Financial Aid Advisor

Some schools are incredibly expensive, and some students can’t afford to go to school unless they have a little bit of help. But these students may not even know that help is available. That’s where a Financial Aid Advisor comes in. A Financial Aid Advisor explains financial aid programs, and helps students get the assistance they need.

As a Financial Aid Advisor, you likely work for a college or university, but you might also work for a small, private school that teaches younger students. On a typical workday, you meet with students and/or their parents to discuss the financial aid process. You outline what they must do to qualify, and give them forms to fill out. Then you check over those forms to make sure the students have filled out the information properly.

Once the forms are completed, you send them to state or federal agencies for processing. You may also keep some forms and process them yourself. If your school offers a specific scholarship, for example, you choose from the pile of applicants and give the top student a check. You’re required to follow strict legal guidelines when handing out money, so you’re careful not to discriminate or otherwise break the law.

You also hold classes and informational seminars for prospective students and their parents. In these classes, you explain the process and how it can help students. You know that the more money you can obtain for students, the more diverse your student body will be and the more backslaps you’ll get at the next staff meeting. So you’re always on the lookout for new programs, and you encourage all students to at least apply for every option available.