Help with College Financial Aid
Understanding aid options and knowing where to get help
By Ann Bezbatchenko
Financing your education can be an overwhelming task. To make the most of available funding, it is important to understand the different types of aid as well as to realize that your financial aid office is available to help you.
There are two primary types of aid: federal financial aid (based on need) and scholarships (university and outside awards). To apply for federal financial aid, you must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA.
You can complete the FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. From the information submitted, the U.S. Department of Education determines how much aid you should receive and notifies your school. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators also has a Web site which has helpful resources for students and parents.
Your university will send you information about your federal aid as well as any scholarships you received. (You may have to complete specific forms for various scholarships. Check with your university admissions office about applications.) If you have been awarded a scholarship through an outside source, you should notify your financial aid office immediately so that your financial aid package can be adjusted.
Most universities assign a general counselor, depending on the size of the school, to certain populations. For instance, there may be a counselor for first-year students, several for returning students, and one for graduate students. If you need to meet with your financial aid officer about your award package or issues with your financial aid, you should contact them directly. It will be important to bring any information you may have about your federal financial aid and scholarship awards.
After graduating from the University of Dayton in 2000, Ann Bezbatchenko worked as an editor for SRA/McGraw-Hill Companies. She returned to school to obtain a master's degree from The Catholic University of America, where she worked as the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions for CUA. Ann currently works at Loyola University Chicago's Graduate School of Business as the Director of Admissions
By Ann Bezbatchenko
Financing your education can be an overwhelming task. To make the most of available funding, it is important to understand the different types of aid as well as to realize that your financial aid office is available to help you.
There are two primary types of aid: federal financial aid (based on need) and scholarships (university and outside awards). To apply for federal financial aid, you must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA.
You can complete the FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. From the information submitted, the U.S. Department of Education determines how much aid you should receive and notifies your school. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators also has a Web site which has helpful resources for students and parents.
Your university will send you information about your federal aid as well as any scholarships you received. (You may have to complete specific forms for various scholarships. Check with your university admissions office about applications.) If you have been awarded a scholarship through an outside source, you should notify your financial aid office immediately so that your financial aid package can be adjusted.
Most universities assign a general counselor, depending on the size of the school, to certain populations. For instance, there may be a counselor for first-year students, several for returning students, and one for graduate students. If you need to meet with your financial aid officer about your award package or issues with your financial aid, you should contact them directly. It will be important to bring any information you may have about your federal financial aid and scholarship awards.
After graduating from the University of Dayton in 2000, Ann Bezbatchenko worked as an editor for SRA/McGraw-Hill Companies. She returned to school to obtain a master's degree from The Catholic University of America, where she worked as the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions for CUA. Ann currently works at Loyola University Chicago's Graduate School of Business as the Director of Admissions
posted by Jared Wash at 8:18 AM
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