The Federal Application for Federal Student Aid has officially opened for the 2013-2014 school year. To meet deadlines, it has been recommended to complete the FAFSA early; Some students may find the process easy, but others may find it confusing. For those that run into questions along the way, the Clarion has talked to Annesa Cheek, chief student Financial Services officer and senior advisor to the president, about what the FAFSA is, how it’s beneficial to students, the verification process and when students can expect to see financial aid refund checks.
Why is it beneficial to fill out the FAFSA around this time of year?
Each January, a new Free Application for Federal Student Aid is available for the upcoming school year and completing it is free when students go to the website, www.fafsa.ed.gov. Throughout the financial aid process, deadlines are important, so it works to students’ advantage to complete the application as soon as possible. Although the 2013-14 school year will begin in August, we recommend that students complete the application sooner rather than later.
At Sinclair, the priority deadline for the 2013-14 school year is May 1, 2013. Students who complete the FAFSA and submit all necessary paperwork by this date will be given priority consideration for campus based aid programs and also have the best chance of receiving a financial aid award in time to pay their tuition and fees for the term. Sometimes, as part of the application process, students are asked to provide additional documentation. Completing the application sooner allows time for students to submit the required additional documentation.
Feb. 10, 2013 is College Goal Sunday, a national event to promote early completion of the FAFSA. All Sinclair students and their families are invited to attend this free event. Financial aid professionals will be on hand to answer questions about the financial aid process and offer hands on assistance with completing the FAFSA. The event is being held in Building 13, from 1 to 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Free event parking will be available in the adjacent lot.
What is the purpose of the FAFSA and what importance does it hold for college?
Financial aid is money set aside by the federal government, states and colleges to help students and their families pay for college. The money is meant to help bridge the gap between what it costs to attend college and what students and their families can afford to pay for college. Financial aid can come in the form of a grant, (money that does not have to be paid back) a work-study job (students work for a certain number of hours per week on or off-campus to earn money for college expenses, (this money does not have to be paid back) or a loan (money that does have be paid back with interest over a period of years.)
Additionally, scholarships can assist students with paying for their college expenses. Sinclair offers a number of scholarships for students and they are an excellent alternative to loans (which have to be paid back) or for students who are not eligible for grants
Students may obtain information about how to apply for scholarships by visiting the scholarship website at http://www.sinclair.edu/services/finaid/scholarships/stars/. The scholarship application process is separate from and in addition to the FAFSA process.
In order to access financial aid, students are required to complete the FAFSA. Although Sinclair College has the lowest tuition in the state of Ohio, many students still need help paying for college. For many of our students, successfully completing the FAFSA (and ultimately receiving financial aid) can be the deciding factor regarding whether or not a student will be able to attend college.
If a student is having trouble with the FAFSA, can the financial aid office help with that?
Yes, the staff in the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office can help students complete the FAFSA. The best way to access this assistance is to attend one of the many FAFSA workshops that are held almost every week of the year at various locations across campus. During these hands on sessions, students receive information about how to apply for the various the types of financial aid and can receive individualized attention with submitting their applications online. In order to complete the process during one of these sessions, students must bring with them a number of important documents (i.e. tax return, W-2, etc.). Students can visit the financial aid website at http://www.sinclair.edu/services/finaid/onlinefafsaworkshops/?searchTerm=fafsa%20workshop to review the list of documents or speak with a representative in the Financial Aid Office.
Additionally, counseling sessions are frequently offered at the learning centers (Englewood, Huber Heights, Preble County) at various times throughout the year. Students should contact the appropriate learning center for a calendar of events.
How long does it take to process the FAFSA once
it is submitted?
The FAFSA process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to complete. The length of time depends primarily on three things:
1) When they complete the application (the sooner the better.)
2) Whether or not they are selected for verification.
3) How quickly they respond to requests for additional documentation.
Once a student successfully completes the FASFA, the information is processed by the US Department of Education. Within a few days all of the colleges listed on the student’s FAFSA receive the student’s information so that they can determine how much financial aid the student is eligible for at that particular institution. Once the information is received by Sinclair, it is possible that a student will be asked to “verify” (or submit additional documentation) the information that was submitted on the FAFSA. When a student is selected for verification, the Financial Aid Office at Sinclair will notify the student, via email, using the student’s my.sinclair.edu email account.
Verification is a critically important step in the application process so it is important that students check their my.sinclair.edu email accounts regularly (at least once a week) to avoid delays in the process. Once the additional documentation is received by the Financial Aid Office, the student may be required to make corrections to their FAFSA. If no corrections are needed and all federal requirements are met, the file is complete and the student will receive an award letter via email (through Web Advisor) that explains the financial aid being offered (types of aid and amounts). In the case of loans (if a student is a first-time borrower) there are a few additional steps that are required in order to complete the process.
Students must accept the financial aid offered in order for the money to be applied to their student account. This is a step that many students forget to do. Generally, any grants and loans received will be used to pay tuition and fees first and then any leftover money will be sent directly to the student. Applying for financial aid is not a one time event and students must complete the process every year they attend school. Completing the FAFSA early and accurately the first time is very important and students should check their my.sinclair.edu email account often to ensure the process is completed as quickly as possible.
Concerning financial aid: How can a student use all of their financial aid successfully (for books, classes, etc.)?
It is appropriate for students to use their book allowance for books, supplies and other items that are related to their educational pursuits.
Financial aid refund checks: Why do students get these checks once the semester has already started?
Eligibility for receiving financial aid is based on the expectation that students will attend class and continue to make satisfactory academic progress. In accordance with federal financial aid requirements, Sinclair Community College pays any excess money (money remaining after tuition and fees have been paid) to the student after it has been verified that the student is attending class. It only makes sense that financial aid be paid to students after the term has started since part of the students’ responsibility in receiving financial assistance is to attend class.
When are the refund checks available to the student?
In general, refund checks are mailed within a month after the start of the term. For Spring 2013, refund checks are scheduled to be mailed sometime during the week of Feb. 4. All refund checks are mailed to the address on file in the Office of Registration and Student Records. Since refund checks are currently given out only once per term, it may be helpful for students to budget the money they receive.
What do you suggest that students do with their refund checks?
Students should spend their aid carefully as these funds should be viewed as an investment in their education and in their future. We recommend that students use their financial aid refund to help manage some of the indirect costs associated with their education, for example, books and supplies, computer equipment, transportation or other living expenses like rent, utilities, meals and personal expenses. Students can also have the bookstore transfer up to $100 to their Tartan Card (for personal use, like parking and vending) once each semester pending the availability of federal aid funds.
What are some of the common questions that the financial aid office gets?
The financial aid process can be complicated and so students ask any number of questions about the various steps along the way. Sometimes students want to know more about the next step in the process and other times they need clarification on why their aid was adjusted (reduced) and why they now owe money to the college or the US Department of Education.
Most frequently, students are not fully aware of the impact to their financial aid for dropping a class or for failing to make satisfactory academic progress. Students are encouraged to speak with a staff member in the financial aid office before they drop a class. Also, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA, complete 67 percent of the classes they attempt and keep moving toward successfully completing their degree or certificate within an acceptable timeframe. Failure to do any of the above will result in a student’s financial aid being suspended. A complete list of FAQs is available on the financial aid website, at http://www.sinclair.edu/services/finaid/frequentlyaskedquestions/.
What are some things that financial aid cannot help with that student should be aware of?
The most important thing for students to understand is that once they enroll at Sinclair, their Sinclair email account is the primary way that many offices on campus will communicate with them. Every student automatically receives a Sinclair email account after their admissions application is processed. This is not the same as students’ personal gmail, yahoo or hotmail account — though you can forward your Sinclair email to your personal account if you wish.
The Financial Aid Office will communicate most important information to you via the Sinclair email account. This is especially important for students to know because we inform them about their award, when changes or adjustments are made to their financial aid or when we are requesting additional information. Students should check their Sinclair email account at least once a week.