How to pay for college
Financial aid process requires patience, early start
Jeff Mason
Issue date: 8/22/08 Section: News
It's never easy getting money, and getting it from the government can be even harder, but SIUE doesn't want it to be that way.
Junior speech communications major Katie Patton of Edwardsville and her mother, Nancy, were in the Financial Aid office, waiting to ask an adviser a question they had about the financial aid process.
"When you come in as a freshmen, there's a lot to absorb," Nancy Patton said. "It gets easier … but it's very user-friendly and everyone is very nice and very helpful."
Even with all of the available help, Patton said she doesn't use it very often.
"We rarely come in (to the Financial Aid office) unless we have a question," Katie Patton said. "Most of it is done online."
Sally Mullen, assistant director of financial aid, said Cougarnet plays a key role in financial aid and is also the way money is credited on student accounts.
"All of our communications with students happens (over Cougarnet), almost everything now," Mullen said. "We ask students to keep an eye on their e-mail and their Cougarnet, and that's how we do most of our communicating nowadays. Students are comfortable with that because this generation is very comfortable with handling their business that way."
For those who don't get through the process with such ease or simply have a question, help can be found on the second floor of Rendelman Hall.
"(Students) can get help from one of the financial advisers," Mullen said. "We have walk-in advising, (so) they can come in and sit down with an adviser if they need help. But quite frankly, most students don't. Most students get on and apply and check their Cougarnet."
The process of applying and receiving financial aid isn't too difficult after finishing the paperwork. The first thing students need to fill out is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
"It all starts by the student completing the FAFSA," Mullen said. "We ask students to do that by March 1 of each year for the next fall. That gives time for the feds to process things and for us to process things in order to get aid on the student's account in time for fall semester."
Junior speech communications major Katie Patton of Edwardsville and her mother, Nancy, were in the Financial Aid office, waiting to ask an adviser a question they had about the financial aid process.
"When you come in as a freshmen, there's a lot to absorb," Nancy Patton said. "It gets easier … but it's very user-friendly and everyone is very nice and very helpful."
Even with all of the available help, Patton said she doesn't use it very often.
"We rarely come in (to the Financial Aid office) unless we have a question," Katie Patton said. "Most of it is done online."
Sally Mullen, assistant director of financial aid, said Cougarnet plays a key role in financial aid and is also the way money is credited on student accounts.
"All of our communications with students happens (over Cougarnet), almost everything now," Mullen said. "We ask students to keep an eye on their e-mail and their Cougarnet, and that's how we do most of our communicating nowadays. Students are comfortable with that because this generation is very comfortable with handling their business that way."
For those who don't get through the process with such ease or simply have a question, help can be found on the second floor of Rendelman Hall.
"(Students) can get help from one of the financial advisers," Mullen said. "We have walk-in advising, (so) they can come in and sit down with an adviser if they need help. But quite frankly, most students don't. Most students get on and apply and check their Cougarnet."
The process of applying and receiving financial aid isn't too difficult after finishing the paperwork. The first thing students need to fill out is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
"It all starts by the student completing the FAFSA," Mullen said. "We ask students to do that by March 1 of each year for the next fall. That gives time for the feds to process things and for us to process things in order to get aid on the student's account in time for fall semester."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Janie
posted 9/02/08 @ 7:40 PM CST
Credit requirements are tougher now, and loan options are fewer because many banks no longer view private education loans as a good investment. So the numbers will be a lot different for the 2008-2009 school year and beyond. (Continued…)
Post a Comment