Most parents never meet formally with the financial aid office, and why not?
They wouldn't know what to do if they did!
The financial aid office will determine the details of your financial award package. Just think to when you buy a car, don't you always meet with the financial office? In discussing your car purchase with a sales person, don't you always ask important costs and financing options? Of course you do, so let's do the same with colleges. That makes perfect sense to me.
Here are 7 questions to ask in the financial aid office-
- How do you meet "Demonstrated-need"?
- How do you define "financial aid"?
- How does family income affect University Need-based Aid?
- Do you require the CSS Profile?
- Do you have other grants for which I can apply?
- What are your expected future cost increases?
- Can we get first-year costs fixed for all 4 years?
There you have it, now you can move on with a great deal more insight into the financial award process for that specific college.
That's being effective and productive!
Our student-families are effective and productive in visiting colleges and understanding their policy for costs (savings thousands), and you can too. All you have to do is ask.
As always, if you'd like to learn how to save thousands in college costs, you can pick up a copy of our new book today- Dissecting the Big Business of College
Hans