The Financial Aid Officer
Every college has at least one Financial
Aid Officer (FAO) and most have many, whose job is to match incoming funds
with incoming students. Students and parents should become familiar with
the financial aid officer at the college of their choice. The more
knowledge a financial aid officer has about a student's needs and
circumstances. the better prepared he or she will be to assist the student
in the search for funding. It is recommended that parents and students
meet personally with the financial aid officer if feasible. This meeting
would most appropriately take place early in the spring semester. but
students should check with FAO to determine the preferred meeting time at
individual institutions. Since financial aid officers are responsible for
the administration of actual fund disbursement of students. the importance
of keeping the FAO informed about the student's needs cannot be
over-emphasized.
The Financial Aid Package
College financial aid officers will analyze
a student's individual situation and try to put together a financial aid
package which may include any or all of the types of aid as indicated
above. One student may receive a scholarship, a loan, and a grant. Another
student may be eligible for a grant, a loan, and college work-study. Every
student has different needs and different situations. The college
financial aid officer will try to draw as much money from as many
different sources as possible to help students in their search for
funding. If the proper application procedures are followed, the student is
notified of the contents of the financial aid package in the spring of the
senior year by a document called the award letter. The award letter
details the type and source of the aid that is being offered. The student
is asked to respond and accept or reject the aid that is available.
When To Apply
Students and parents should begin the
search for college funding early. The student should begin exploring
specific sources of aid during the junior year of high school. Early in
the fall of the senior year, students and parents should write letter
requesting information and applications from various agencies and
institutions. Resource materials and addresses are available from the
student's home school senior counselor and the coordinator of student
financial services (see "Documents. section, pages 19-20).
Applications should be completed throughout
the senior year with most activity coming early in the spring semester.
Students who will be completing the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) or the CSS Profile Form will need to do so in early February
of their senior year. Parents should make plans to complete income tax
returns as early as possible so information from the tax return which is
requested on the FAFSA or CSS Profile Form will
be available in January.
Meeting deadlines is extremely important in
applying for financial aid. Students and parents should be well aware of
deadline dales for applications and if possible complete applications well
in advance of deadlines. Time should be allowed to provide supplemental
documents such as transcripts and letters of recommendation that may be
required lo complete some applications.
Please do not overlook the obvious. A
student should complete an Application for Admission for colleges of
interest early in the fall semester. A student can begin the process of
applying for financial aid before being admitted. but funds will not be
awarded to a student until the student has been admitted to the
institution.
|