Scholarship Advice

Some great tips on scholarships from "The Choice" blog at The New York Times.  Check it out!

Scholarship Advice from Inside the Financial Aid Office

By MARTHA C. MERRILL and ELAINE SOLINGA

Martha C. Merrill, the dean of admission at Connecticut College, is one of a handful of admissions insiders who have written occasionally for The Choice’s Tip Sheet column. Today, she is joined by Elaine Solinga, the college’s director of financial aid. — Jacques Steinberg

Financial aid is essential for some students, and a good aid package can play a large part in the final decision for many more. The process can seem daunting and confusing for students and parents alike, but the payoff can be huge.  As colleges, we ask lots of questions to make sure that we distribute our aid as fairly as possible, and to make sure the money is going where it is truly needed.  For all involved – students, parents and school officials – the process requires a lot of paperwork and patience. What follows are some tips we regularly share with students and families to help the process go smoothly:

Understand each institution’s policies. Aid policies, requirements and packages vary greatly from school to school. Read up on each school’s policies to make sure you understand how need is determined and aid is awarded.

Do your taxes early. In most cases, the financial aid deadline comes before the federal tax deadline. If you can’t prepare your tax return by the deadline date, it is O.K. to use estimated figures. A preliminary award will be determined based on those estimates. Once the student enrolls, you will be asked to submit the federal tax return and supporting documents before the award can be finalized.

Be accurate. When it comes to filling out the necessary paperwork, don’t guess! Be as thorough and accurate as possible. Don’t fudge the numbers to game the system. It won’t work. And it’s illegal.


It’s a team effort. For the parent who wants to be more involved in the college process, here is your chance! Much of the required paperwork relates to your income and assets. Be prepared to help your student every step of the way.

Meet all deadlines. Even schools that promise to meet full need can’t guarantee aid if your paperwork is late. Colleges are working with aid budgets, and priority goes to students who meet the deadlines.

Make sure the name you use matches your Social Security card. It seems odd, but often a parent was married or divorced and neglected to change her name with the Social Security Administration. When we check the paperwork, it comes back as an error.

Provide an e-mail address you actually check. The financial aid process is detailed, and we often need to contact applicants or their parents to fact check or request more information. If we can’t reach you, we can’t complete your award.
Finally, if you have questions, ask! The financial aid staff is used to fielding all sorts of questions, so don’t hesitate.


A final bit of context: Connecticut College is one of a relatively small number of institutions that commit to meet students’ “fully demonstrated need” — though, in the spirit of the essay above, families should do their homework to understand how a particular college defines “need,” as well as how much of that need is met with direct scholarships, as opposed to loans. (Connecticut College, for example, has a no-loan policy for families with incomes of less than $50,000 and with an expected family contribution of less than $5,000.) –Jacques