Counselor, Financial Aid

Youngstown State University; Youngstown (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Youngstown State University seeks a financial aid counselor to guide students and families through all aspects of federal and institutional aid. You will verify information, assist with FAFSA, and apply professional judgment in accordance with regulations to determine eligibility.

Responsibilities include outreach, on-campus and off-campus presentations, and collaborating with departments to resolve enrollment issues while ensuring compliance with audit and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher is required or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in financial aid counseling or related field is preferred.
• Knowledge of federal financial aid programs and regulations is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Counsel students and parents on financial aid options.
• Assist with FAFSA completion and verification processes.
• Evaluate professional judgment requests with proper documentation.
• Provide information on federal programs, scholarships, and loans.
• Explain Title IV refunds and consequences of withdrawal.
• Conduct outreach and present at high school and university programs.
• Perform mandated verifications and support audit documentation.
• Train new hires and help develop office guidelines.

Skills

Counseling

Communication

Customer service

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Associate degree + 2 years experience

High school diploma or GED + 4 years experience

Job description

Counsels students regarding financial aid matters and conducts outreach services. Provides verification/documentation of Federal Student Aid Reports and utilizes professional judgment to initiate overrides of data used in federal methodology.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Counsels students and parents concerning financial aid, financial aid planning, debt management, federal methodology, and student problem resolution.

Assists students and/or parents in completing federal financial aid application (FAFSA), completing verification, and adjusting income or other pertinent data on the FAFSA.

Evaluates and processes student requests for professional judgment according to established criteria; ensures appropriate documentation is obtained to support professional judgment decisions for audit and regulatory purposes.

Provides financial aid information to students regarding all aspects of financial aid, including Veteran Programs, Pell Grants, Ohio Grants, Federal Family Education Loan Programs, scholarships, and special programs.

Provides estimates of financial aid eligibility; collaborates with university constituents to resolve student enrollment/registration issues.

Counsels students regarding federal Title IV refund policy and subsequent financial consequences of doing complete withdrawal from classes.

Conducts outreach activities including off‑campus presentations such as high school financial aid nights as well as University programs; represents office as required.

Conducts mandated verifications of Institutional Student Information Records in accordance with US Department of Education guidelines, State guidelines, and University policy. Assesses adequacy of documentation provided by students and resolves conflicting information. Tracks files and follows‑up with additional requests or phone calls when necessary.

Assists in development of office policy and procedure analysis as needed. Assists in developing office guidelines for professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress, and loans, if needed.

Analyzes students’ financial needs to determine eligibility for financial aid.

Other Functions and Responsibilities

Assists with training new hires.

Performs other duties as assigned and/or required that are within the level of responsibility for this classification at the discretion of the supervisor.

Work Schedule

Typically, Monday through Friday.

Primary Location

Youngstown

Supervision Exercised

May exercise supervision over student employees.

Reports To

Associate Director, Technology and Compliance

Required Certifications, Training, and/or Licensures

None

Sponsorship and/or Work Authorization Status

This position is not eligible for sponsorship.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of: University policies and procedures*; office practices and procedures; department/division goals and objectives*; department/division policies and procedures*; workplace safety practices and procedures*; English grammar and spelling; records management; office management; project management.

Skill in: Use of office equipment; typing, data entry; computer operation; use of computer software and other programs applicable to the assigned department/division*; excellent communication and customer service skills; effective organizational skills with attention to detail.

Ability to: Maintain an even temperament in stressful situations and communicates effectively on an individual and group basis;deal with problems involving several variables within familiar context;define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; determine material and equipment needs; calculate fractions, decimals, and percentages; compile and prepare reports; use proper research methods to gather data; understand a variety of written and/or verbal communications; prepare accurate documentation; maintain records according to established procedures; travel to and gain access to work site; effectively interact with personnel and public to answer routine questions; train or instruct others; move quickly and effectively from one task to another; work independently and in a team environment; develop and maintain effective working relationships.; must be able to maintain even temperament in stressful situations and have ability to communicate on individual and group basis.

(*) Developed after employment.

Minimum Qualifications

At least a bachelor’s degree; OR at least an associate degree and two years of related and/or equivalent experience; OR a high school diploma or GED and at least four years of related and/or equivalent experience (college internship or co‑op experiences to be included).

Preferred Qualifications

Degree in business, student personnel, or another related field. Financial aid experience. Knowledge of personal income tax and counseling experience. Knowledge of federal financial aid programs and supporting regulations.

Physical Requirements

In accordance with the U.S. Department of Labor physical demands strength ratings, this position will perform light work.

Light

work involves exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects, requiring: (1) walking or standing to a significant degree; (2) sitting most of the time while pushing or pulling arm or leg controls; or (3) working at a production rate pace while constantly pushing or pulling materials even though the weight or the materials is negligible. (The constant stress and strain of maintaining a production rate pace, especially in an industrial setting, can be and is physically demanding of a worker even though the amount of force exerted is negligible.)