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Financial Aid — The Inside Scoop

Financial Aid — The Inside Scoop

When it came to my family’s finances, my dad was always cautious and focused on saving money as far back as I can remember. It’s something he tried to instill in me, and it certainly came in handy when it came time for college.

Now that my job is to help students with financial aid, I asked him what he remembered about filling out my financial aid applications. "Easy peasy" did not come to mind -- even for someone who is used to navigating complicated financial forms and information. However, he did say that being able to transfer information directly from her IRS tax return into the FAFSA was a plus.

Fortunately, with the FAFSA overhaul that took place last year, many families tell me that applying has become easier. The form itself has fewer questions than it did when my dad and I filled it out for the first time in 2013.

Think You Won't Qualify? Apply Anyway!

We weren't sure if I would qualify for anything, but my dad knew we still needed to fill out all the financial aid forms available just in case.

In the end, I'm glad we filled them out, because I qualified for more scholarship money than I anticipated. Similarly, my college roommate ended up getting a federal Pell grant for a couple of years of college, something she never would have guessed she would qualify for. Beyond scholarships and grants, it's gaining access to loans that may also be necessary in funding your education.

Does It Really Matter?

I read that an estimated $3.6 billion in Pell Grants go unclaimed each year. The one year I skipped filing the FAFSA one year, we figured out that I missed out on what might have covered two months of housing. Lesson learned.

FYI. For the 2024-2025 academic year, Pell Grants were as much as $7,395 per student! And that is FREE money that doesn’t need to be paid back!

Use the Tools You're Given

For many, how you fund your college education can be complex. I recommend using every tool at your disposal. Financial aid is low-hanging fruit. Applying is a process that is time well spent. That's why starting early is important! Applying for financial aid is the only way you get a complete view of your financial options for college. Start now. It’s a myth that you have to wait until you file your current taxes.

When you fill out the FAFSA this year (or any other forms), there are a wealth of resources online. For the FAFSA, start here. High school counselors and Thiel's financial aid office can also address questions.

To wrap it up in a neat bow, filling out financial aid forms and submitting them early can:

• Get you money.
• Get you money you didn't know you qualified for.
• Get you money in emergency situations.

We'll talk more in a month or two about the other pieces of paying for college. In the meantime, get excited about college!

About Tatyana Godfrey ’17 

Godfrey is the Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Thiel College. She is a 2017 graduate of Thiel College. Godfrey majored in psychology, was a member of the cheerleading and women’s soccer teams. She returned to Thiel in the financial aid department in the fall of 2024. She cares deeply about access to education. Thiel’s Financial Aid Office can be reached at finaid@thiel.edu or 724-589-2116.