Financial Aid Award Letter Guide for High School Students

Subject

For All Subjects

Grades

9th - 12th

Format

PDF · 2 pages

About this resource

When your seniors get their college financial aid award letter, and they're clueless as to what it all means... this is going to be your guide to show them how to interpret their financial aid letters. Help your high school students understand the confusing language, numbers, and types of financial aid they may see on a college financial aid award letter with this simple, student-friendly guide. This Financial Aid Award Letter Guide breaks down common financial aid terms like Cost of Attendance (COA), Student Aid Index (SAI), Pell Grants, subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans, work-study, and institutional grants so students can better understand their financial aid package and make educated decisions about paying for college. Here's a ready-to-use resource you can put directly into your students' hands so they can have a visual of all of the information you're giving them as a high school counselor. Why High School Counselors Love This Resource: • Helps students understand their financial aid award letters • Breaks down confusing financial aid terminology into student-friendly and parent-friendly language • Explains the difference between grants, loans, and work-study • Helps students understand their Cost of Attendance (COA) • Explains the Student Aid Index (SAI) and how it relates to financial need • Gives students a resource they can reference later when comparing financial aid information • Saves you time explaining the same financial aid terms over and over again as the high school counselor What's Included? This 2-page printable financial aid guide walks students through the major components they may see on a college financial aid award letter. Print it front and back and have it handy on your desk for your junior and senior meetings with students and families! Students will learn about: Cost of Attendance (COA) • Tuition and fees • Room and board • Transportation • Books and supplies Student Aid Index (SAI) • What the SAI means • How it is calculated from FAFSA information • How colleges use it when determining financial need Financial Aid Awards • Pell Grants • Direct Subsidized Loans • Direct Unsubsidized Loans • State and institutional grants • Federal work-study This printable guide uses straightforward explanations to help students and families understand what they're looking at when they receive a financial aid award letter. Who Is This Resource Perfect For? • High school counselors • College and career counselors • Counselors working with seniors • College readiness programs • First-generation college-going students • Students comparing college financial aid packages • Parents and families learning about financial aid How Can I Use This? Use this financial aid award letter guide as a: • Senior year counseling handout • Handout for a financial aid lesson • College readiness activity • One-on-one counseling tool • Small group counseling handout • Classroom counseling resource add-on • College decision-making resource • Handout for students and families • Resource during individual financial aid conversations • Take-home resource for parents and caregivers after parent presentations Help your students feel a little less overwhelmed when that financial aid award letter lands after college application season. If I Liked This Resource, What Else Might I Like? If you're building out your financial aid and college readiness resources, you may also love: ⭐ Financial Aid Checklist and Scholarship Timeline — What to do, when to do it, and where to start when it comes to financial aid! ⭐ Financial Aid Literacy Digital Presentation — Help students understand financial aid and FAFSA basics through an engaging digital presentation. ⭐ Financial Aid & FAFSA Bulletin Board — Keep financial aid information visible for students and families throughout FAFSA season. ⭐ College Readiness Activities Bundle for High School Counselors — Get even more ready-to-use college awareness, financial aid, application, and postsecondary planning resources. ⭐ FREE Starter Scholarship Spreadsheet — Help students organize their scholarship search and keep track of opportunities.

Resource types

Handouts, Outlines, Printables