Seniors – Go fill out the FAFSA!
It’s tax time, and you’ll want to ask your parents to get those taxes wrapped up so you can fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
The FAFSA is the form you need to fill out to apply for college funding. In fact, this application is responsible for deciding the disbursement of billions in grants, loans, and work-study funds each year.
For example, the Federal Pell Grant (which does not need to be repaid) provides $5,775 a year (though the amount you qualify for will depend on financial need).
Go fill out the FAFSA!
There are a few requirements to qualify. I recommend checking out FAFSA’s Basic Eligibility Criteria page. Even if you don’t think you’d be able to demonstrate a financial need (perhaps your parents are oil tycoons with a super yacht and a private jet), fill out the FAFSA anyway. It doesn’t hurt.
Go fill out the FAFSA!
Here’s the cool part. You don’t have to know what school you are attending yet! The FAFSA allows you to list multiple potential schools (a lot of them) that you may attend. So have some schools you want to list at the ready. Check out the FAFSA’s Filling Out the FAFSA page and scroll down to the Gathering the Documents Needed to Apply section to review a list of items you’ll need for the form.
Go fill out the FAFSA!
The application may take you 45 minutes to complete. You can save the application if you need to step away or collect additional personal information to finish the form. You want to fill out this application as soon as possible! So start now! You can also take a trip to a college you are interested in attending and even visit its financial aid office for assistance when filling out the form if needed. This can be a great opportunity to inquire about additional local scholarships or last-minute funding opportunities the college may have available.
Go fill out the FAFSA!
Finally, the FAFSA has a YouTube playlist with lots of helpful videos. Specifically, check out the “How to Fill Out the FAFSA” video below.
So, you get the point…go fill out the FAFSA!
Post by Sarah Powers, Former Instructional Designer at FLVS