Financial Counseling & Resources
2-step Financial Aid Graduation Requirement
First Step
DVM Financial Aid Repayment Counseling:
Graduating 4th-year students who received Financial Aid must schedule a Student Loan Exit Counseling appointment as part of their DVM graduation requirement. This mandatory counseling session with the Veterinary financial aid office ensures students have all the information they need to manage student loan repayment successfully.
Second Step
Online Exit Interview:
Students will receive an email explaining the online exit interview component in late April. Depending on the types of loans you received, this email will come from either Cornell University Financial Aid (for Federal Direct Loans) and/or the billing servicer Heartland ECSI (for Health Professions Student Loans). We recommend waiting until after the DVM counseling session to complete the online portion of the exit interview.
Resources
Kristin Pennock, AFC, Director, DVM Student Financial Planning
Kristin Pennock is committed to helping students achieve financial confidence as Director of Student Financial Planning at the College of Veterinary Medicine. As an accredited financial counselor, she provides guidance on financial aid, budgeting, and loan repayment.
Kristin’s approach centers on financial well-being—ensuring every student has the tools to make informed decisions and feel at peace with their finances. Whether you borrow student loans or not, Kristin is here to help you navigate your financial future with clarity and confidence. Connect with Kristin to explore resources and personalized strategies.
Read the DVM Monthly Financial Aid Newsletter to save time and money.
Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft
1. Review Your Credit Report Regularly
To monitor for signs of identity theft, it is essential to review your credit report on a routine basis. Visit www.annualcreditreport.com, the official and only source for free weekly credit reports from the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Carefully examine each report for:
- Incorrect personal information
- Unfamiliar accounts
- Any activity you do not recognize.
Promptly dispute any errors with the reporting agency.
2. Place a Security Freeze on Your Credit
Consider placing a security freeze on your credit file. This free service prevents new credit accounts from being opened in your name by restricting access to your credit report. A freeze does not impact your credit score and can be temporarily lifted if you need to apply for credit.
You must contact each credit bureau individually to initiate a freeze:
3. Protect Your Child’s Credit
If you have children, placing a credit freeze on their files until they reach adulthood is a proactive way to safeguard them from identity theft.
Paying Your Bill
The Office of the Bursar at Cornell University serves as the university's primary hub for managing student-related financial matters, encompassing tuition, fees, and related expenses.
Veterinary Student Wellbeing
Veterinary students face an extraordinary amount of pressure. Coursework, labs, exams... all of this, combined with financial stressors and the overall expectations around animal care, can sometimes be overwhelming. The CVM wellbeing team encourages you to peruse the resources below, look at some of the CVM-specific webinars available, and keep up to date on any upcoming college wellbeing events.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (cfpb)
CFPB provides guides and resources for your financial journey. Expand below to learn more about paying for college, navigating the military, financial lifecycle, etc.
Student Loans Topics
Money Management
Servicemembers and Veterans Publications
Access all CFPB’s Servicemembers and Veterans Publications
Military Lending Act Applicability flow chart
Federal Student Aid.Gov
Check out the Federal Student Aid.gov resource page for more information and FAFSA resources.