Presenter: Shawn Denman - Assistant Director University of Rochester Financial Aid Process Presenter: Shawn Denman - Assistant Director University of Rochester

Financial Aid 101 Merit Scholarships Grants Federal (Pell, FSEOG) State (Tap, Scholarships) University (merit/need-based) Outside Scholarships Work Study Federal College/University Educational Loans Alternative

Applications to File Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) www.fafsa.ed.gov College Scholarship Service (CSS) PROFILE www.collegeboard.com Institutional Applications Check with each institution State Applications (NYS TAP, NY Excellence, Excelsior) www.hesc.com

Application Tips Know your deadlines Keep a folder for each school with copies of what you’ve submitted and the date it was submitted Find out how schools communicate with you Respond quickly to requests for additional documentation Get to know your financial aid counselor Ask as many questions as you need to, as often as you need

Outside Scholarships School Guidance Office College/University Websites Online Searches (www.fastweb.com) Community Groups Elks, Rotary, YMCA, Boy/Girl Scouting, Volunteer Organizations Religious Groups Heritage Scholarships Credit Unions/Local Businesses Employer/Corporate Scholarships or Tuition Benefits Check with employer’s Human Resources/Benefits Office

Expected Family Contribution (EFC) What parents can contribution from income and assets + what student can contribution from income and assets = EFC Cost of Attendance (includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, travel, and miscellaneous personal expenses) – EFC = Financial Need (met with a combination of federal and institutional aid) Keep in mind – EFC measures family’s ability, not willingness, to pay

How much will you pay? Net Price Calculator (NPC) Not an official offer of aid, but can help gauge a family's financial strength, approximate any qualifying need-based financial aid that may be offered, and provide an anticipated net price cost to the student

What happens after you apply? Admission Offer Student got accepted!!!! Congrats…but now what? Award notifications Read everything carefully! Compare offers Ask questions Differences between offers Aid in subsequent years (merit and need-based aid) Impact of outside scholarships on awarded aid Next steps (additional application materials, verification)

Remember! Know your deadlines for each school Know your application requirements for each school Look for outside scholarships Ask as many questions as you need to and ask questions as often as you need to

Questions??