Graduating this Semester? Here Are A Few Items for Your To-Do List from Financial Aid

Although it’s frigid outside as I write this article, I do have some good news to share with you: We are nearly 100 days away from the College’s 2025-26 academic year Commencement ceremony at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.

That said, there are a few things you can do now to give yourself peace of mind before the Commencement ceremony. First, are you enrolling in a graduate program right after graduation? If so, you will want to talk to the Financial Aid Office about updating your 2025-26 FAFSA form to reflect your grade level change (i.e., changing your grade level status from 4th year undergraduate to 1st year graduate/professional). There are certain things that the Financial Aid Office needs to make you eligible for federal student loans in the summer session. Dithering on a task for too long can lead to processing delays for your summer session financial aid.

But what if you are not planning on enrolling in a graduate program until the fall semester? In that case, you should make sure that you have submitted a 2026-27 FAFSA on www.studentaid.gov. Note the key difference in this paragraph compared to the prior one: If you decide to enroll in the fall semester, you only need to submit a 2026-27 FAFSA.  Students who are starting in the summer and plan to use federal aid will need to revise their 2025-26 FAFSA and submit a 2026-27 FAFSA. Again, waiting too long to complete this task can lead to processing delays during the dog days of summer.

Federal student loan borrowers must complete exit counseling at www.studentaid.gov. Until you complete this requirement, the Financial Aid Office places a temporary hard hold on your account that may hamper your ability to request official college records. Within 24 hours, the Financial Aid Office receives notice from the Department of Education that you have completed this requirement. At that point, a Financial Aid Office staff member will remove the exit counseling hold from your account.

Students who have questions about the exit counseling experience should contact the Financial Aid Office for further clarification or discussion. Seasoned pros in the Financial Aid Office can also walk you through your repayment options while sharing equally important information about your federal student loan servicer. Remember, support is available to help you navigate these steps with confidence and ease.

Important: Are you a federal student loan borrower who plans to enroll in the graduate program and not use federal student loans? If so, please contact the Financial Aid or Registrar’s office to discuss your enrollment reporting during the graduate program. Notifying one of these offices will ensure that the Registrar’s Office reports your graduate-level enrollment to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). This enrollment report notifies your loan servicer to keep your undergraduate federal student loan in deferment until you complete your graduate studies.

Lastly, if you have an outstanding balance to the College for the spring semester and are behind on payments, now is the time to meet with the Business Office to discuss that outstanding account balance. Depending on the amount owed, the Business Office can arrange an alternative payment plan that allows you to keep making payments until the balance is $0. Taking action early can help you maintain control over your finances and avoid unnecessary stress during graduation season.

Rejoice: warmer days on the horizon. In the interim, focus on the tasks above to stay ahead of the game this graduation season.