Discussing Financial Aid
I would like to know exactly what information can an admissions representive discuss about financial aid?
john,
If you leave out information, it is the same as misleading the student. All information needs to be expressed so that the student can made a valued decision.
Patty Aronoff
We are limited to what we can say but we need to make sure that all of the applicants questions are answered.
Joann,
Some schools do. There is no rule requirement that prevents Admissions reps from doing so but it is not a best practice. This is the area that has drawn the most criticism through recent times. It is just best to keep them separate.
Patty Aronoff
Ayelet,
Financial matters are not always the easiest topic to discuss. Bridging the transition is tricky. I would suggest you talk with the financial aid staff and decide on a few transitional phrases to give a comfort level to the student and their family.
Patty Aronoff
Patty,
I was always with the understanding that Admissions did not to discuss Financial Aid.
I find it very challenging sometimes when the students come to you to apply with their family members and ask for financial help. Even when you must direct them to the appropriate department they tend to feel less intimidated by the admissions personeel than the finacial staff.
As we must defer them to the FA department I wonder what's the best way to say it to them professionally and in a nice manner...
Ilana,
You have just described best practices. Excellent reflection.
Patty Aronoff
This is true Patti. As representatives, we should never give any detail to our prospective students other than general information about what FAFSA is and does, and make them feel comfortable in knowing that they will sit with an expert to review their financial documents and will be welcome to ask all of their financial questions to the FA officer.
I just finished reading the series of posts on financial aid and would like to state that I really feel that this is an area where defering to the expert is critical. So much of FA is based upon unique circumstances and the rules and allocations change frequently. Our institution handles such a variety of foreign students as well as Americans that providing accurate information requires truly specialized training. We have a firm policy of admissions advising students to discuss all their FA questions with FA and that way there is no confusion.
LATOSHA,
The recommendation is generally to leave that discussion to the Financial Aid Department. Financial Aid is highly regulated and constantly changing. For those of us not in the daily throes of FA it is hard to keep current. We could easily mislead without intent.
