Navigating the Financial Aid Network

A required course in the Independent Educational Consultant Certificate Program.

This course is designed for educational consultants interested in broadening their range of services to parents and their dependent student. It focuses on vehicles of college funding, issues of affordability, and sources of federal and institutional financial aid. Consultants can help students gain access to colleges that are affordable for them. We discuss the new FAFSA based on the Simplification Act and the changes that have been made to the application. We will review the different types of federal student aid such as loans, loan repayment options, grants, and work study. Changes to how the Federal Pell Grant is now determined will be discussed. We also review the Institutional Methodology (IM) used by mainly private, and some public colleges, via the CSS Profile form, types of scholarships available, and the role of enrollment management in financial aid. Through case studies, we learn what is the Cost of Attendance, how to read financial aid packages, and how to compare and contrast students' awards from multiple colleges. Participants also learn about the role of the financial aid administrator and circumstances that may qualify for professional judgment. We review how to position our services, direct families to quality consumer information, work within our expertise, and commit to the highest level of ethical behavior and principles of good practice.