Read the Recipe
I love to cook. I find that cooking is mostly an art – throw a bunch of tasty foods together and adjust with spices – but occasionally I get burned by my reliance on this theory. One case happened a couple of years ago when my spouse and I decided to try the Pad Thai recipe in the new Thai cookbook we’d received as a gift. We gathered all of the ingredients and toiled away, but as we went along something in the back of my mind told me that something was not quite right. We were following the recipe precisely, but it was so obvious that we were missing something. At the very end of the recipe we found the answer. That was where we noticed a small note to soak the noodles in water before adding them to the rest of the mixture. Aha!
As we begin the 2009-2010 financial aid application review process, I am reminded of this recipe. No doubt the simple recipe is oh-so-familiar to many of you as a dish that you prepare frequently, but it was a new adventure to me, just as many of you are embarking on new adventures. Let me take a few moments to give a few tips and reminders as you apply for financial aid.
Keep a checklist and keep a copy!
Different schools will require different forms. Keep a folder for each school that you are applying to, and in it keep a checklist of the materials needed for that school and a copy of the materials that you’ve sent. We receive thousands of pages of materials some days, and if one page doesn’t come through clearly in the fax machine, we’ll need for you to send another copy quickly. The checklist will help you “read the recipe” and make sure you’ve done everything you need to do.
Insider tips! Faxing and paperclips
Faxing is the fastest method for sending materials, and yes, our fax machine can handle very large documents. The number is 607-255-6329, and the fax machine is open 24/7, so try at a non-peak hour if you have any trouble getting through. If you mail your materials to us, please paperclip any pages that go together (i.e. the tax returns) instead of stapling them together.
If you want to help us out and get your application scanned and processed quickly, put your application materials in this order:
1. Cornell’s Freshman Financial Aid Application
2. Miscellaneous correspondence
3. Custodial parent taxes or non-filing statement
4. Business taxes
5. Student taxes or non-filing statement
6. Business Farm Supplement
7. Citizenship documents
8. Noncustodial parent taxes/waiver form
9. PROFILE corrections
Whew!
Why two addresses?
Which address should you send materials to? Financial Aid and Student Employment has two offices on campus. The Day Hall office is on central campus, which is where we meet with students and their families. Our mail processing and front-line customer service office is located at East Hill Plaza, which is where we have our mail delivered. Imagine 34 buckets filled with mail that needs to be opened, sorted and scanned into our imaging system. Faxes come in continually and need to be uploaded to student files. Our processing staff does an amazing job of working through the mail and faxes so that our counseling staff can review your application.
Make sure that everything that should be signed is signed
Even if a student or parent files taxes electronically, we need a copy of the tax return *with* the signature of the filer. Why? Well, your signature makes the document official. This also applies to electronic signatures – be certain that those forms are signed by all who need to sign them.
Make sure we have received your materials
Take a look at your checklist online at https://admissions.cornell.edu/selfservice. Allow a couple of weeks after you send materials for us to update your checklist.
Pay attention to deadlines
But don’t hesitate to apply late if you missed the deadline. Our deadline certainly has a purpose – our goal is to give aid decisions at the same time as admissions offers are extended. This allows families to know the finances of Cornell so that they can make an informed decision. If you miss the deadline, please send in your materials as soon as possible. We process aid awards as quickly as possible, but a missed deadline may mean that you will not receive your aid award until later.
Make us aware of any special circumstances
Many families have circumstances that we don’t ask about on any of our application forms. We read every piece of paper that a family sends to us, and we especially want to know about unique circumstances. Please include a letter to us with information about your circumstances along with your Cornell Application for Financial Aid. The student’s name should be included on any documents that are sent.
Call the office if you need assistance or have questions
We are always glad to help students and their families. Our office is open from 8:00am-4:30pm Monday and Wednesday-Friday and 9:30am-4:30pm on Tuesdays and our phone number is (607) 255-5145.
I hope this information helps as you embark on this new adventure! Best of luck to all of you!
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