Federal Student Aid

November Financial Aid Checklist for Seniors

Posted on Tue, 11/06/2012 - 09:54

This is the third installment from college advisor Alice Kleeman in our monthly series for seniors on what you should be doing with regard to financial aid. Remember, while in most families it is up to the parents to provide the bulk of the money for college costs to the extent of their ability to pay, it is the student who applies for student aid. Read, save and use these monthly reminders!

 

*             All students applying for financial aid -- whether you are considering attending two-year or four-year colleges—will complete a FAFSA. Familiarize yourself with the form. BUT DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR FAFSA BEFORE JANUARY 1—it will not be processed for the correct school year!
 

*             Work with your parents to collect the documents you will need to complete the FAFSA—including tax returns for the most recent year, Social Security numbers, driver's license information, student and parent W-2 forms and other records of money earned, current bank statements, etc. The FAFSA web site lists the documents you will need here.
 

Aliza Gilbert, Highland Park High School

Posted on Wed, 09/05/2012 - 08:37

 

Our Counselor of the Month for September is Aliza Gilbert, College Counselor at Highland Park High School, a public high school serving more than 2,000 students in Highland Park, Illinois.  A graduate of University of Illinois at Chicago, Gilbert also holds a Master in Education from Loyola University Chicago and is working on her Ph.D. in Higher Education, also at Loyola. Formerly Associate Director of Admissions at Lake Forest College, Gilbert joined Highland Park's Counseling Department in 1998.

Located about 25 miles north of Chicago, Highland Park High School serves a diverse student body, including significant numbers of children from military and Hispanic families, a characteristic that drew Gilbert to the school. She has a particular interest in college access and undocumented students -- her Ph.D. dissertation explores how high schools influence undocumented students’ college process. (The state of Illinois is ranked sixth among states with the largest undocumented populations.)