Office of Student Aid : Parents of Students : Parent Newsletter

Volume 5, Issue 6--October 2007

Getting Ready for 2008-09

Even though 2007-08 is just underway, it is already (yikes!) time to begin thinking about 2008-09 student financial aid. We offer some tips below to help you and your student get organized.

Help Your Student Maintain a Personal Calendar

Keep track of non-PA state grant deadlines (if applicable), the Pennsylvania state grant deadline (if applicable), the recommended completion date for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), bill due dates, and the timing of student aid award notices.

Review the Penn State student aid calendar--The calendar is updated frequently and contains important information--such as when to complete the FAFSA on the Web, when tuition bills are due, and when to expect an aid award notification. On our Web site, we have provided a printer-friendly version of the calendar that you can keep in a handy location to refer to throughout the year.

Work With Your Student to Create a Filing System

Have your student set up file folders to organize important information. Include academic records, volunteer and extracurricular activities and/or awards (for scholarship applications), information about federal aid programs and/or state programs, scholarship programs, copies of college savings accounts, copies of federal tax forms, loan records, and all correspondence from the Office of Student Aid, Office of the Bursar, and Housing, Food Services & Residence Life. Label all folders appropriately, and keep them in a convenient place. Keep e-mail folders to organize information that your student receives electronically.

Toss the junk. Send offers from private companies offering to help with aid for a fee and advertisements from scholarship search agencies offering to locate scholarships (for a fee) straight to the trash.

Encourage Your Student to Start the Scholarship Search Process

Now is the time for students to begin their private scholarship search efforts for 2008-09. Applying deadlines can be very early. Please look back to the September Parent Newsletter article titled Searching for Private Scholarships for tips on how to get started.