Video

Transcript

Welcome to Knowledge for College brought to you by Chase, and thanks for joining us. This series of videos provides valuable information on the many important steps of going to college and financing an education.

Hi, I’m Chelsea Richardson. Today, Ken Butler will tell us how to make the most of your campus visit.

A campus visit is an exciting and important experience. There are many things to see and do as you try to determine if it’s the right school for you.

You’ll probably visit dorms, lecture halls, the student center, library and areas of particular interest to you—like the music or athletic department. Try to visit while classes are in session to get a better feel for the school. If possible, observe a class in progress and talk with current students about campus life.

But you may also want to visit the financial aid office to see if you’re eligible for financial aid—regardless of your family’s income.

The financial aid office is primarily made up of counselors who can help guide you through the process of applying for financial aid.

In addition to federal student loans and grants, schools may also have specific grants, loans, scholarships and work-study programs available to students who attend that school.

Some financial aid offices prefer or even require appointments, so call ahead.

Before visiting a campus, you may want to have an idea of how much you and your family will be expected to pay.

One way to determine this is with an Internet tool called the FAFSA4caster. As you may remember, FAFSA is the acronym that stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid—the form that helps determine your eligibility for federal financial aid.

By inputting your information in the FAFSA4caster, you’ll get a sense of your Expected Family Contribution or EFC, as it’s commonly called.

With your estimated EFC in mind, you can discuss the options you have with a financial aid counselor. Knowing how much a school will cost you and how much aid you may receive is often a deciding factor in choosing a school.

You can find the FAFSA4caster at FAFSA4caster.ed.gov or by visiting ChaseStudentLoans.com.

The Knowledge for College informational video series is brought to you by Chase to help you better understand college financing and other important topics regarding higher education. If you have any questions about your specific situation, you should consult your own financial advisor or the financial aid office of your school.

This information was current as of 09/01/2008.

This is a link to a third-party site as described in our Weblinking Practices. Note that the third party's privacy policy and security practices may differ from Chase standards. Chase assumes no responsibility nor does it control, endorse or guarantee any aspect of your use of the linked site.