As a public service, SUNY is offering two Statewide Student Financial Aid Days: January 21 and February 11. At these events, prospective students and families will receive assistance from SUNY financial aid professionals in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Many host campuses will provide access to the online FAFSA.

These workshops are offered free of charge and are available at many different campus locations. Visit www.suny.edu/studentevents to see a list of all participating campuses. Students and families should attend the program that is most convenient.

Pre-registration for SUNY's Statewide Student Financial Aid Day is available at www.suny.edu/studentevents or by contacting the SUNY Recruitment Response Center at 800.342.3811.

Invitations have been sent directly to students. We appreciate your assistance in reminding them about this important initiative.

Recruitment Response Center
State University of New York
State University Plaza
Albany, NY 12246-0001
Phone: 800.342.3811
Email: askSUNY@suny.edu

Financial aid 101 and links for additional information

        Every college is different. Some colleges automatically consider the applicant for merit aid while other ask you to fill out separate application forms and require the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a College Scholarship Service profile (CSS).

      The bottom line when applying for financial aid is to look as needy as possible. If the parents are separated, the child should reside with the parent with the lowest income and highest debt/asset ratio. If your annual family income is above $220K and you have only one child in college at the time you apply for, you’re unlikely to qualify for FAFSA/financial aid, unless your debt/asset ratio is high.You may still qualify for merit aid depending on the college. Some colleges don't require any financial information for merit aid.

Saving for college in a NY State 529, a trust or any other saving vehicles  in your child’s name only makes sense if you don’t qualify for financial aid under any circumstances. If you own real estate or a business, it may be an advantage to have a high debt/asset ratio.  Do not carry a line of credit with a large amount of available cash. Many colleges expect you to pay your estimated family contribution (EFC) before being granted any aid.

And beware of student loans - these may have unfavorable interest rates and are usually not discharged in case of bankruptcy.

Links:

http://www.finaid.org/about/

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp

http://www.collegeconfidential.com/financial_aid/ants.htm

LD Questions for the College Visit

Colleges are by law required to offer "appropriate academic adjustments" for students with disabilities. Support services for LD kids, however, can vary tremendously from college to college.

Before visiting a college, do research about available LD support and set up an appointment with the learning center.

Questions:
1. Is there an LD Center?
2. What LD services and accommodations are offered?
3. Additional fees associated with these services?
4. Is there a general academic support center?
5. Are tutors peers or specialists?
6. What LD documentation is required? When and how is this info submitted?
7. Will the student need to update her/his LD documentation?
8. What kind of information should be submitted about the student's LD on the application?
9. How does a learning disability factor into the admission decision?