Enter the financial aid officer (FAO), administrator (FAA), or counselor (FAC), whose title varies from school to school, but whose role is essentially constant: to distribute aid funds fairly and to help families make college economically feasible.
Just as you might schedule a meeting with admissions, you should make an appointment with the FAO assigned to your child's account.
An advocate for student aid, the FAO is interested in
- knowing about any changes in your financial situation since you filed the FAFSA,
- making sure you are comfortable with the financial aid process, and
- ensuring that your family fully understands the benefits and responsibilities of your aid package.
Here's what you can expect from your FAO:
- A fair and equitable review of your student's financial aid application in accordance with federal and institutional methodology. Simply put, your child will receive the same consideration for financial aid as other applicants. The aid package won't necessarily be the same, but the review process will be.
- Responses to your questions. The FAO is an expert and should answer all your questions about paying for school. There is no reason for you not to be completely informed.
- An overview of financial aid options. Your administrator should familiarize you with the federal funds available for college and offer ways to bridge any gap between your award and the school's cost of attendance.
- Frank discussions and guidance. Your FAO can be a reassuring adviser if your financial circumstances change after filing the FAFSA. If parents divorce, a parent dies, or a loss or reduction of wages occurs, trust your administrator to help you find solutions that make college possible despite the setback.
Your FAO is a valuable resource in navigating the financial aid process, but it is the parents' and student's responsibility to be informed consumers. Families need to file the FAFSA on time, respond to requests for information from the financial aid office, and understand that the ultimate economic burden of higher education rests with them. In other words, your FAO is your partner in securing aid, not someone to blame if you don't. After all, college is an investment so it is important to do your homework.