College Advising Financial Aid Checklist

Financial aid-specific overview of the 12th grade year

August	Research each of your colleges’ financial aid pages for deadlines and required documents. Complete Net Price Calculators (NPCs) on each college page to determine if any of your colleges seem unaffordable. (Google “net price calculator [college name]). Report NPC findings to your College Advisor. Scholarship applications usually aren’t due until a little later in the year. In the meantime read our guide to scholarships. Ultimately each family is responsible for meeting deadlines, for ensuring all financial aid materials are submitted, and for responding to requests for more information.
September	Review your college list with your College Advisor through the lens of affordability. Are there enough colleges on your list that are financially “safe”? Are there enough colleges on your list that offer merit scholarships? A thoughtfully constructed college list is the #1 way to have more affordable college choices.
October	Use this document to prepare to complete the FAFSA. Complete the FAFSA. If the FAFSA asks you to list your colleges, list them alphabetically. If you need to send your FAFSA to more than 20 colleges, read this. Check your colleges’ financial aid deadlines (sometimes soon for early action/decision). Attend our college financing webinar in October (see calendar). Check which of your colleges require the CSS Profile. If your colleges require the CSS Profile, use this page to prepare to complete it.
November	Set up portals at the colleges to which you already applied. Check your portals to see if anything is missing, especially for financial aid.
December	If affordability is a concern, students who are applying under a binding Early Decision (ED) plan should show us their financial aid packages before sending a commitment to their ED college.
January	Check your portals for any colleges to which you already applied to see if anything is missing, especially for financial aid.
Winter and spring	For non-Early Decision applications, compare the financial aid offers you receive. Only at a favorite college, phone financial aid if the financial aid package will not work. Do not count on outside scholarships to fill large gaps in financial aid. Approaching school breaks (spring break, etc.) give your college advisor two weeks’ notice on any scholarship application that requires school materials (recommendation, transcript).
May	By May 1st, send your final college commitment (if not Early Decision).
June	If you intend to apply for scholarships over the summer after you graduate, email your College Advisor the deadlines and instructions for any school materials with at least three weeks’ notice. For unsubsidized and subsidized Stafford loans, students often complete online loan counseling (~25 minutes) and complete the promissory note.