Admissions Requirements
Admission for Degree-Seeking Students
Admission as a student to Vincennes University leading to a degree or technical certificate requires either:
- a high school diploma, or
- an official General Educational Development (GED) or Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) transcript, or
- 24 hours of postsecondary credit from a regionally-accredited institution.
Home School and Non-traditional High School Students
Vincennes University also welcomes students graduating from non-traditional high schools, such as accredited Internet high schools, schools which are not yet accredited, or from home schooling programs. Students completing these programs should supply the Admissions office with additional information including an academic portfolio and a detailed transcript (each course briefly described) annotated with graduation date. Additional information may be required.
Applicants with a high school diploma that was not earned through a Graduation Qualifying Exam (GQE) must demonstrate their college readiness before being allowed to register for classes. College readiness can be proven by presenting postsecondary credit for college level English or math from a regionally-accredited institution or obtaining a minimum score as designated by the U.S. Department of Education on one of the three subtests of the Accuplacer placement exam, provided free of charge by VU. Finally, these applicants may instead submit achievement of the minimum scores on any of the other tests approved by the U.S. Department of Education to document an applicant’s college readiness (view list of tests and required minimum scores).
Provisional Acceptance
Applicants who do not meet any of the above criteria may appeal to the Director of Admissions to have their application reviewed for provisional acceptance. Vincennes University reserves the right to deny admission and/or registration.
Vincennes University supports the State of Indiana’s Core 40 high school curriculum. It is strongly recommended that students meet the Core 40 requirements, but completion of the Core 40 curriculum is not required for admission.
Admission for Non-Degree Seeking Students
Applicants who wish to register and accumulate less than 15 credit hours and who do not intend to pursue a degree or certificate at VU may be conditionally admitted as a non-degree seeking student by completing the Non-Degree Seeking Student application that can be found at www.vinu.edu/vincennes-campus. Applicants must meet the prerequisites for the courses in which they enroll and, therefore, may be required to take VU’s Accuplacer placement exam. All students who wish to live in a residence hall or apply for financial aid must apply for admission and meet the admission requirements under Admission for Degree-Seeking Students whether or not they intend to obtain a degree. Students who register for or have earned fifteen or more credit hours are required to apply for admission and meet the requirements under Admission for Degree-Seeking Students. Applicants who are unable to demonstrate their college readiness by obtaining a federally-designated minimum score on the placement exam may appeal to the Director of Admissions to have their application reviewed.
Selective Programs
Admission into selective programs, including but not limited to, Health Science majors and select associate and baccalaureate degrees, is necessarily limited by a candidate’s academic evaluation, facilities and other resources. For more information, please visit www.vinu.edu/web/guest/health-science.
Transfer Applicants
Transfer applicants may be admitted by meeting the admission requirements under Admission for Degree-Seeking Students or by providing an official transcript (transcript mailed from another college or university directly to Vincennes University) from each college attended, showing evidence of honorable release for a minimum of 24 transferrable college credit hours. Grades below C- may not be transferred for credit.
Transfer applicants will be considered for freshman through junior status in Vincennes University’s Teacher Education baccalaureate programs dependent on application review and academic credentials as outlined on the respective curriculum pages. Transfer applicants for junior status in Vincennes University’s Nursing, Homeland Security, and Technology baccalaureate programs must submit documentation (an official transcript from the degree-granting institution sent directly to the Registrar of Vincennes University) of a completed associate degree in one of the “feeder” programs designated within the curriculum pages of those programs. Both native and transfer applicants who are within six hours of their associate degree completion may conditionally begin their intended baccalaureate program if the remaining courses are not prerequisites for the courses to be taken in that first semester; conditionally admitted students must complete those remaining credit hours by the end of their first semester as juniors. If the courses involved are sequential and not prerequisites to courses required in the first two semesters of the program, students will have two semesters to complete the missing hours.
Entrance into all baccalaureate programs requires at least a 2.0 G.P.A. in lower division courses. Some programs, like the Teacher Education programs, will require at least a 2.75 G.P.A. for program admission.
Background History Review
Vincennes University believes a safe environment is necessary for optimal learning, and it is the goal of the University to ensure all those admitted to the institution are committed to maintaining such an environment for themselves and their fellow members of the University community. For information regarding background history review, please visit www.vinu.edu/web/guest/background-history-review.
International Applicants
To apply for international admission at Vincennes University, international applicants must submit the following materials:
- International Application
- Official high school/secondary school transcript in English showing the equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma. Completion of Form 5, or equivalent, may be accepted.
- Official sponsor’s statement
- Certified copy of the sponsor’s bank statement
- Application fee
- Clear copy of the student’s passport
A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is not required for admission. Students who have completed the English as an Additional Language (EAL) requirements or who submitted a TOEFL score below 71 iBT or an IELTS score below 6 must take the College Placement Test before registering for college-level courses. For more details about international admission requirements, go to https://my.vinu.edu/web/international-students/international-prospective-students.
Student Financial Services
Purpose
To provide students an opportunity for post-secondary education and to promote academic excellence at Vincennes University, student financial services provides multipurpose financial assistance services for students. One important purpose is to reward outstanding students for past academic accomplishments and those who seem to have outstanding potential. Another purpose is to provide assistance to students who, without such aid, would be unable to attend college. Basic to this philosophy is the belief that the educational opportunities of able students should not be hindered by their financial resources.
Vincennes University provides a variety of financial aid for students in the form of grants, loans, part-time employment, and scholarships.
Eligibility
Eligibility for receiving federal and state financial assistance is determined by comparing the cost of attending Vincennes University with the parents’ and the student’s ability to contribute toward his/her expenses. Financial aid is viewed as being supplemental to all other resources to meet these costs. The goal of student financial services is to meet the evaluated need of all eligible students.
The evaluated financial need equals the difference between the total estimated cost of attending Vincennes University (including all university charges–room and board, books and supplies, personal expenses, and allowable travel expenses) and the ability of the family to contribute to those educational costs. The factors taken into consideration when evaluating the expected family contribution include parental income and assets, and the student’s income and assets. The expected family contribution is calculated by the U.S. Department of Education based on the information in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Each year that a student wishes to be considered for aid, a FAFSA form must be filed, listing VU as a school of choice. Approved awards for each year will be based upon proper completion of and timely filing of applications and financial statements, availability of federal and/or university funds, eligibility for the individual programs for which the student is applying, and the applicant’s continued enrollment. The amount of assistance may increase or decrease from one year to the next depending upon the educational costs, the financial circumstances of the family, and the level of program funding.
Continued eligibility for the various federal and state financial aid programs will require the following: (1) continued enrollment; (2) satisfactory academic progress; (3) properly completed and timely filed applications; (4) all university accounts due and payable; (5) satisfactory employment if a previous student worker; (6) compliance with individual program guidelines; (7) not being in default on a Federal Family Education Loan Program loan or Federal Direct Loan; (8) not owing a repayment on a Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, or Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant previously received.
Selection of Recipients
The criteria for selecting applicants for financial aid varies depending upon the program. Federal Pell Grants will be considered first for all undergraduate students applying for federal aid at Vincennes University. Students are automatically considered for all financial aid programs on a priority deadline basis with the FAFSA results as a key determining factor. The office awards respectively from grants, scholarships, college work study and the Federal Direct Loan Program.
Students Responsibilities
Students receiving financial aid have certain responsibilities under the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal College Work Study Program, Federal Family Education Loan Program (Stafford and PLUS Loans), Federal Direct Loans, and other aid programs. The applicant must, without exception, report any of the following changes to the Financial Aid Office: (1) withdrawal from school; (2) transfer to another school; (3) dropping below half-time status; (4) name change; (5) address change or parents’ address change; (6) joining military service, Peace Corps, or VISTA.
Students who receive loans and graduate or withdraw from the university must complete an online exit counseling session. All student’s must make some satisfactory arrangements for the settlement of a campus account by the due date. Failure to do so may result in a hold being placed on the student’s records to block future course registrations, which would prevent the release of financial air reward. Holds can also block the release of academic transcripts.
Students are responsible for obtaining, completing, and filing each year the proper financial aid application, statements, forms, etc. on a timely basis. Students have the right to seek and receive full information and advice from the student financial services counselors in regard to any financial matter. If the family’s financial circumstances change due to death, divorce, marriage, disability, or long-term unemployment, the applicant may become eligible for more assistance. Students must take the initiative in notifying the office of these changes in writing.
Students must provide correct information. Students who appear to be knowingly and intentionally misreporting information on financial aid forms may be reported to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General for potential prosecution.
Students are responsible for reading and understanding all forms that they sign. Student financial services representatives can provide guidance on how students can access electronic copies of documents they sign.
Applicants must accept responsibility for agreements that they sign.
When accepting a Federal College Work Study award, recipients must perform the work that is agreed upon.
Students are also responsible for understanding the school’s refund procedures and policies.
Refunds
A student who completes official withdrawal or is dismissed may receive a refund of registration fees in accordance with the refund policy as found in the “Tuition, Fees, and General Expenses ” section of this catalog. The Bursar’s Office in student financial services is responsible for refunds.
Students who receive financial aid and withdraw before the end of a semester may have a portion of their financial aid award returned directly to the applicable program account. In some cases, financial aid recipients who withdraw will be required to return to the U.S. Department of Education a portion of the award they have already received.
Costs
Student estimated expense budgets are derived from directly related educational expenses, such as registration fees, room and board, books and supplies, personal and transportation expenses. Budgets are constructed based upon the status of each applicant such as single, married, dependent, independent, etc. Complete student budget data is available from the Financial Aid Office at Vincennes University.
Method of Application
Completing the FAFSA will allow students to apply for all types of assistance. If the CPS (Central Processing Center) receives the FAFSA by March 10, Indiana students will also be applying for state aid through the Indiana Commission of Higher Education’s Division of Student Financial Aid. The FAFSA is considered to be the official application for financial assistance.
Grants
Most grants are awarded on the basis of financial need as determined by the U.S. Department of Education and do not require repayment upon completion of a certificate or degree. The maximum award varies with each grant, usually depending on the availability of funds.
Federal Pell Grants are awarded by the U.S. Department of Education according to its guidelines. The University processes the award notification and applies the award to the student’s account. Qualified undergraduate students who are enrolled in one or more credit hours are eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants. However, a part-time student will receive a reduced amount.
Students who change universities during the academic year may use any remaining portion of their Federal Pell Grant at the new school or campus. Students who drop classes may have their Federal Pell Grant amount reduced.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are reserved for students who have an expected family contribution (EFC) of zero. Because the University receives a limited amount of funds each year, not all students with a zero EFC can be helped.
Indiana Higher Education Awards are provided to Indiana residents who have demonstrated financial need according to the regulations of the Division of Student Financial Aid of the Indiana Commission of Higher Education. Regulations for the various kinds of Higher Education Awards can be found at www.in.gov/sfa/#.
State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana Educational Grant must be renewed by reapplying directly to the Commission through use of the FAFSA.
Federal Work Study Program
The Federal College Work Study program is a federally funded financial aid program which is designed to award students part-time employment, the earnings from which must be applied toward educational expenses.
Eligibility for the program is determined by the results of the student’s FAFSA and the availablity of funds. Students are responsible for finding work study positions if they want to accept the offer of a federal work study award. The Center for Career and Employer Relations ordinarily conducts a part-time job fair near the beginning of each semester where students can meet employers seeking employees.
Federal Perkins Loan
This low interest (five percent) loan is made directly to students with the financial aid need. Those who qualify are offered up to $2,500 per year. The grace period before repayment of the loan begins is currently nine (9) months after the recipient graduates, withdraws, or drops below half-time status.
Federal Direct Student Loans
Most students who meet the eligibility standards outlined above are eligible for Federal Direct Loans. Those with sufficient financial need as determined by the results of the FAFSA can borrow a subsidized Federal Direct Loan, which accrues no interest while the student is enrolled at least half time. Most students are also eligible for an unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan, which does accrue interest while the student is enrolled. Currently, the interest rates on Federal Direct Loans are established on an annual basis by an act of Congress. So that students understand their rights and responsibilities with respect to borrowing a student loan, first-time borrowers must complete at least an online entrance counseling session. They are also required to sign a master promissory note (MPN) that commits them to repay any loans they accept. Students can complete entrance counseling and sign the MPN at www.studentloans.gov. First-time borrowers are also subject to a requirement to complete at least thirty (30) days of their first semester of classes before they can receive payment of a Federal Direct Loan.
Currently, each award year first year students can borrow up to $5,500 in Federal Direct Loans; no more than $3,500 of that can be a subsidized loan. Second year students can borrow up to $6,500; no more than $4,500 of that can be a subsidized loan. Third and fourth year students who are seeking a bachelor’s degree can borrow up to $7,500; no more than $5,500 of that can be a subsidized loan. Vincennes University limits all students who are seeking a certificate or an associate degree to no more than second year levels. Independent students and dependent students whose parent’s application for a parent PLUS loan has been denied are eligible for up to an additional $4,000 in unsubsidized loans.
Federal PLUS Loans
Parents of students who are offered a federal parent PLUS loan can apply at www.studentloans.gov by entering the FAFSA PIN acquired by the parent who signed the FAFSA form. If the other parent wants to apply for a federal PLUS loan, he/she can obtain a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov. PLUS loans are approved or denied by the Federal Direct Loan program on the basis of a credit check. If the application for a federal parent PLUS loan is denied, the student is allowed to request up to an additional $4,000 in an unsubsidized loan for that award year.
Benefits
Benefits are funds some people are entitled to under special conditions. Like grants, benefits do not have to be repaid.
GI Bill Benefits: If you were honorably discharged from the Armed Forces, education benefits may be available upon application to the Veterans’ Administration.
Child of Disabled Veteran Grants: The Indiana General Assembly legislated this grant program for children of servicemen and other public officers who were disabled or are deceased by a war- or public service-related cause. To be eligible, you must have on file with student financial services an approved Remission of Fees form from the Veterans’ Administration regarding your parent’s disability prior to receiving the benefit. Payment of benefits begins with the semester that the student financial services receives the approved Remission of Fees Form; it is not retroactive to prior semesters of attendance. Eligibility lasts for 124 credit hours.
SSACI Scholarships (State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana) are awarded to Indiana residents who meet certain academic standards. You must carry at least twelve credit hours to be eligible. To become eligible for a scholarship, your high school counselor must make the recommendation during your senior year in high school.
Performing Scholarships and Athletic Grants (Vincennes Campus) are awarded (contingent on annual funding levels) in varying amounts to Vincennes campus students with talent in areas such as music, drama, athletics, cheerleading, and other areas. Additional information about the following athletic grants and scholarships is available from the appropriate coach.
- Baseball Scholarships
- Basketball Scholarships
- Bowling Grants
- Tennis Scholarships
- Track and Cross Country Grants
- Volleyball Grants
Additional information about the following performing scholarships and grants is available from the appropriate department chairperson or activity sponsor.
- Blazerette Scholarships
- Cheerleader Scholarships
- Art Scholarships
- Music Scholarships
- Theatre Grants
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Vincennes University is required under Title IV of the Higher Education Act to define and administer standards of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for students receiving federal financial aid. Recipients must maintain sufficient progress to assure successful completion of their educational objectives as measured by qualitative and quantitative standards. The following policies and procedures reflect the university’s understanding of current Title IV regulations. They will be revised as necessary to ensure continued compliance with those federal regulations.
Qualitative and Quantitative Measures. All courses assigned a letter grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, WF, WN, or F, including developmental courses, contribute to the grade point average (GPA) that determines the qualitative measure. Since developmental course grades do not contribute to the GPA on the academic transcript, the “financial aid” GPA can be different from the GPA on the academic transcript. All courses assigned a letter grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, F, I, DE, RD, P, CR, W, WF, or WN also count in the quantitative measure, as do transfer credits accepted toward degree programs and any repeated courses. Attempted credit hours are those hours in which students are enrolled at the end of the first week of each semester (add/drop week).
After attempting 12 credit hours, students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 1.8 and complete at least 60% of their cumulative attempted credit hours with passing grades.
After attempting 30 credit hours, students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 1.9 and complete at least 63% of their cumulative attempted credit hours with passing grades.
After attempting 45 credit hours, students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and complete at least 67% of their cumulative attempted credit hours with passing grades.
Students who do not meet these conditions will be placed on financial aid warning.
Financial Aid Warning. During their next semester of enrollment, students on warning status for the qualitative (GPA) standard must raise their cumulative GPA to at least the minimum relevant to the number of credits attempted, and students on warning status for the quantitative (completion rate) standard must raise their completion rate to at least the minimum relevant to the number of credits attempted. If they do not achieve these standards, students will be placed on financial aid suspension. Students on warning status receive an e-mail on their MyVU accounts notifying them of their standing and reminding them of the minimum cumulative standards they must meet by the end of their upcoming semester in order to continue to be eligible for financial aid after that semester.
Students will be removed from warning status after they achieve at least the minimum GPA and at least the minimum completion rate relevant to the number of credit hours they have attempted.
Financial Aid Suspension. Students who, while on financial aid warning status, do not raise their cumulative GPA to at least the relevant required minimum or do not raise their cumulative completion rate to at least the relevant required minimum will have their financial aid suspended. Since this means they will not receive the financial aid for which they would otherwise be eligible, they may appeal their suspension.
To appeal financial aid suspension, students must be able to cite and document significant extenuating circumstances that prevented them from meeting the minimum requirements for satisfactory progress. Significant extenuating circumstances include but are not limited to extended illness, a death in the family, or some other serious personal or familial situation. Examples of acceptable documentation include a death certificate or obituary along with a signed statement indicating relation of the deceased to the student, a diagnostic statement or treatment plan from a health professional, and written statements from a professional third party who is not a relative and who is familiar with the situation. Appeals will not be granted unless significant extenuating circumstances can be documented.
If the appeal is granted, students must agree to an academic plan that will show how they can meet at least the minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress, normally, within two to four semesters. Students whose appeal has been granted and who sign off on an academic plan will receive the financial aid for which they are eligible, as long as they meet the conditions of their academic plan in succeeding semesters. Students who fail to meet the requirements of the academic plan they have signed will be placed on suspension again. Such students have the right to appeal the suspension.
Students who earn grades of I or RD in any courses will normally have to wait for completion and final grading for those courses before having their SAP status calculated. In situations where assuming a worse-case outcome shows that the student will still be within SAP standards, the student can be assigned a SAP status that will allow release of aid for the next semester.
Maximum Time Frame. U.S. Department of Education rules allow colleges and universities to provide federal financial aid for a maximum of up to 150% of the credits needed to complete an academic program. For example, students working toward a degree that requires 64 credits, may receive federal financial aid for attempting up to 96 credits (64+32), and students working toward a certificate of completion that requires 30 credits may receive federal financial aid for attempting up to 45 credits (30+15). Once students have surpassed these limits at the completion of a semester or summer term, they will be on financial aid suspension and will no longer be allowed to receive federal financial aid unless they submit an appeal that is subsequently approved. Approvable appeals will cite significant extenuating circumstances as described above, show that the student has two academic programs in progress, or request examination of the student’s transcript for acceptable exclusions.
Exclusions that might make it possible for students who reach the 150% standard to continue receiving federal financial aid for additional credits include the following:
- Up to 30 credits of developmental courses completed or attempted.
- Transfer credits that do not meet any requirements for the degree or certificate toward which a student is working at Vincennes University.
- Credits that are unique to the first degree or certificate already earned from Vincennes University.
- Credits attempted or earned longer than five years ago from the time of initial appeal that do not count toward the current degree or program.
- Credits attempted or earned while dually enrolled in a high school and at Vincennes University that do not count toward the current degree or program.
Notice that federal regulations require us to count credits attempted and not just credits successfully earned. We must count the credits for courses in which students receive a grade of F, W, WF, WN, DE, RD, or I. Except for the exclusions noted above, we must also count the credits for all courses attempted at Vincennes University whether the courses meet current degree requirements or not. We do not exclude any credits attempted or earned by students who simply change major academic programs. Federal regulations also do not allow us to exclude credits from semesters during which students received no financial aid.
Students whose appeals on the 150% standard are approved must meet with an academic advisor to list only the courses required for their program(s) that they will enroll in during the current and succeeding semesters. Only after the advisor and the student sign the document and the student submits it to student financial services or otherwise acknowledge their understanding of their situation will their financial aid be released.
Developmental Courses. Students may receive financial aid for up to 30 credits of developmental courses. Developmental course credits beyond the 30-credit limit cannot be counted in a student’s enrollment level for purposes of financial aid eligibility. For example, a student enrolled in twelve (12) credits with three (3) of those credits being the thirty-third attempt at developmental courses will be counted as being enrolled in only nine (9) credits for purposes of financial aid eligibility.
For purposes of judging SAP status, the first 30 credit hours of developmental course work are excluded in determining the maximum time frame. Developmental courses are counted toward the first 12 attempted credit hours that require at least the 60% completion rate with passing grades as described above under “Qualitative and Quantitative Measures.” All developmental course credits after the 30 credit hours will be included in the quantitative measure and the maximum time frame.
Appeals Procedure
The formal process of appealing financial aid suspension is initiated by the student submitting to student financial services an appeal form along with any relevant documentation that supports the explanation of extenuating cicumstances. Letters written by a parent, relative or guardian may not be accepted as the appeal letter, but will be considered along with the formal appeal submitted by the student.
The appeal will be read by members of the financial aid staff. After the formal appeal review, the student will be notified of the decision. If the appeal is approved, as noted above, the student will be placed on probation, submit an academic plan, and be eligible to receive aid. If the student fails to comply with the academic plan, financial aid will be suspended for the next semester of attendance, and the deficiencies must be reconciled before aid eligibility can be reinstated. The decision of the financial aid staff is final unless the student can cite and document additional circumstances that may not have been considered in the initial appeal.
Please note: The Satisfactory Academic Progress policy is subject to change as may be necessary to comply with federal student aid regulations. For information on the current policy, please contact the Financial Aid Office, Vincennes University, 1002 North First Street, Vincennes, IN 47591. Toll Free Number: 1-800-742-9198
Withdrawal from Classes
Since acceptance of the financial aid package indicates the student’s agreement to meet the minimum credit hour requirements for awards, withdrawing from one or more classes may jeopardize aid. In other words, if a student drops below the minimum number of hours required for a certain award amount, U.S. Department of Education regulations might require the financial aid office to reduce the amount of the award. For example, if students who initially received a Federal Pell Grant based on full-time enrollment drop to less than full-time status before the fifth Monday of the semester, student financial services would be required to reduce the grant to the amount appropriate for the less than full-time level of enrollment. Since withdrawing from courses affects a student’s completion rate, it might also affect a student’s compliance with the SAP standards detailed above. For these reasons, before withdrawing from any courses, it would be wise to check with a counselor in student financial services.
Federal regulations also require student financial services to recalculate the amount of federal grants or loans allowed to be kept by students who either officially or unofficially withdraw from all courses of a semester. One version of unofficial withdrawal is earning zero credit hours during a semester while not completing any courses. This recalculation might require the university or the student to return all or part of grant or loan funds initially awarded the student back to the U. S. Department of Education. In many cases in which such returns are required, the student will owe the university the amount of the returned funds that had been applied to the student’s account or to a refund of what had been aid in excess of the student’s bill.
Student/Parent Consumer Information
All enrolled and prospective students will be provided the following information in accordance with Federal Requirements:
- Rights under Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA);
- FFEL/Direct Loan deferments for Peace Corps or volunteer service;
- Vincennes University available financial aid assistance;
- Vincennes University institutional information;
- Completion/graduation rate and transfer-out rate;
- Campus Security Report;
- Report on athletic program participation rates and financial support data; and
- Policy on Return of Title IV funds.
Priority Deadline
To qualify for State of Indiana grants and scholarships, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be received by the CPS Processing Center by March 10.
For more information contact the Financial Aid Office, Vincennes University, 1002 North First, Vincennes, IN 47591. Toll Free Number: 1-800-742-9198.
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