Financial Counseling

The Supporting Inclusive Success initiative will include a pre-matriculation financial counseling component that provides professional outreach to incoming low-income and first-generation students and their families each summer prior to matriculation. This service will help students and their parents understand in a deeper way the financial implications of their financial aid packages in relation to the costs of a Pacific education. To provide this new service, Pacific will train staff and faculty advisors in the nuances of financial aid and loan packages. The advisors then will reach out to applicants and offer personalized review of financial aid in relation to academic planning.

For students who accept counseling, the advisor will set an appointment for in-person or telephone counseling, during which the advisor will review and explain the financial aid award letter as well as counsel on strategies to meet unmet need. Depending on the student’s income, first-generation and academic profile, the counselor will alert the student to special support services that they may be eligible for, including reduced-cost participation in Voyages or an invitation to enroll in a section of the new College Success fall course. 

For students who decline counseling, Pacific will send information about how they can request assistance at any point they need it.