A primer on financial aid

It is apparent that financial aid is a complicated, ever-changing business. The information provided in this article is only the tip of the financial aid iceberg. As student debt levels continue to increase, I encourage deans to work cooperatively with their financial aid officers. Invite your financial aid officers to participate in orientation and other pre- and post-admission activities, help facilitate effective entrance and exist interviews, and encourage financial aid officers to meet and work with your students on a frequent basis. I also strongly encourage you to support their participation in national meetings such as the Professional Development Conference (PDC) for Health Professionals (which AADS cosponsors with the AAMC) and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Officers (NASFAA). Participation in annual conferences is an important way for financial aid officers to network with other officers and to learn about important new legislation.