As January comes to a close, I know many families are still waiting on responses and award letters, which can be very nerve-racking! I know you just want answers, but you don’t need an award letter right now. It will come when it has been processed through the proper channels. It might feel like you are waiting in silence right now, but I promise, so much is happening behind the scenes! If you’re wondering “Should I be doing something right now?” or “Did we miss something?” you’re not alone. January is one of the most common months for financial aid worry. The good news? In most cases, everything is exactly on track. Here are the common worries and concerns families have, and why you can relax!
“We Haven’t Heard Anything Yet. Is That Bad?”
Nope! This is completely normal.
January is primarily a processing month for colleges. Financial aid offices are reviewing a constant stream of FAFSAs and CSS Profiles, verifying documents, and preparing award packages. Most schools do not release financial aid offers until late January, February, or even March, depending on their admissions timeline.
“What If We Missed a Document?”
This is one of the biggest January fears, and one of the easiest to manage. Colleges communicate missing items through student portals, as well as emails, though not always. That’s why checking portals once a week is crucial right now. If something is missing, you’ll know! As you log in you’ll see a red X, messages noting that “action is required”, or a document marked as incomplete or pending. You will know by a quick glance if something is wrong! So if you log in and everything shows as received or complete, that’s a good sign. No news is often good news.
“What If We’re Selected for Verification?”
Verification sounds scary, but it’s very common and often applicants are chosen at random.
Being selected does not mean a mistake was made or that aid is at risk. It simply means the school needs to confirm a few details before finalizing your award. Most requests involve documents families already have, like tax forms or W-2s.
As long as you respond promptly, verification is just a small step, not a setback. I just published a blog post on this topic that you can read in more detail: Financial Aid Verification: Why It Happens and What to Do
“Should We Be Doing More Right Now?”
During the month of January, there isn’t a lot for you to do. I suggest relaxing a bit and trying not to stress! To ensure nothing falls through the cracks and to help ease anxiety, here are a few helpful things you can do right now:
- Check college portals once a week
- Watch for IDOC or verification requests
- Respond quickly if something is requested
- Stay organized
Having said that, there are few things people do that are not necessary.
First up is checking portals daily. Not only is this unnecessary, it’s anxiety provoking. Once a week, twice max, is more than enough.
Next, don’t panic over timelines that haven’t arrived yet. There is a timeline window for a reason, and there is still a lot of time before the month of March.
Lastly is emailing financial aid offices without a reason. If you have a valid question or concern, then yes, you can email your financial aid office. However, if you are emailing them for updates on your application, or some other inquiry that isn’t really critical, it is best to not bother them!
If you are wondering, “when is it appropriate to reach out for help?”, here are a few guidelines for when it is acceptable to email your financial aid office:
- A portal request that doesn’t make sense
- A document is marked incomplete and you’re unsure why
- You received conflicting messages from a school
“Why Does January Feel So Slow?”
January feels slow because behind the scenes, a lot is happening. Financial aid offices must process FAFSA and CSS Profile data for ALL applicants, review verification documents, coordinate with admissions decisions, and then take that information and build individual aid packages for thousands of students.
Up until now, you’ve been doing a lot of work to get your application and documents ready while they waited on you to finish. Now it is their turn to do the work while you wait!
January feels quiet because it’s a waiting month, not a decision month. If you’ve submitted your applications, uploaded requested documents, and are checking portals weekly, you are doing exactly what you should be doing.
Soon the calendars will turn to February and March and that is when you can expect more communication and updates from schools. Use this time to relax a bit and stay engaged by checking portals. Unless you see a notification or request for information in your portal, there is nothing to worry about in this season!
More about Jodi Okun of College Financial Aid Advisors
Jodi helps with the financial aid process, from completing the FAFSA and completing the CSS Profile to reviewing the SAR, responding to requests for verification, comparing financial aid offers and understanding student loan options. Schedule a 15 Minute Power Chat to learn more about finding ways to pay for college.