Financial Aid Counselor-Loans

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Financial Aid, the Financial Aid Counselor will:

• Provide quality customer service to prospective, and continuing students regarding financial aid eligibility
• Analyze federal financial aid applications to determine a student's financial need
• Prepare and award financial aid packages, as well as perform all duties related to the financial aid process
• Interact in a professional manner with students and parents in challenging situations to help them resolve financial issues relating to financial aid eligibility and monetary awards
• Utilize and update databases and process applications for financial aid received from students
• Collect and analyze financial data regarding students to determine aid eligibility and make awards within federal, donor and/or institutional guidelines
• Evaluate unusual/mitigating circumstance documentation or information provided by the student
• Exercise judgment by making adjustment or revisions to costs, contribution, or dependency status as exceptions to the prescribed process
• Assist in the preparation of and present information regarding federal financial aid, scholarships, employment and grants for various campus groups to high school students and parents at meetings, group discussions, workshops and recruitment sessions
• Plan, organize, and execute the loan programs. The loan programs include Federal Direct Loans, Parent Loan for Students (PLUS), Graduate PLUS loans, and alternative loans.
• Resolve any issues with direct loans by reviewing the comment codes on the FAFSA form.
• Process and monitor budgets for institutional loans, create Master Promissory Notes on ECSI (third-party partner)
• Analyze various system generated reports such as grades and enrollment status or award status to verify continued compliance and eligibility of students receiving aid under federal and institutional guidelines
• Notify students of changes in eligibility of awards and alternatives to amend the situation
• Answer questions, inquiries or requests from students, parents, or guardians in person or in writing regarding financial aid programs and eligibility