The Summer Before College

Financial Aid, Important Documentation, Placement exams, Orientation, Housing

Financial Aid 

​​FAFSA Verification

The Office of Federal Student Aid requires schools to verify the FAFSA forms of at least 30% of the total number of financial aid applicants. If you’re flagged for FAFSA verification, you’ll be asked to provide documentation that proves the information you submitted is accurate.If you need to verify your information, a notice will appear on your Student Aid Report, which is a summary of your FAFSA submission. Alternatively, the school you plan to attend might send you a letter in the mail notifying you of the verification process. (Retrieved from Student Loan Hero) If you were selected for verification, click here to learn how to complete this request! You can also follow the steps below:

IRS Data Retrieval Tool: You can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to verify your FAFSA. You can do this by logging on to your FAFSA with your FSA ID and password and follow the following steps:

1. Go to Parent Financial InformationAnswer the questions appropriately (if unable to proceed, follow step
2. Select the parent who has an FSA ID and password and have them enter their log in information
3. Click LINK TO IRS-Enter the information requested exactly how it is written on your tax returns.
4. Click Submit
5. Select Transfer My Tax Information into the FAFSA
6. Click Submit
7. Once you link the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to your FAFSA, you can answer the next questions appropriately. If students filed taxes in 2016, they will be required to follow the same steps in Student Financial Information.
8. Sign and submit FAFSA for parent and student
9. Tax Return Transcript: If student is unable to link IRS Data Retrieval Took to FAFSA, they will need to request a copy of their parents’ Tax Return Transcript. Visit https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript and submit a request.

FAFSA Verification Worksheet

Every college/university has its own FAFSA Verification Worksheet that needs to be submitted once step 1 or 2 is completed. Visit the college/university website or the financial aid office to find the worksheet.Follow up: Be sure to follow up with the college/university after two weeks to ensure everything has been completed and there are no holds on the student’s account.

Update TAP​

On your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you are asked to list the schools you plan to attend. The FAFSA, in turn, is the source of the school code for the TAP application. When you complete the online TAP application, the first New York school you listed on the FAFSA will appear online. If the school is not correct, you must change it when completing the TAP on the Web application. After your application is processed, you may make school code changes online by visiting ‘Manage My Account’. Alternatively, you may make a change to the school code and/or student address by calling the HESC Customer Communication Center at 1-888-NYS-HESC (1-888-697-4372) and speaking with a representative. School code changes may also be made using our automated telephone system (Retrieved from HESC website).

To change your TAP School Code: Visit: https://www.hesc.ny.gov/repay-your-loans/my-hesc-account-access Click on Change Tap College Code/Address. Enter your student’s login informationCheck to see if student’s college is listed. If not, enter the college name, review TAP application and submit​Student Loans
First-time student loan borrowers must complete Student Loan Entrance Counseling. The entrance counseling takes 20-30 minutes to complete. It requires you to read and answer questions. You must also complete your Master Promissory Note, which requires two emergency contacts with different addresses.

Entrance Counseling

• Visit: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/index.action
• Add Loan: Review your financial aid package to determine which loan you will be taking out. Enter the loan name (subsidized/unsubsidized) and the total. You may leave the projected interest rate at 0.
• Your School’s Expense Budget: Review the student’s financial aid package and use it to fill in the information for this section.
• Monthly Income: Enter your total projected annual income – what you think you will make after graduation.
• Read and Answer: Be sure to read and answer the questions appropriately. Each page’s sections have a few questions and the answers can be found in the blurb that appears before the question. Be sure that you and your parents/guardian understand the information from the Entrance Counseling.
• Once that is completed, you can move forward and sign the Master Promissory Note, which will require two additional contacts with two different addresses. For example, a parent who lives with you can be one contact, and your aunt or family friend can be another. Be prepared with the contact person’s email, phone number and address.

Student Loans

First-time student loan borrowers must complete Student Loan Entrance Counseling. The entrance counseling takes 20-30 minutes to complete. It requires you to read and answer questions. You must also complete your Master Promissory Note, which requires two emergency contacts with different addresses.
How to Complete the Entrance Counseling:

1. Visit: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/index.action
2. Add Loan: Review your financial aid package to determine which loan you will be taking out. Enter the loan name (subsidized/unsubsidized) and the total. You may leave the projected interest rate at 0.
3. Your School’s Expense Budget: Review the student’s financial aid package and use it to fill in the information for this section.
4. Monthly Income: Enter your total projected annual income – what you think you will make after graduation.
5. Read and Answer: Be sure to read and answer the questions appropriately. Each page’s sections have a few questions and the answers can be found in the blurb that appears before the question.

Be sure that you and your parents/guardian understand the information from the Entrance Counseling. Once that is completed, you can move forward and sign the Master Promissory Note, which will require two additional contacts with two different addresses. For example, a parent who lives with you can be one contact, and your aunt or family friend can be another. Be prepared with the contact person’s email, phone number and address.

Important Documentation

Before the ending of the school year, be sure to submit your immunization forms or make an appointment with your doctor to fill it out. The immunization form can be found on the college/university website and should be with you during the doctor’s appointment. Some colleges/universities allow you to mail/fax/email the immunization form to them, while others require you to submit a hard copy. Be sure that you have your own copy before submitting the forms.  

After you graduate, you will be required to submit your high school diploma and a copy of your high school transcript. Similar to the immunization forms, you may be able to submit the diploma via email or fax – which we can assist you with! Your counselor is responsible for mailing out high school transcripts to your perspective colleges/universities. Check-in with your counselor and find out your school’s protocol. Once transcripts are submitted, check-in with your college/universities after two weeks to confirm it has been received.

Placement Exam Information

All CUNY students and most college students must take a placement exam. It is important for you to take your exam as early as possible in case there are remedial (non-credit) courses you are required to take and can complete before the fall. Check with your school for more information

If you do not know when you are taking your placement exam or have not made an appointment with the school you will be attending to take one, reach out to me and we can do this together!

Orientation & Class Registration

Freshmen orientation allows students to receive the information they need to register for classes, retrieve their college ID that give them access to campus facilities, and meet other incoming freshmen. It is very important that all students scheduled to attend college in the fall have registered for freshmen orientation. To do this, visit the college/university website and quick search ‘orientation’ to find out upcoming dates. Once students attend their orientation, they may then find out more information about class registration. Some colleges/universities have already registered freshmen while other colleges/universities have freshmen register on their own. 

Housing & Transportation

Students who will be living on campus must submit housing forms and complete a roommate survey. You are also required to submit a housing deposit if the deposit is not waved. It is important for you to complete this step early to ensure you have a dorm for the fall semester.

Students who are commuting should calculate monthly MetroCard or gas prices. If you need to complete a practice commute, please reach out!