Important Questions to Ask Your Financial Aid Officer

Financial aid from grants and scholarships to loans and work-study is a fantastic way to fund your education, no matter how meager your income. The process of acquiring this aid, however, can seem overwhelming. It's important to make educated decisions about your own financial future, and college financial aid is no exception.

The most important step of your financial aid journey may be contacting a financial aid professional. Here are some important questions to ask financial aid professionals at each school:
  1. What is your school's cost of attendance?
  2. What important deadlines do I need to know, and how early can I apply for aid?
  3. How do I know if I am an independent or dependent student? If my parents are not paying for my education, how do I reflect this on the FAFSA?
  4. Does my student enrollment status (full-time or part-time) change my financial aid package? Does enrolling in online classes reduce my potential aid?
  5. Is it possible to apply for loans without completing a FAFSA?
  6. Is it better to complete a paper FAFSA or to file on the Web?
  7. How do I correct my FAFSA after I file it?
  8. When will I find out how much aid I can receive, how will the school notify me, and what do I do at that point?
  9. How will I receive my financial aid?
  10. Where can I find more information about local, state, and institutional financial aid?