/March%202011%20Newsletter

Office of Student Financial Services March 2011 Newsletter

Graduating in May? In This Issue • Graduation • 2011-2012 Financial Aid • Summer Employment and

Summer Courses • What to Consider Before

Signing that Lease • Important Dates

Financial Holds To receive graduation tickets, participate in graduation ceremonies and/or receive your diploma, you must be paid in full and have completed exit interview paperwork (if you borrowed with a federal or state student loan) by April 15th. You can check the status of your account on the Portal or by contacting the Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS).

Managing Your Loans You may want to contact your lender(s) to discuss loan repayment, loan consolidation, and loan forgiveness options. Also, please know that the OSFS is available to assist you with any questions you may have after you graduate.

• Scholarship Highlight

Congratulations, we wish you the best of luck!

2011-2012 Financial Aid: Next Steps I applied for financial aid: When will I receive my financial aid award for 2011-2012 academic year?

Award letter e-mail notifications are sent beginning in mid-June (after grades are released) to students who completed the 2011-2012 FAFSA, have a complete financial aid file and registered for fall 2011.

How do I know if I have a complete financial aid file?

You can view missing documents through Online Academic Resources (OAR). Additionally, the OSFS will send you an e-mail requesting the documents to complete your financial aid file. Typically, what is required are signed copies of your and your parents’ 2010 federal income tax returns and a Verification Worksheet, available through the “Student Financial Services” page of the Portal.

I haven’t applied for financial aid for the 2011-2012 academic year: Is it too late to apply?

No, although the financial aid priority filing date has passed, it is not too late to apply for financial aid at www.fafsa.gov.

However, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible since some financial aid is awarded on a funds-available basis.

Massachusetts has a FAFSA application filing deadline of May 1st to be considered for state funding. Emmanuel College will not make up for the loss of funding due to late applications.

I applied for an endowed scholarship: When will I be notified of the decision?

We will notify endowed scholarship applicants by the end of May via e-mail.

Office of Student Financial Services, Emmanuel College, 400 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115 Phone: 617-735-9938 Fax: 617-735-9939 E-mail: financialservices@emmanuel.edu

Office of Student Financial Services Interested in Summer Employment or Taking Summer Courses?

The OSFS will begin posting summer employment opportunities on the Emanuel College Career Connect (EC3) system on May 2nd. You can access EC3 through the Portal and view available positions by doing an organization search for “Emmanuel College.”

Important Dates March 1

2011-2012 Financial Aid Priority Filing Date & Endowed Scholarship Application Deadline

Payment for summer courses is due prior to the start of classes.

There are limited aid options available for summer courses; however, we encourage you to meet with the OSFS to discuss your payment options, including private student and parent loans.

March 28

2011-2012 Room Selection Deposit Due Date

April

Fall 2011 Course Registration* 2011-2012 Room Selection*

What to Consider Before Signing that Lease

May 14

Commencement*

The responsibilities of maintaining an apartment and developing a budget require effort and discipline. Many students feel that living off campus is cheaper, but it provides its own set of financial challenges that you should consider before signing a lease.

May

2011-2012 Endowed Scholarship Email Notifications Sent

June

2011-2012 Financial Aid Award Email Notifications Sent

July

Fall 2011 Tuition Bills Sent 10-month Payment Plan begins

Security deposits: Most rental agencies require a security deposit, and you may need to pay this deposit (in addition to the first month’s rent) before the end of this academic year.

August 3

Fall 2011 Tuition Bill and Health Insurance Waiver/Enrollment Deadline

Start-up costs: If you rely on financial aid (including parent and student loans) to pay for your rent costs, since these funds are disbursed onto your account in late October, you must have the funds to pay for September and October rent. You should also be prepared to pay other basic start-up expenses, such as application fees, cable, utilities, Internet, groceries, furniture, etc. before your refund check is available.

* Students with a financial hold cannot participate in course registration, room selection or receive a diploma/participate in commencement. If you currently have a financial hold, please meet with the OSFS to resolve your account.

Effect on financial aid: If you receive need-based funding from the College, a decrease to your financial aid may be necessary.

Leases: Most leases require a 12-month commitment, even if the student does not plan on residing in the apartment during the summer. If you plan on living with roommates, financial matters are easier if all names are on the lease and utility bills.

We encourage you to develop a cost plan of reasonable off-campus expenses and compare it to room and board rates. If you need help with this or would like to discuss the impact of living off campus on your financial aid award, please meet with the OSFS.

Scholarship Highlight: Go Daddy Scholar Go Daddy wants “to know how the Internet or Internet technology (e.g., websites, blogs, forums, social media, etc.) has helped you during the course of your studies. Have you used the Internet to advance your athletic, artistic or intellectual pursuits? How do you envision benefitting from it through college and beyond? Tell us in 500 words or less and you can become one of 10 Go Daddy Scholars to receive $10,000 for your college tuition. Submission End: March 31, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. (PT)” Please visit http://www.godaddy.com/scholarship for more information and to apply!

Additional scholarship opportunities are available by logging into the Portal.

Office of Student Financial Services, Emmanuel College, 400 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115 Phone: 617-735-9938 Fax: 617-735-9939 E-mail: financialservices@emmanuel.edu