When you enroll at a university, your first steps include deciding on a program, visiting with the admissions department, filling out an application and meeting with the Financial Aid Department.
The last step in that sequence is often the scariest. Yes, thinking about paying for school can be intimidating, but if you take the right approach, you can eliminate fears and start your program with enthusiasm. So how do you lessen the fear of financial aid? By knowing what to expect before you meet with a financial aid advisor.
Pinpoint Potential Concerns
During your first visit to a Herzing University campus (the online process will be slightly different) you will meet with your admissions advisor as well as a financial aid advisor. This is a great time to address any concerns about previous student loan debt, ask questions about financial aid and identify scholarship opportunities. Also, you will get help, if needed, to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Come Prepared
At your next appointment with the funding advisor, you will discuss tuition and financial aid award specifics. You’ll likely have a list of steps the advisor wants you to complete before the meeting, including documentation. Make sure you complete everything before the meeting.
Make the Most of Your Appointments
These meetings with the advisor are your time to learn about and create your personalized plan for financial aid. Take advantage of them! Your advisor is there to answer your questions and help you to understand what you qualify for and in what amount. You will also get an overall program projection total for the amount of loan debt (if you decide to take loans) that you will have at the end of the program. This means that before you ever step foot into a classroom, you will be able to project how to best prepare for your financial future.
Financial Aid is Ongoing
Financial aid is a continual process. Every October 1st the new FAFSA is released, and you apply for the next year’s financial aid eligibility. The Financial Aid Department at your school is there to assist you with the FAFSA in person or online and can provide counseling throughout your time at Herzing. The door is always open.
Financial aid doesn’t have to be intimidating when you know what to expect beforehand. Contact the Financial Aid Department with any questions you may have before starting or during your program.
Maggie Olson is a Financial Aid Advisor at Herzing University’s Minneapolis campus.
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
