Financial aid brochure

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If you’re wondering how to pay for higher education, you’re not alone. Most U.S. families finance college with the help of SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, LOANS and CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT. We’ll help you tap these resources so you can afford the college experience you want. To learn more, review the enclosed tuition and financial aid information and visit www.nwciowa.edu/financial-aid.

99% of Northwestern students get financial aid.

• More than 700 Northwestern College scholarships are available through the generosity of NWC alumni and supporters. All enrolled students are automatically screened to determine eligibility for these scholarships.

90% 95%

of Northwestern graduates finish college in 4 years or less. So in addition to earning more, you’ll be earning earlier than your public university peers, about half of whom take 5 or 6 years to graduate.

of NWC alumni are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation. Their employers and schools include:

Omnitech • Ernst & Young • Sanford Health • Denver Housing Authority • Homeland Security Policy Institute • The Mead Center for American Theater • Princeton Theological Seminary • Rift Valley Academy, Kenya • University of Iowa • Duke University

•

Students who intend to play for the Raiders or participate in art, music and/or theatre may receive co-curricular scholarships. Ask your counselor to connect you with a coach or professor in your area of co-curricular interest.

• Iowa offers the Iowa Tuition Grant to in-state students who qualify, and Legacy Grants are available to students with a family or church connection to NWC. • NWC students who finance college with loans have approximately the same amount of debt as similar graduates from Iowa’s public universities.

23%

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FINANCIAL AID

52% FAMILY INCOMES FOR NWC FRESHMEN n Up to $50,000 n $50,001 to 100,000 n $100,001+

Estimate your scholarships at www.nwciowa.edu/scholarships

How to apply for financial aid Applying for financial aid may seem complex until you understand the steps.

We’re here to guide you and answer any questions. Contact our office any time: 712-707-7131 • FAX 712-707-7165 finaid@nwciowa.edu

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Step 1 Apply for admission to Northwestern College: www.nwciowa.edu/apply.

(We recommend you apply by mid-December.)

Step 2 As soon as possible after Jan. 1, your parents should complete their

income taxes.

Step 3 Three weeks after your parents’ taxes are filed, submit a FAFSA:

www.fafsa.ed.gov. You’ll need Northwestern’s federal school code: 001883. We recommend using FAFSA’s Data Retrieval function, which pulls information directly from your tax filing.

Step 4 After you complete the FAFSA, you’ll receive a summary of the

information you provided on a SAR (Student Aid Report); make sure it’s accurate. Your family’s expected family contribution (EFC) is determined by the federal government, not Northwestern College.

Step 5 If you have submitted a FAFSA between Jan. 1 and March 1, you’ll

receive a financial aid package from Northwestern in mid-March. If you submit after March 1, your financial aid package will arrive 10 to 14 days after you complete the FAFSA. Your financial aid package will be the best package we can offer. We don’t revise packages unless your family has experienced a major financial change.

Step 6 Review your Northwestern financial aid package and compare your

NWC out-of-pocket costs to the out-of-pocket costs of other colleges you’re considering before you make your college decision.

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www.nwciowa.edu/financial-aid

”

After visiting 10 Christian liberal arts colleges, Northwestern was my top choice, and the generous financial aid package was a significant factor in my decision.

Laura Jonker, Christian education major from Brandon, Wis.