Mapping Your Future: Online Counseling
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Stafford Entrance Counseling

Alfred State College in Alfred, NY

Alfred State College - SUNY College of Technology

Welcome to your Federal Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling Session!  This convenient, online session explains your rights and responsibilities for the Federal Stafford loan you are borrowing.  Federal Student Aid regulations require loan entrance counseling for all new students borrowing their first Stafford loan before the Stafford Loan can be disbursed.   An e-mail confirmation will notify the Financial Aid Office when you have completed your loan counseling session.

Here is some important information you need to know.

Half-time enrollment is defined as being enrolled between 6 to 11 credit hours per semester during the standard academic year.  The same definition applies for summer term.  A student who is enrolled less than 6 credit hours during a term in the standard academic year or summer is considered ineligible for federal Stafford loans, ACG grant and campus-based aid including college work study, SEOG, Perkins loan and Nursing Loan. 

Once a student is reported as being enrolled less than half-time, any federal Stafford loans the student has received will enter the designated grace period of 6 months.  After the 6 month grace period has expired the Stafford loan will go into repayment.  Once a grace period has been exhausted it cannot be renewed, even if a student re-enrolls in a subsequent term.  A student can request an in-school deferment from their lender or servicer but the loan will go directly into repayment once the student ceases enrollment or falls below 6 credit hours.

Students who decide to leave college before the end of an academic term must process a Withdrawal or Leave of Absence.  The last day to process a withdrawal is the Friday before final exams.  Students begin the withdrawal process by first meeting with their academic advisor.  Withdrawing students are provided a checklist of departments that need to sign off on the withdrawal form including Residential Life, Student Financial Services, dining services, and library.  Failure to follow the withdrawal process will result in the student receiving Fs for the course work attempted and will show on the Official Status Report of the college as an academic dismissal. 

Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence will also be subject to a Return to Title IV funds calculation.  Under federal student aid regulations when a student withdraws during an academic term a proration formula is applied to the student's charges and federal financial aid.  This can result in some or all of a student's federal aid being returned to the funding source and the student may owe the college a bill.

Prior to a student withdrawal or within 30 days after a student withdrawal the Office of Student Financial Services will provide the student information on completing a Stafford Loan Exit Counseling.  The Exit Counseling will offer the student information on repayment options including loan consolidation as well as the consequences of not repaying your Federal Stafford Loan.

Once your Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling is finalized you will be ready to complete your Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note or mpn. 

The Office of Student Financial Services at Alfred State College will  provide you with a list of suggested lenders based on product quality and service.  However, borrowers have the option of choosing any lender that participates in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) with the exception of the Federal Direct Loan.

The average indebtednes for students completing a two year degree program at Alfred State College is $12,000.  Using the maximum interest rate of 8.25 percent the monthly payment would be $147.18 based on the standard 10 year repayment schedule of 120 months.  The average indebtedness for students completing a four year degree program at Alfred State College is $27,000.  Using the maximum interest rate of 8.25 percent the monthly payment would be $331.16 based on the standard repayment schedule of 120 months.

Questions regarding a borrower's rights and responsibilities for the terms and conditions of the Federal Stafford Loan can be directed to:

Robin Harrington

Office of Student Financial Services

SUNY Afred State College

Alfred, NY  14802

email: fao@alfredstate.edu

phone: 1-800-425-3733

fax: 607-587-4298

More information about financial aid and your financial aid awards is available at www.alfredstate.edu/my-finaid.  You can also contact us by phone at 1.800.4.ALFRED or via e-mail at FAO@alfredstate.edu. 


MYF Disclaimer:

The information above is wholly the product of the school represented herein. Mapping Your Future, and its individual sponsoring members, do not guarantee or warrant the correctness, completeness, accuracy, or any other characteristic of this content and shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or cause of action arising out of the content.


Stafford Entrance Counseling Session Instructions

Before You Start

  • Ensure you meet the browser and system requirements:
    • You must use at least Internet Explorer 6.0 or Mozilla Firefox 1.0. Get a browser now.
    • You can use any Internet service provider (ISP) to connect to the Internet; however, you should access this counseling session using one of the browsers above after you've connected. Do NOT use the ISP's browser, such as AOL or MSN--you won't be able to complete the student form at the end of the session!
    • You must enable JavaScript in your browser.

  • PARENTS: Please don't complete the counseling session on behalf of your son or daughter, as this federal requirement helps the student understand the rights and responsibilities of borrowing a student loan.

  • You will need about 25 minutes to complete this counseling session.

  • You will need the following information:
    • Your Social Security number
    • Your driver's license number

  • You might need the following information:
    • Name, address, telephone number, and employer for your spouse, if applicable
    • Names, addresses, telephone numbers, and employers for your next of kin and/or parent
    • Names, addresses, telephone numbers, and employers for two references residing at different addresses
    • NOTE: Providing names and information for your spouse, parent, next of kin, and references does not obligate them to assist with repayment of your loan. Regulations require you provide this data so your loan holder can locate you, if, in the future, they have an invalid address or phone number.

  • The student loan calculator in this session will help you calculate your estimated monthly payment. If you aren't sure how much you'll borrow, you can ask your school for the average student loan indebtedness of borrowers at the school or in your program of study at the school.

What to Do

  • Read the content and answer the questions.
  • Fill out the student information form. Use the comment box for any comments or questions you have for your school.
  • Print the confirmation page that appears after you fill out the student information form or note your confirmation number for your records.

NOTE: Generally, the Back and Forward buttons on your browser will not work once you begin the counseling session.  Use the buttons within the counseling to navigate.

NOTICE: The information you provide for loan counseling may be disclosed to third parties, such as your lender, lender servicer, school servicer, subsequent loan holder, or guarantor, as authorized under routine uses in the appropriate system of records and as may be authorized or required by federal regulations.