Figuring out Financial Aid

I was just in the middle of my Monday morning reporting when my phone rang. I picked it up to hear the sounds of a baby crying and a very frazzled woman on the other end. I discovered that it was one of our current students who had recently had a run of bad luck causing her to possibly have to withdraw from her evening college classes. She was heartbroken at the thought of having to withdraw from Granite State College, especially since she had been taking childhood education classes for over a year now, in hopes of earning her undergraduate degree.

After talking with her for a few minutes, I discovered that she had recently lost her job and was concerned about being able to pay for her classes since her previous employer had contributed to a good portion of the cost. She had never used financial aid before, and was unaware of her options.

I explained to her that we had many adult financial aid options available and assured her that we could get this situation worked out. I advised her that the first step to apply would be to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as complete our Financial Aid Institutional Application.

I then explained that since the income she was going to report on the FAFSA would be based off the year previous, it would not show an accurate depiction of what her current financial situation is since she had recently lost her job. Because of the higher income being reported on the FAFSA, she may not be eligible for the Grant programs, which are the programs that provide students with money that does not need to be paid back.

Since she had recently had a drastic change to her income, it would be in her best interest to complete a Special Circumstance form. This form allows students to explain their current situation as well as provide documentation showing any changes so Granite State College can adjust their income listed on the FAFSA. This then allows the Department of  Education to have a more realistic picture of the student's financial situation which, in turn, can help the student receive additional financial aid.

The student was thrilled to hear that there were options available to her. She was going to start filling out the paperwork immediately and was happy to take my advice about filling out the Special Circumstance form. She mentioned that she originally chose Granite State College because of it's affordable college study, but now realized that we also provide support and guidance to students when they are confronted with the struggles of every day life, and she was truly thankful.

Hearing that made my job completely worthwhile. It always feels good when we are able to make a student's life a little bit easier!