National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

Financial Aid Night Presentation

The 2013-14 toolkit is now available

High school and financial aid counselors, as well as counselors employed by community social service agencies, are primary sources of information about financing education beyond high school. Although individual counseling sessions provide personalized advice, you probably don't have that luxury. Conducting a "financial aid information night" is a great way to deliver important financial aid information to high school students and parents.

We provide a complete Financial Aid Night Toolkit, in three components.  This toolkit applies to the application period that starts Jan 1, 2013 and covers the 2013-14 academic year (July 1, 2013-June 20, 2014). 

2013-2014 Academic Year

• The Guide to Planning and Conducting a Financial Aid Night contains 8 steps to a successful event: Considerations for setting the date; setting the time; selecting a facility; advertising the event; selecting presenters; double-checking plans; actual presentation; and post-event activities.
• "What You Need to Know about Financial Aid," a slide show (7MB PowerPoint) and accompanying presenter's guide and slideshow handouts, containing the content of the presentation.
• Companion Participant Handouts. This includes the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet and optional supplements you can distribute to your audience:
  • Application Form Tracking Worksheet 
  • Award Package Comparison Worksheet - Includes a glossary with specific terms necessary for better understanding of award letters; this was a recommendation of the NASFAA Award Notification and Consumer Information Task Force.
  • Cost of Attendance Comparison Worksheet 
  • Financial Aid Application Checklist 
  • Financial Aid Consultants and Scholarship Search Services Fact Sheet 
  • NASFAA Financial Aid Glossary - A comprehensive list of common financial aid terms
  • Sample Scholarship Inquiry Letter (Word document) 
  • Student Aid Program Summary 
   

You may want to ask a financial aid administrator from a nearby college, or a representative of your state's student assistance agency, for help in conducting the session. Many state associations of financial aid administrators routinely conduct or provide support for such presentations.
 

The U.S. Department of Education provides Public Service Announcement multimedia resources you can use to publicize your events.

We welcome your feedback on the materials.