Financial Aid for students
I think it is a good idea for school to prepare all financial aide paperwork for students
I also think it is a great idea for the school to have a department that specifically takes care of financial aid and can help ease the stress of the student.
After student completes application I advise student that we have financial aide department that can assist with questions regarding loans,grants,etc.
I agree that it is very helpful to have a department dedicated to helping students prepare for financial aid processes. It can get very confusing.
What if your school does not accept FASFA. What type of grants are out there for students in this case?
Financial Aid is extremely important to students, because it allows them opportunity to review different options they have so they can get the education they need and deserve.
I agree and in some cases, end up not going to school because of the frustraion. So I think handling all the paperwork for a student will definitely ease their pain and have that reassurance that everything will be taken care of.
Very important for the admins to step away when dealing with financial aid issues.
It also makes the family and students feel more at ease and that since they have been informed with all the information they have one less stress to worry about!!!
Having a financial aid team that is well organized and well informed makes the student experience better. Organization and explanation of the paperwork being given to the student also allows for the student to better understand the FA process. A better understanding of that process hopefully will lead to the student taking a more active role in the FA process.
I agree. The Financial Aid process is extremely detailed with many doucments and is slightly different for each student (independant vs. dependant and all the things required to make that determnation, income variances, single/ married/ divorced and the documents that may be invovled in that - especially with women whos name may have changed after they graduated high school)The porcess is much smoother, less nerve wracking fro the studnet and more time efficient if the student has a qualified person to guide them through the process. The Financial Aid department at my shcool is my hero!
Yea. It definitely makes the student's experience more pleasant since they don't have to deal with all the paperwork.
I agree. Being a recent college, I remember the stresses of selecting a school. When I was meeting with my Admissions Representative I was more concerned about "Will I be accepted here?" or "Will I be Happy?" Rather than financial figures. Having the Financial Aid team give me paperwork that I knew had been properly filled out, gave me something to reference later!
After reading all the comments, I agree that the financial aid department should assist, explain each section in detail, and be present while the student fills out the application in front of them. This way, it will be a win/win situation....each student can learn properly for future reference, and each college can ensure a proper application. Great idea Bernadette.
Financial Aid representatives are not allowed to fill out any paperwork or submit it FOR the student but they can assist through the process.
I think that as an agent it is very important to know what Financial Aid or assitance your school offers and to have inforamtion available to help them, but I think those trained in Financial Aid especially Federal funding are better equipped to answer the more detailed questions.
I think we should walk them through the entire process. It shows concern and commitment on our part.
I concure, Bernadette! It is always a great idea for the schools financial services department to provide all the financial aide paperwork for the students then go over each section of paperwork to make sure the student understands their obligations. Any questions that arise can be answered right there on the spot and the paperwork can be completed then submitted the same day. This increases efficency and expedites the processing of paperwork.
Many students are confused by the financial aid documents.
While I do think it is beneficial for the financial aid department to aid in the preparation of the paperwork, as a former student who had to fill out the FAFSA on my own, I would have appreciated being taught step-by-step how to do it so I would be able to do it independently the next year, rather than relying on someone to do it for me. With a busy schedule, sometimes it's hard to find time with a financial aid representative to have them walk you through. For first-time students though, I definitely think financial aid should take the rains.
