FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is financial aid?
Financial Aid is made available by federal and state governments in the form of grants, fee waivers, part-time employment, loans, and scholarships. The funds are available to make it possible for students to continue their education beyond high school, even if they and their family cannot meet the full cost of attending college.
The basis for such assistance is the belief that the student (and their parents) have the primary responsibility for meeting their educational costs. Financial Aid is available to fill the gap between a family's contribution and the student's educational expenses.
What can I do to avoid unnecessary delays in the processing of my financial aid application?
The delay in processing of financial aid applications can be avoided by accurately completing the FAFSA application the first time. In addition, responding promptly to any correspondence letters the Financial Aid Office sends you will also expedite the processing of your application. Best of all, apply early to avoid the financial aid application processing rush.
We highly recommend that you keep a copy of all the documents used to complete the FAFSA, such as tax returns, W-2s, green card etc. The Financial Aid Office may request that you prove (verify) any information that you and/or your parents reported on your FAFSA application.
How will I know if I have financial aid checks available for me?
Financial Aid warrants (checks) are mailed to the students. Warrants are not forwarded, so it is important that the mailing address in the Admissions Office is up to date. Students must first receive an Award Offer Letter from the Financial Aid Office before they can expect to receive a check.
Federal Pell Grants are typically paid twice a semester. Other grants, scholarships, and loans are typically paid once a semester. Work-Study earnings are paid every two weeks. Financial aid recipients may also request to have their funds electronically transferred to their savings or checking bank account. Please see the College Business Office if you wish to set up an electronic fund transfer (EFT) of your financial aid funds directly to your bank account.
Our Web Advisor will allow students to obtain the status of their financial aid application on-line. Specifically, students will be able to check the status of their financial aid application, including missing documents, financial aid awards, fee waiver status, academic status etc.
Can I access the status of my financial aid application on-line?
Do I need to complete a FAFSA for each academic year?
Yes. A separate FAFSA must be completed for each academic year. Financial aid applications from prior years may not be used to apply for aid for a current year. A good habit to have is remembering that after January 1st of any particular year you should begin completing a new application for the upcoming fall semester.
If I completed a FAFSA for the fall semester do I need to do a new one for the spring semester?
No. The FAFSA covers the entire academic year for which it was done. If you have already completed a FAFSA for the fall semester, it will automatically be applied to the winter, spring, and *summer semesters for that same academic year.
* You may be advised to submit a 2010-2011 FAFSA in order to determine aid eligibilty for Summer Sessions in 2010 if they are offered.
If I wait until the spring semester to complete my financial aid file even though I attended school in the fall as well, will I lose out on the financial aid for the fall?
No. Under normal circumstances you will receive financial aid retroactively for any semesters for which you had registered units within the same academic year for which you are doing the FAFSA. This is provided that you have registered for units during the current or upcoming semester and there was nothing preventing your being eligible for aid (such as, but not limited to, a disqualification due to unsatisfactory academic progress, a defaulted student loan, or financial aid overpayment from a previous academic year) in the prior semester.
I don't live with my parents or receive support from them. Do I still need to provid their information on my FAFSA?
It depends. Per Department of Education regulations, being independent or dependent for financial aid purposes is not determined by whether or not you live with or receive support from your parents. On step three of the FAFSA there are questions that you must answer in order to determine whether or not you must include your parents' information. If you can answer "yes" to either of these questions then you do not need to provide your parents' information. If you answer "no" to all of the questions then you must provide your parents' information even if you don't live with or receive support from them.