College get federal Pell Grants which give scholarships to those from low-income families.  

But some of those students are finding themselves ineligible after new federal guidelines placed a 12-semester limit on the grants and made for tougher academic requirements.

Financial Aid Director Mildred Cofer says Essex County doesn’t know the full impact of the changes since they went into effect in July. But she says she’s already seen some students put their education on hold.  

“Some of them are withdrawing because they can’t afford to go to school without the Pell. Most of the students that I’ve seen lately, they’re in their last semester and we don’t know if they’re gonna come back in the spring.”

Cofer says while the school is stretching other scholarship funds in order to help some students, the options to keep all of them in the classroom are limited.