Financial Aid Questions

The financial aid office is the office responsible for reviewing the financial aid applications of prospective and current students and putting together the financial aid offers. As high school seniors make final decisions on where to attend college, the financial aid office can serve as an important resource, answering such questions as:

1. What is included in the COA broken down by billed costs and incidentals?
2. If I haven't applied for financial aid, is it still possible to do so and what financial aid forms are required?
3. Are there merit-based scholarships? If the student did not receive a merit-based scholarship in the freshman offer, is it possible to still apply?
4. Assuming cost and family responsibility remain constant, how will grant and loan amounts change from year to year? What if my situation changes?
5. Are there conditions such as grade point average, enrollment status, or major to renew my scholarships and grants each year?
6. Are students required to apply for financial aid even if they only receive a merit scholarship?
7. How does the college treat outside scholarships in the financial aid package?
8. What does the college estimate the total student debt will be upon graduation?
9. What is the college's job placement rate?
10. How can I appeal my financial aid offer?

Once the decision has been made of where to attend college, the financial aid office can continue to answer questions and give valuable information on how to pay the college bill. They can provide answers to questions such as:

1. Where can I sign up for a payment plan?
2. Will we receive the bill by mail or email?
3. When should I apply for private loans?

If someone in your family is heading to college next year, it's important to understand the offices and staff members on hand to provide assistance. The financial aid office can offer insight into the financial aid you've been offered as well as the other resources available to help you pay for college. You can find contact information for a financial aid office on the college's website.