Scholarship Search Secrets

Managing your Financial Aid Office Relationship

An important note about financial aid offices: your school's financial aid office is one of the best, most underutilized resources for finding information about all types of financial aid. Here are four tips for maximizing your financial aid office's resources.

Stop by during the "off season". Financial aid offices are typically very busy during the week before and two weeks after the start of a semester. Offices typically try to serve as many students as possible during these peak times, and you'll have fewer opportunities for in-depth conversations. Go during the semester or a few weeks before the start of a semester.

Create a relationship. Most financial aid administrators typically have transactional relationships with students. Students arrive, process paperwork, and leave, or show up angry about issues with their financial aid. Take the time to create a relationship with your financial aid office by opening and maintaining communications when you don't need their help. If your school assigns you a particular administrator, send them an occasional "just saying hi" email or a thoughtful message on holidays. Small courtesies can convert a transactional relationship into a true partnership.

Use prepared resources. Many financial aid offices have compilations of scholarship listings, awards, and other financial aid resources available right in the office, and there may even be obscure scholarships that your institution offers that few people ever apply for. While a great many scholarships are available on the Web and searchable via Google, not all are, and your financial aid office may know of those that are not online. When you visit the financial aid office in person, be sure to look around for student loan resources you can use.

Streamline your experience. Yvonne Gittens, former Director of Financial Aid at MIT, recommends having a photocopy or PDF of every supporting document needed for the FAFSA and other financial aid paperwork with you on campus. In the event your financial aid office needs some supporting paperwork, you'll be able to send it immediately and reduce or eliminate any delays in processing your financial aid. For a list of suggested documents, see Scholarship Search Secret #3 below.

Next: Basic Scholarship Search Tips