Dear Class of 2023 and 2024 Parents/Guardians,
Our sincere note of thanks to the many families who joined us at the MUHS/DSHA College Financial Aid Information Night held on Wednesday, Oct. 5. We are grateful to the DSHA College Counseling team for their work to host the event and to all families for the thoughtful questions creating a very informative discussion. We share a special thank you to Ms. Susan Teerink and Ms. Yesenia Valle-Gomez from the Marquette University Office of Financial Aid, our highly respected colleagues and friends, for serving as our guest presenters and providing their exceptional expertise.
If you were unable to attend:
- Program Folder: Your student is welcome to stop by the College Counseling Center (Room 119) to pick up a program folder of handouts.
- Narrated Presentation Video Link: Marquette University provided videos of their narrated Financial Aid presentations in English and Spanish (below).
College Cost: Understanding the Financial Aid Process
Costo de la Universidad: Entender el proceso de la ayuda financiera
SPECIAL RESOURCES/NOTES TO OUR SENIOR (CLASS OF 2023) FAMILIES:
Saint Louis University is offering a FAFSA Workshop Webinar – Tuesday, Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m. Join the SLU Student Financial Services as they help families prepare to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Register here.
The 2023-24 FAFSA for fall 2023 college entry opened Oct. 1. Here are a few tips for our Class of 2023 parents and students on how to prepare for the process.
- Create an FSA ID: Create your FAFSA account/FSA ID here (use the Start Here button). The student and at least one parent must create an FSA ID to complete the FAFSA. An FSA ID gives you access to Federal Student Aid's online systems and will serve as your FAFSA electronic signature.
- File the FAFSA early: The 2023-24 FAFSA opened on Oct. 1 for fall 2023 college entry. We echo the same advice colleges offer: File your FAFSA early! Most senior families submit the FAFSA in the fall months often before the student applies for admission and hears about admission to a college. Having your completed FAFSA on file early with each college means that the college can be ready to provide a financial aid award following your student's admission notification. Your student's prospective colleges may have their own unique preferred/priority FAFSA filing date so please check these dates on each college website. For quick reference, here is the UW System FAFSA priority filing dates.
- Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) The 2023-24 FAFSA will use 2021 tax information. As you complete the FAFSA, you will be prompted to use the DRT when entering financial information. Take advantage of the DRT to import your tax information directly from the IRS into the FAFSA form.
- Are additional Financial Aid forms required? Some colleges may require additional financial aid forms beyond the FAFSA. The CSS Profile is the most common additional form required for a select number of colleges. Best advice: consult your student's college websites to clarify what forms are needed!
With our best wishes,
The MUHS College Counseling Team