WHAT IS FINANCIAL AID?
FINANCIAL AID CONSISTS OF FUNDS
PROVIDED TO STUDENTS AND
FAMILIES TO HELP PAY FOR
POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL
EXPENSES
WHAT IS COST OF ATTENDANCE (COA)?•DIRECT COSTS
•INDIRECT COSTS
•DIRECT AND INDIRECT COSTS COMBINED INTO COST OF
ATTENDANCE
•VARIES WIDELY FROM COLLEGE TO COLLEGE
WHAT IS EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION (EFC)?
• AMOUNT FAMILY CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE
• STAYS THE SAME REGARDLESS OF COLLEGE
• TWO COMPONENTS
• PARENT CONTRIBUTION
• STUDENT CONTRIBUTION
• CALCULATED USING DATA FROM A FEDERAL APPLICATION FORM AND A FEDERAL
FORMULA
WHAT IS FINANCIAL NEED?
COST OF ATTENDANCE
– EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION
= FINANCIAL NEED
CATEGORIES OF FINANCIAL AID
•NEED-BASED AID
•NON-NEED-BASED AID
TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID•SCHOLARSHIPS
•GRANTS
•LOANS
•EMPLOYMENT
Gift Aid
Self-Help Aid
GIFT AID: SCHOLARSHIPS
•MONEY THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAID BACK
•AWARDED ON THE BASIS OF MERIT, SKILL, OR
UNIQUE CHARACTERISTIC
GIFT AID: GRANTS
• MONEY THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAID BACK
• USUALLY AWARDED ON THE BASIS OF FINANCIAL NEED
SELF-HELP AID: LOANS
•MONEY STUDENTS AND PARENTS BORROW TO HELP PAY COLLEGE
EXPENSES
•REPAYMENT USUALLY BEGINS AFTER EDUCATION IS FINISHED
•ONLY BORROW WHAT IS REALLY NEEDED
•LOOK AT LOANS AS AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE
SELF-HELP AID: WORK-STUDY EMPLOYMENT
•ALLOWS STUDENT TO EARN MONEY TO HELP PAY EDUCATIONAL COSTS
• A PAYCHECK; OR
• NONMONETARY COMPENSATION, SUCH AS ROOM AND BOARD
• STUDENT MAY OPT WHETHER OR NOT TO WORK OR NUMBER OF HOURS TO
WORK
HS SeniorYear Begins
Off to College
• Research local scholarships• Get an estimate of what
colleges on your list will cost using Net Price Calculator
• Look up priority deadlines and required forms
FAFSA and CSS AvailableOct 1
• Continue scholarshipresearch
• Find out if you need to file the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE
• Complete the PROFILE
• Compare your financial aid awards
• Communicate any special circumstances to financial aid offices
• Research loans offered and other financing options
• Submit FAFSA and PROFILE• Correct early FAFSA with actual tax
information • Add schools to PROFILE as needed• Submit any other institution applications for
aid
Make your decision May 1st
• Submit applications for admission
• Apply for outside scholarships• Get to know the FAFSA• Gather year end documents
for FAFSA and PROFILE
COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID TIMELINE
WHEN DO I RECEIVE AN AWARD LETTER
• ACCEPTED FOR ADMISSION AND SUBMITTED FAFSA
• SOME SCHOOLS WILL NOT AWARD UNTIL ALL PAPERWORK IS COMPLETED
• MAKE SURE TO ADD ALL SCHOOL CODES ON FAFSA
• SOME AWARD LETTERS WILL BE SENT RIGHT AWAY AND SOME WILL BE SENT AFTER SOME TIME
• SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE FAFSA AFTER SUBMISSION WITHIN THREE DAYS IF SCHOOL CODE WAS
INCLUDED
• FOLLOW UP WITH SCHOOL REGARDING HOW THEY WILL COMMUNICATE WITH STUDENT
Awards will vary by school:
•There is no standard template
•School’s policies and available resources impact award
•Your eligibility for certain programs also impacts your award
Note, the conditions of your offer, is it:
•Tentative
•Provisional
•Final
•Missing information
TIPS RE: THE FINANCIAL AID AWARD
ADDITIONAL TIPS RE: AWARD LETTER• SIMPLY PUT “IT’S AN OFFER”. YOU CAN:
• ACCEPT IT AS IS
• REJECT PART OR ALL OF IT
• REQUEST A MODIFICATION:
• CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES
• ADJUST LOAN OR WORK EXPECTATION
• ADJUST OUTSIDE AID EXPECTATION
QUESTIONS TO ASKWill it be the same for all 4 years?
•What changes in my situation might affect my award?
•Income/tax year?
•Number of siblings in college?
•Buying a car or computer?
•If other people don’t take their awards – will my award increase?
•Where is my book money?
•Where is my travel money?
•Do I write my check out for my family contribution?
•I’m not living on campus so why is housing part of my COA?
•What do I do to get my money?
SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES• THE SCHOOL SHOULD TELL YOU THE PREFERRED METHOD:
• ON LINE SELF SERVICE TOOL
• ASSIGNED COUNSELOR
• EMAIL OR PHONE
•MAIL TO YOUR HOME ADDRESS (BILLS)
• PARENTS CAN BE INVOLVED IF YOU AUTHORIZE
• CONSIDER A FAMILY EMAIL ADDRESS • DISCUSS THIS BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME
• DEADLINES ARE STILL IMPORTANT!!
WEB HELP!?!
• HTTPS://SECURE-MEDIA.COLLEGEBOARD.ORG/COLLEGEPLANNING/MEDIA/PDF/SAMPLE-FINANCIAL-AID-
AWARD-LETTERS.PDF
• HTTPS://SECURE-MEDIA.COLLEGEBOARD.ORG/COLLEGEPLANNING/MEDIA/PDF/QUESTIONS-TO-ASK-
ABOUT-YOUR-FINANCIAL-AID-AWARD.PDF
• HTTPS://BIGFUTURE.COLLEGEBOARD.ORG/PAY-FOR-COLLEGE/FINANCIAL-AIDAWARDS/COMPARE-AID-
CALCULATOR