Summer is a peak time for college visits. But in addition to asking about Greek life and class sizes, make sure to find out about how financial aid works at each college.
Just as campus visits are an important time to gather general impressions about a campus, families should also use them as a time to gain a sense of wh ich schools will be a good “affordability fit,” says Anne Sturtevant, executive director for higher education initiatives at the College Board.
“It’s a really important piece as the family thinks about what they’re going to be doing in the fall and zeroing in on those colleges where they’re going to apply,” she says.
And while it may be premature to schedule an appointment with the financial aid office, a campus visit can be a good time to get questions answered that aren’t readily available elsewhere or that deserve more clarity.
Here are six questions families may want to ask while on campus.
[Find out what to ask campus tour guides.]
1. What does the typical financial aid award look like for freshmen? Most students attending four-year colleges qualify for some financial aid, but the type and mix will vary depending on the college’s policies and priorities, Sturtevant says.
A financial aid award can be made up of a combination of grants, scholarships, loans and work-study opportunities. Keep in mind that while grants and scholarships do not need to be paid back, loans do. If a college promises in its promotional materials to meet 100 percent of a student’s need, it’s important to know how they plan to do that, she says.
“It almost has to be a two – part question: How much need are you meeting? And how does that break out in loans, work, grants and scholarships?” Sturtevant says.
[Learn the questions to ask during college tours.]
2. What kinds of scholarships are available to students? A campus visit can be a good time to find out whether the campus awards financial aid on characteristics other than need, experts say. In the financial aid world, this is called “merit aid” or “scholarship aid.”
“There are so many, what I call, ’boutique scholarships,'” says Ron Anderson, senior college counselor at Southland College Prep Charter High School in suburban Chicago.
Anderson recommends asking whether there is scholarship money set aside for minorities, women or military families.
As a good follow-up, Anderson suggests asking about how scholarships are awarded and if they will be renewable after freshman year.
“Some schools will just automatically consider students for scholarships,” says Anderson, who formerly worked in admissions at the University of Chicago and Illinois State University. “Some will say, ‘If you want the MLK scholarship or if you want the journalism scholarship, there is an extra process.'”
3. How long does it take the typical student to graduate? This question is one of the most important to a family’s pocketbook, says Roger Thompson, vice president for enrollment management at the University of Oregon.
“The best way for a family to make college affordable is to make it a four – year proposition,” Thompson says.
A fifth year of college can add “tens of thousands of dollars more” to the cost of college, he says.
If a school’s average graduation rate is a concern, it’s important to drill down and find out what is causing that; for instance, if there’s a lack of course availability or student support, Thompson says.
[Don’t ask these ineffective questions while on college tours.]
4. How much do students end up borrowing? Universities are required to track and report the total amount in federal loans that their graduates borrowed . For those with loans, the typical debt burden at graduation is about $28,000, according to the College Board.
Families should ask: “How much indebtedness is experienced by a typical student?” Sturtevant says. “How does that compare in terms of what students borrow in the country?”
5. What types of jobs are available for students? Students who think they might want or need to work while in college should ask about jobs — both on and off campus.
“We always encourage students who are most concerned about financial aid to ask about campus employment,” Thompson says. “Student employment on campus is a great way to go because the jobs on campus are going to be flexible around your schedule.”
6. Do you grant course credit for passing Advanced Placement exams? While not ostensibly about financial aid, how a college handles AP scores can be important to the full picture of college costs. Some colleges don’t grant any credit, Sturtevant says, while others will give you credit depending on your scores and may be able to exempt you from certain introductory or general education requirements.
“That means, again, that your ability to graduate in four years is enhanced,” she says.
Trying to fund your education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for College center.
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6 Financial Aid Questions to Ask on a College Visit originally appeared on usnews.com
