The College Funding Coach® has partnered with The College Funding Service Center to provide critical services related to the completion of financial aid forms, student positioning and awards analysis. Along with the work that you may be doing with The College Funding Coach®, many families seek a broader range of help with their individual student’s college search process. The College Funding Service Center has excelled at this aspect of planning for over two decades.
We have developed three programs with our families in mind, as follows:
- Financial Aid Form(s) Filing and Awards Analysis
- Student Positioning & Awards Analysis
- Comprehensive Package
Please take a look at the chart below to understand the different options and to determine which program might best suit your needs.
- Intro Package / Phone Call - This part outlines steps that will be completed by College Funding Service Center and notes when the client can anticipate completion of each step. During the introductory call, clients are told when to expect their introductory package and advised as to what their first steps should be.
- Access to Engus.info - The College Funding Service Center’s one-of-a-kind, web-based application is a content-rich client web portal dedicated to the needs of college bound families. Parents will find financial planning information, college planning guides, award status, and a schedule of due dates for forms filling, among other resources. For students, Engus offers career guides, test preparation services, a schedule of deadline dates and guidance for admissions application. Essay service is not part of the product however is offered as an a la carte service.
- Data Verification Session - CFSC personally works with clients to verify the accuracy of the financial data used to complete financial aid applications. By use of our internet-based system, clients have the opportunity to agree to the accuracy of all data before any financial aid forms are filed. Financial forms will not be filed until the family agrees to the accuracy during data verification.
- Financial Aid Timeline – CFSC proactively requests a college picks list beginning August 15th and every two weeks thereafter, until we get a final list of colleges to which the student is applying. They then establish individual time lines for financial aid forms filing and admissions applications.
- Completion of the FAFSA - This is required by every college-bound student and family, even by the student who will not receive need-based assistance. This form must be completed to qualify for federal aid, most state programs, and is often required for institutional merit-based aid.
- CSS PROFILE Registration - Filing the CSS PROFILE is a two-step process, first the registration, then the application. This form is required by certain colleges for financial aid consideration and you must register to file the CSS PROFILE.
- CSS PROFILE Completion - The CSS PROFILE is more complicated than the FAFSA. Additionally, the information needs to be consistent with that which appears on the FAFSA. The application, too, is completed electronically for the family. The additional cost of filing incurred by the College Board is the responsibility of the client family.
- Financial Aid Forms Completion - An additional service where The College Funding Service Center takes care of all need-based financial aid forms required by the specific colleges. Some schools have their own need-based forms that as just as important as the CSS PROFILE and the FAFSA. The institutional financial aid forms are completed. It is the responsibility of the family to review, sign and submit the completed form to the college. This step does not include non-need-based applications such as college scholarship applications or admissions applications.
- Online Awards Analysis - This program provides a breakdown of an award package by offering two reports. The first report analyzes the award offer from the colleges’ viewpoint, including non-free money such as student loans and work-study programs. The second report analyzes from the families’ viewpoint (free money only) without long-term student loans or work-study programs. These reports make it crystal clear what the client’s true cost is for their first year in college.
- Award Letters/Appeal Support – The College Funding Service Center will help determine if it is to the family’s benefit to appeal any of the awards sent to the family. If an appeal is deemed appropriate, CFSC will assist with the appeal process by consulting with the client on an appeal letter and coaching them about how to have a dialogue with the college regarding the appeal.
- Loan Option Information - Resources are provided regarding Private and Federal loan options. The College Funding Service Center provides the family with a college loan booklet which addresses important loan topics.
- Monthly Teleconferences - These are live and interactive with College Funding Service Center’s Director, Al Hoffman. These teleconferences are group settings, discussing in detail an assortment of college-bound topics in chronological order. The teleconferences portion of the program starts in January of the junior year.
- Data Privacy and Security - The College Funding Service Center treats this topic with utmost concern. They will secure your data by using hybrid information security systems, data back-up and other safeguards, unparalleled in the industry.
- Comprehensive Customer Service – CFSC consultants are friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and are available to answer service-related questions toll-free at our service center. You will not be talking to a member of a call bank but to a servicer dedicated to you.
- Intro Package / Phone Call - This part outlines steps that will be completed by College Funding Service Center and notes when the client can anticipate completion of each step. During the introductory call, clients are told when to expect their introductory package and advised as to what their first steps should be.
- Access to Engus.info - The College Funding Service Center’s one-of-a-kind, web-based application is a content-rich client web portal dedicated to the needs of college bound families. Parents will find financial planning information, college planning guides, award status, and a schedule of due dates for forms filling, among other resources. For students, Engus offers career guides, test preparation services, a schedule of deadline dates and guidance for admissions application. Essay service is not part of the product however is offered as an a la carte service.
- Focus 2 Explore Career Planner - Focus2Explore is an online program designed to confirm or discover a student's career goals. The aptitude assessment aids students in searching for possible career avenues and encourages the pursuit of an appropriate major. This step can conceivably reduce the overall cost of a higher education by making a bachelor's degree attainable in the normal four-year time frame.
- Student Positioning Session – The student will participate in two powerful positioning sessions to help the college-bound family find a school that is a fit academically, socially, and financially. It involves an in-depth review of Focus 2 Explore results and the student’s interests through the guidance of an experienced educational counselor. Included in the consultation is a college search based on customized search criteria, the results of which consist of data sheets that outline the general, administrative, and financial information on each college.
- Interactive Online Program Tool - This tool will save the student and family hundreds of hours of time. Intended to be used as an adjunct to the Student Positioning Session, the tool accessed through Engus allows clients to add/drop colleges from their inventory of prospective schools, and view and print general, administrative and financial data sheets on over 1,900 U.S. colleges and universities. Interactive capabilities are included which allow students to explore a “what if” scenario, should they improve their standardized test scores.
- Online Awards Analysis - This program provides a breakdown of an award package by offering two reports. The first report analyzes the award offer from the colleges’ viewpoint, including non-free money such as student loans and work-study programs. The second report analyzes from the families’ viewpoint (free money only) without long-term student loans or work-study programs. These reports make it crystal clear what the client’s true cost is for their first year in college.
- Award Letters/Appeal Support – The College Funding Service Center will help determine if it is to the family’s benefit to appeal any of the awards sent to the family. If an appeal is deemed appropriate, CFSC will assist with the appeal process by consulting with the client on an appeal letter and coaching them about how to have a dialogue with the college regarding the appeal.
- Loan Option Information - Resources are provided regarding Private and Federal loan options. The College Funding Service Center provides the family with a college loan booklet which addresses important loan topics.
- College Reminder Emails - These content rich emails provide an overview of the college planning topic or topics of the month. These monthly college reminders start as early as September of the Freshman Year to August of the senior/college summer.
- Status Calls / Emails/Texting - CFSC provides monthly emails and calls to ensure the student/family are well aware of the next step in the program.
- Monthly Teleconferences - These are live and interactive with College Funding Service Center’s Director, Al Hoffman. These teleconferences are group settings, discussing in detail an assortment of college-bound topics in chronological order. The teleconferences portion of the program starts in January of the junior year.
- Data Privacy and Security - The College Funding Service Center treats this topic with utmost concern. They will secure your data by using hybrid information security systems, data back-up and other safeguards, unparalleled in the industry.
- Comprehensive Customer Service – Our consultants are friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and are available to answer service-related questions toll-free at our service center. You will not be talking to a member of a call bank but to a servicer dedicated to you.
This package includes everything in the Financial Aid Forms Filing, Student Positioning and Awards Analysis packages. Specifically:
- Intro Package / Phone Call - This part outlines steps that will be completed by College Funding Service Center and notes when the client can anticipate completion of each step. During the introductory call, clients are told when to expect their introductory package and advised as to what their first steps should be.
- Access to Engus.info - The College Funding Service Center’s one-of-a-kind, web-based application is a content-rich client web portal dedicated to the needs of college bound families. Parents will find financial planning information, college planning guides, award status, and a schedule of due dates for forms filling, among other resources. For students, Engus offers career guides, test preparation services, a schedule of deadline dates and guidance for admissions application. Essay service is not part of the product however is offered as an a la carte service.
- Focus 2 Explore Career Planner - Focus2Explore is an online program designed to confirm or discover a student's career goals. The aptitude assessment aids students in searching for possible career avenues and encourages the pursuit of an appropriate major. This step can conceivably reduce the overall cost of a higher education by making a bachelor's degree attainable in the normal four-year time frame.
- Student Positioning Session – The student will participate in two powerful positioning sessions to help the college-bound family find a school that is a fit academically, socially, and financially. It involves an in-depth review of Focus 2 Explore results and the student’s interests through the guidance of an experienced educational counselor. Included in the consultation is a college search based on customized search criteria, the results of which consist of data sheets that outline the general, administrative, and financial information on each college.
- Interactive Online Program Tool - This tool will save the student and family hundreds of hours of time. Intended to be used as an adjunct to the Student Positioning Session, the tool accessed through Engus allows clients to add/drop colleges from their inventory of prospective schools, and view and print general, administrative and financial data sheets on over 1,900 U.S. colleges and universities. Interactive capabilities are included which allow students to explore a “what if” scenario, should they improve their standardized test scores.
- Data Verification Session - CFSC personally works with clients to verify the accuracy of the financial data used to complete financial aid applications. By use of our internet-based system, clients have the opportunity to agree to the accuracy of all data before any financial aid forms are filed. Financial forms will not be filed until the family agrees to the accuracy during data verification.
- Financial Aid Timeline – CFSC proactively requests a college picks list beginning August 15th and every two weeks thereafter, until we get a final list of colleges to which the student is applying. They then establish individual time lines for financial aid forms filing and admissions applications.
- Completion of the FAFSA - This is required by every college-bound student and family, even by the student who will not receive need-based assistance. This form must be completed to qualify for federal aid, most state programs, and is often required for institutional merit-based aid.
- CSS PROFILE Registration - Filing the CSS PROFILE is a two-step process, first the registration, then the application. This form is required by certain colleges for financial aid consideration and you must register to file the CSS PROFILE.
- CSS PROFILE Completion - The CSS PROFILE is more complicated than the FAFSA. Additionally, the information needs to be consistent with that which appears on the FAFSA. The application, too, is completed electronically for the family. The additional cost of filing incurred by the College Board is the responsibility of the client family.
- Financial Aid Forms Completion - An additional service where The College Funding Service Center takes care of all need-based financial aid forms required by the specific colleges. Some schools have their own need-based forms that as just as important as the CSS PROFILE and the FAFSA. The institutional financial aid forms are completed. It is the responsibility of the family to review, sign and submit the completed form to the college. This step does not include non-need-based applications such as college scholarship applications or admissions applications.
- Online Awards Analysis - This program provides a breakdown of an award package by offering two reports. The first report analyzes the award offer from the colleges’ viewpoint, including non-free money such as student loans and work-study programs. The second report analyzes from the families’ viewpoint (free money only) without long-term student loans or work-study programs. These reports make it crystal clear what the client’s true cost is for their first year in college.
- Award Letters/Appeal Support – The College Funding Service Center will help determine if it is to the family’s benefit to appeal any of the awards sent to the family. If an appeal is deemed appropriate, CFSC will assist with the appeal process by consulting with the client on an appeal letter and coaching them about how to have a dialogue with the college regarding the appeal.
- Loan Option Information - Resources are provided regarding Private and Federal loan options. The College Funding Service Center provides the family with a college loan booklet which addresses important loan topics.
- Monthly Teleconferences - These are live and interactive with College Funding Service Center’s Director, Al Hoffman. These teleconferences are group settings, discussing in detail an assortment of college-bound topics in chronological order. The teleconferences portion of the program starts in January of the junior year.
- College Reminder Emails - These content rich emails provide an overview of the college planning topic or topics of the month. These monthly college reminders start as early as September of the Freshman Year to August of the senior/college summer.
- Status Calls / Emails - CFSC provides monthly emails and calls to ensure the student/family are well aware of the next step in the program.
- Data Privacy and Security - The College Funding Service Center treats this topic with utmost concern. They will secure your data by using hybrid information security systems, data back-up and other safeguards, unparalleled in the industry.
- Comprehensive Customer Service – CFSC consultants are friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and are available to answer service-related questions toll-free at our service center. You will not be talking to a member of a call bank but to a servicer dedicated to you.