Financial Aid: Being Verified

     Verification is required through the federal government to allow students to prove their financial status and or their financial need to pay for school. I was one of those lucky students who had to go through this same procedure. It can be a lengthy process if you are not on top of your game, but it's all worth it in the end.

     Why do you have to go through verification, you ask?

     The thing with verification is that you are randomly selected, even if it is multiple times, you must complete this process.  Before you consider flooding the financial aid office, the best thing to do is make sure you have the needed documents to make everything go smoothly.

     Some of the things that you may possibly need to go through the verification process may vary on the student as well as the situation. A few things that you may need to be verified are:

·         IRS Tax return transcript, (your financial aid application can be linked to this in a matter of minutes if you are confused on what to do.)

·         Marriage Certificate (If you were married that year of applying for aid)

·         Social Security Card

·         Parents death certificates (if you are considered a independent status you will have to provide proof if you are under 24)

     The list can be longer depending on what you may need to prove to financial aid, most of the time people may make a mistake on their financial aid and all it takes is a few corrections. If you are selected for the verification process, it is best to turn in all documentation as quickly as possible to avoid the long delay of having your information processed in time for the start of that school year. The longer you wait means the longer the process will take because other students are being verified around the same time as you are. Once you see things that are on your to do list, please make sure you take care of them immediately. Last but not least, do not be upset that you were selected for verification. This was not because of the institution, but required by the federal government.