Financial Aid answers questions

 
Students were able to establish a better understanding of the financial aid process with the help of financial aid advisors in Reed Hall Thursday night.​
The financial aid counselors were able to help address students’ problems and assist them in preparing their financial aid.​​​
Counselors were in attendance to present information on the new financial aid changes as well as the debacle myths of money.
While discussing the purpose of the event, financial aid counselor, Danielle Johnson, the office of financial aid, said she wanted to make the students more aware of the financial aid process. ​
​”With more information there would be less errors and less long lines with the correct information being known,” said Johnson. ​
The activities included trivia games and prizes, which students were tested on the facts presented during Johnson’s lecture about financial aid. ​
Johnson explained how the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is determined by the students’ legal guardian’s income as well as their personal income.​
The direct cost of financial aid is tuition and fees while the indirect costs include transportation, books and other collegiate requirements.​
Johnson introduced new changes to the financial aid process.  There will be no more pell grants offered in the summer. Loans will be the only financial aid offered for summer school if the students can not provide money.  ​
According to Johnson subsidized loans will not be offered for graduate nor professional schools. ​
A new process called Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data retrieval is being implemented.  It will allow the financial aid office to get information directly from the IRS; therefore, it would not be necessary to turn in physical tax information. ​
Johnson said, “This should make this process much smoother.”
The last item discussed at this event was getting the financial aid process completed early in order to qualify for the grants.
“Once the money is gone its gone, the earlier you apply the more likely you are to get the money,” said Johnson.​
According to Johnson the federal government only disperses a certain amount of money to each university for disbursement.​
A crowd of  about 20 students were attendance for the event.
“Thought I needed info on being more financially secure in the ​​future” said Marcus Taylor senior, criminal justice major and New Orleans native.​
Taylor later stated that he has never had a bad financial aid experience, but a his friend had a refund repossessed because of parking tickets.​
Jason Haynes, financial aid counselor from the office of Financial Aid, said that the event was a success, and that he hopes the students will spread the word so the process can run smoother.​
The idea for the event was initiated by the director, Ursula Shorty and assistant director, Raymond Claarke, from the office of Financial Aid.  There will be other events today and tomorrow at the Smith-Brown Memorial Union. ​
The office of Financial Aid also plans to visit  high schools in the Baton Rouge area to prepare students enrolling into college. ​
Junior, criminal justice major, and Baton Rouge native, Julius McCray mentioned that he had already began his financial aid process for the upcoming year and that the even definitely will assist him in being more prepared in the future.​
McCray later stated that he has not had a bad experience with financial aid because he usually gets his information completed as early as possible. ​
For more information about financial aid, students are urged to contact the office at 225.771.2790. Counseling hours are from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday.  Front desk hours are Monday-Friday  8 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Financial aid advisors can also be emailed for assistance at their SUBR email addresses or mailed at P.O. Box 9961 at building 122 on Southern University’s campus.
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