The calendar below is a suggested
timeline to help you get organized and stay on schedule,
as you plan for your education, and work to secure college
financial aid.
| SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER |
| • |
Apply for admission to your top-choice schools.
|
| • |
Attend a financial aid workshop, if one
is available at your school. |
| |
o |
Note: Many students and families elect to
do this during the student’s JUNIOR year to get
a jump on the process |
| • |
Apply for scholarships
and grants. (You can do
this throughout the year – but the earlier, the
better!) |
| |
|
| JANUARY - MARCH |
| • |
File the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) [FAFSA SUBPAGE LINK] and other college financial
aid forms required by your selected school(s). The FAFSA
can be filed any time after January 1. |
| |
o |
Complete and submit the FAFSA over the Internet at www.fafsa.ed.gov |
| |
o |
Be sure to indicate your interest in applying for state
aid and the Federal Pell Grant
|
| |
o |
A copy of the results -- known as the Student Aid Report
(SAR) -- will automatically be sent to the Department
of Education for the Federal Pell Grant, the State Student
Assistance Agency, and the financial aid office of each
school you are applying to. |
| • |
Contact the financial aid administrator
at your school(s) for information on application procedures
for student loans,
grants and any work-study
programs. |
| • |
Review the Student Aid Report
(SAR) from the Department of Education. Within four to
six weeks of submitting your FAFSA
form – or sooner, if you completed it online
– you will receive an acknowledgement of the information
you submitted on your FAFSA. |
| |
o |
Please make any necessary changes or corrections,
to ensure that your college financial aid applications
are reviewed appropriately. Your SAR will either be yellow,
green, blue, or pink. (The color rotates each year.) |
| |
o |
If you filed the FAFSA using estimated
income, then you will want to update your SAR (Part Two)
when you and your parents complete your federal income-tax
returns. |
| |
o |
The SAR indicates your eligibility for
a Pell Grant and Expected
Family Contribution (EFC) . |
| |
o |
When you receive your SAR, your college(s)
of choice will have also received the results. |
| |
o |
When you correct the SAR and return it
to the central processor, each college will have access
to this new information. |
| |
o |
You can add additional colleges by including
the names of these institutions on the SAR, or by calling
either (800) 433-3243 or (319) 337-5665. |
| |
|
|
| APRIL - JUNE |
| • |
Review the college financial aid information
and packages you have been offered by various schools.
|
| • |
Choose the school you want to attend, and
notify the admissions office. |
| • |
Accept and return the financial aid package,
or award letter from the school you've chosen. (See below
for more information.) For additional funds, complete
and submit college student financial
aid and student loan applications through Studentloans.com |
| • |
Ask your parents to complete financial
aid applications for a Parent PLUS student
loan or a private student loan
at Studentloans.com. |
| |
|
| JULY - AUGUST |
| • |
Find alternative student
loans or private sources of funding, to make up the
difference between the total cost of your education and
your school aid package, grants, and government loans.
Private education loans
are also available at Studentloans.com. |
| • |
Pay required school fees and bills. |
| • |
Verify with the college financial aid office
that all of your documentation for federal student loans
has been received. |
| • |
Confirm with the business office that your
financial aid award(s) for federal student loans and other
financial aid has been credited to your account. |
| |
|
| AUGUST - SEPTEMBER |
| • |
Start school! |
| • |
Be aware that changes made to your course
load may impact the amount of your aid. Check with your
college financial aid office before you change your course
schedule or credit load. |
| |
|
