Financial Aid Calendar
Learning the process and seeing where you fit in
Your college-bound
students are poised to complete the next phase of their education. All
of the financial aid forms and deadlines may confuse you. Don't know
where to start? Use the timeline below to guide you.September–December
- Your students should take the SAT or ACT, if they haven't already.
- Visit college campuses and attend college fairs.
- Request a college prospectus as well as information packages from schools they're most interested in.
- Your students should research college scholarships and opportunities through the academic or athletic program and the community in which their school of choice is located.
- Your students need to apply for admission to their top choices.
- They should attend financial aid workshops wherever available.
- They need to apply for college scholarships and grants. They can also investigate student loans now.
January–March
- File the FAFSA for financial aid and other required forms. Your students can complete the application process online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
- They should attend financial aid workshops.
- Look for acceptance letters from the schools they applied to.
- Your students should complete any essays required to apply for financial aid offered through their university.
- Apply for student loans.
March–April
Review financial aid packages. They'll look something like this:
Award Letter
Scholarship $750
College grant $3,000
State grant $640
Student loan $3,500
Employment $560
Total package $8,450
May–June
- Your students should choose the school they want to attend.
- Notify the admissions office of that school.
- Accept and return the financial aid package from the school they've chosen.
- File student loan and/or parent loan applications, if necessary.
- Notify other schools that they've made a decision.
- If your college-bound students qualified for work-study, they should contact the financial aid office to determine the details of the arrangement.
July–August
Time to turn over that money. Pay required school fees and bills.
Kimberly Hardy, MSW, LGSW, has been a clinical school social worker for many years. She has studied at Morgan State University, The Ohio State University, and The University of Chicago.
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