Introduction
High school and financial aid counselors, as well as counselors employed by community social service agencies, are a major source of information about the financing of education beyond high school. The counselor’s basic knowledge and information about financial aid is passed on to interested students and parents via many different methods.

Perhaps the most obvious way of providing financial aid information to students and parents is through individual counseling sessions. However, individual sessions may not be practical given increasing student/counselor ratios and counselors’ other duties. Other methods, such as financial aid newsletters and brochures, the Internet, group sessions, and public presentations are more efficient in getting basic and essential information to those who need financial assistance for college.

Conducting a financial aid information night is a great way to deliver important financial aid information to students and parents. Properly planned and executed, it can save counselors hours of time in disseminating information. Because of special circumstances, individual sessions still may be necessary and desirable for some families. However, by providing general information in written form and through group presentations to the majority of families, more time will be available for those families who require special attention.

Counselors may want to ask a financial aid administrator from a nearby college or a representative of the state student assistance agency to help when conducting a financial aid information night. Many state associations of financial aid administrators routinely conduct or provide support for such presentations. NASFAA provides a complete Financial Aid Night slide presentation and accompanying guide for organizers and presenters.

The NASFAA Web site also provides a comprehensive financial aid night guide to help you organize a financial aid night.