As the current semester and national tax season come to a close, students at Southern University are being urged to comply with the March 31st preferred filing deadline set by the financial aid office to submit a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Office of Student Financial Aid has issued a schedule of important dates that it believes all students wanting and needing to apply for aid for upcoming semesters, should adhere to. Among those dates that are included on the chart is the March preferred filing deadline to submit a FAFSA and the April 15th deadline that marks the official last day to file taxes.
“I usually complete my FAFSA in February each year,” said Sabrina Whitley, a junior criminal justice major from Tallulah, who feels that Southern should do a better job ensuring that all students receive their financial aid awards in a timely fashion.
Although Whitley admits that she has never personally had a problem where financial aid is concerned, she also notes she has heard and witnessed many horror stories of financial aid not being available when needed.
Ursula Shorty, Director for the Office of Student Financial Aid said that one of the reasons that the chart of important dates was created and promoted was to help students be prepared for the following year. Shorty went on to add that, “Many of the problems that we (Office of Student Financial Aid) see with students are those that apply late.”
Another important date that the schedule includes is the May 2nd deadline that urges students to not leave campus for the semester without completing a FAFSA and on a lighter note, marking the end of a generally stressful final exam period.
“I have yet to receive my refund check, or at least the entire amount for that matter. Every time I check my records, they are different, and what I am being told by the Bursar’s Office and the financial aid office are completely different,” said Kayla Thomas, a sophomore mass communications major and native of Baton Rouge. Thomas is one of the students whose financial aid experience has turned into a never-ending nightmare this semester.
Thomas added that she usually submits her FAFSA during the priority time period in order to avoid financial strains, and that she depends on the money she receives through grants and students loans to pay for school and other costs that she incurs throughout each semester.
“Something is going on because it is near the end of the semester, and I am still waiting for my refund, and I am not the only one,” Thomas said.
The problem with students and financial aid seems two-fold according to Shorty, who stated that, “We have those that apply early, but when we ask them for information, they do not follow-up.” Shorty mentioned the verification process as a likely reason, but also included other conflicts such as eligibility, citizenship, social security issues and various other potential problems, but mainly applying several days before the registration process.
Among the list of reasons the Office of Student Financial Aid was prompted to create and publicize its schedule of important dates, was to decrease the number of those waiting in line during the registration period.
The schedule highlights June 30th as the final deadline for all required and requested paperwork. The office urges students to have submitted all the proper documentation by the June deadline and to even consider alternate forms of payment for those who have yet to complete a FAFSA; registration begins in early August.
Students on Southern’s campus can look forward to postcards and emails in the upcoming weeks that all stress the importance of submitting a completed FAFSA.
“Hopefully, the knowledge and the timeline and some others things that we are trying to do will help them (the students) be more aware and not wait until the last minute,” said Shorty.
The Office of Student Financial Aid also added that unlike a Pell Grant, all other grant programs are not unlimited and the Southern University system receives an allotment, which depletes as each award is granted.
So, for those students that wait until late June and mid July to submit a FAFSA, they usually have the most problems and have very little chances at receiving full and majority tuition coverage.
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Financial Aid stresses timely FAFSA submission
March 31, 2008
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