This office handles financial aid in the forms of loans, grants and federal and state financial aid programs. It does not handle scholarship applications. Texas has a lot of great state programs, and students might be able to qualify for state money even if they don't qualify for a federal Pell Grant. This is the only application the FAO deals with, but it has to be filled out perfectly and have all extra tax information attached for students to qualify. For this reason, anyone who works in the FAO is willing to go over the application with any student before it is mailed.
Students can also complete the application over the Internet.
MSU's web page has a link from the financial aid page to the application. Because the application is for federal money, students can fill out the application and send it to other schools if they are planning to transfer to a different school. When a student sends the application in the mail, it takes four to six weeks to process, but if the application is filled out on the Internet, it usually takes two to three weeks, Neely said. Only 48 percent of students ended up getting some type of financial aid for the '98-'99 school year, according to Neely. Aid is given out on the basis of need, not academic achievement.