In today’s economy, most students and parents are looking
for some type of financial aid to offset the costs of college (tuition, fees,
books, housing, food, travel, and even recreation). We’ve all been told that there is money out
there. But where?
From years of working in student recruitment and scholarships, I would like to
offer some suggestions that may help you along the way.
Disclaimer: I don’t profess to have
all the answers and the magic key or source to funding. But I have discovered a few simple things
that parents and students can do to help in the process of discovering
aid. Additionally, Utah State University
would encourage all students to apply.
Truth be told, not all students will be Aggies. So the following recommendations are meant
for all students, regardless of where they enroll.
Be in the Know
a.
Deadlines. Know the deadlines. Deadlines often determine the outcomes and
many students miss out on financial aid because they simply miss a
deadline. These deadlines apply to
scholarships, as well as general financial aid (loans, grants, &
work-study).
b.
People. Know the right people. Call and introduce yourself to your specific
financial aid counselor (or admissions counselor) at your school. If they don’t know you and your situation, you
have missed out on one of the great resources available to you.
c.
Scholarships. Know what you are applying for. Is this an academic, involvement, leadership,
service, or alumni scholarship? If so,
focus on that key concept. Selection
committees are keenly looking for information and answers to reaffirm your
involvement in said application. Don’t
ramble. Be direct and make your answers
personable.
d.
Federal
Aid. Know what type of aid is
available. Federal financial aid
consists of loans, grants, and work-study.
When applying, apply for all options.
It doesn’t cost to apply and you can always decline an offer when
presented with it.
Federal Aid
a.
Be
educated. If you are like most
individuals, you have spent a lot of time on admission related issues: grades,
tests, activities, college visits, essay writing, etc. Focusing on financial aid should be
considered early.
b.
Know your
EFC (Expected Family Contribution).
Your EFC should be known as you know your SAT or ACT scores. Students are eligible for aid (grants, loans,
work-study) if your EFC is less than the cost of attendance. To determine this number, visit the EFC
calculators at www.collegeboard.com
or www.finaid.org.
c.
Submit
your taxes early. You aren’t able to
submit your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid, www.fafsa.ed.gov) until you complete your
taxes. And as deadlines for FAFSA
approach quickly each year, you should do your taxes as quickly as
possible. FAFSA application/submission
date can make the difference in your award offer.
d.
Don’t be
paranoid. Some individuals don’t
want to apply for federal aid as they may not trust the institution with
financial records. All data is
maintained within the U.S. Department of Education and is not shared with other
federal agencies.
e.
Be
prepared for verifications and complications. Once you click submit and everything is
turned in, expect to hear from university financial aid offices. Don’t be concerned. By working with the offices and providing the
information requested (in a timely manner), it will actually help your case in
receiving aid.
f.
Accepting
Aid. It is okay to accept a
loan! Many students want to graduate
debt free. But this isn’t a reality for
everyone. Before accepting a loan, visit
with your financial aid counselor and understand the details of the loan. I would also suggest you always accept a pell
grant and work-study offer.
The most important thing I can suggest is to become
acquainted with those involved in the awarding and decision-making
process. In an age of texting, Facebooking,
and web browsing, many people overlook the importance of a face-to-face
conversation. When it comes to the
opportunity of receiving thousands of dollars in aid, you don’t want to
overlook any option that may increase your chances of receiving help. That help is always found in people.
I am the youngest of four children and by the time I went to Utah State
University, my parents had discovered the importance of the steps outlined
above. As a result, I received some aid
that assisted me with my bachelors and masters.
It wasn’t always easy and at times I felt discouraged, but after working
full time and looking back, I realize that the payoff for the amount of time
invested was huge! Accept my suggestion
of putting in the time to see what your options will be.
Some helpful websites to remember:
FAFSA Application: www.fafsa.ed.gov (never pay to apply for
federal aid!)
EFC Calculators: www.collegeboard.com or www.finaid.org
USU Financial Aid Office: www.usu.edu/finaid
o
Find helpful Q/As
o
Use hyperlinks to discover more suggestions and
recommendations
o
Discover more about the awarding process at USU
and then apply to your institution
Hopefully, this provides some information that will benefit
you in your discovery. If you are
reading this and you are a senior in high school (or your son/daughter is a
senior in high school), then don’t delay!
Now is the time to get answers to all of your questions! Time is of the essence in receiving aid.
Craig Whyte
BS, 2004. MBA, 2005
Utah State University
