The most important form that you can fill out each year in regards to your college funding is the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This single document holds the key to your financial aid that you will be awarded from the government. It does expire each and every year, even if all your financial information has remained the same. The proper completion of the form is crucial and should be completed and submitted around January 2nd of each year. You may be one of the lucky few who have financial aid advisors or counselors on campus to help you out, but if you have to wing it on your own, here are a few tips to help you out.
One of the things that you will notice right away as you research how to fill it out online is that there are many companies that want to charge you for the application. What you must realize is that the form is 100% free and you can obtain it without much hassle from the government website. They have PDF forms in both Spanish and English that you can download for easy use to help you along. The most important thing about filling out the form is that you must fill it out completely and accurately. Even the sections that do not pertain to you must be crossed out so that the processors understand that you have read the question and it does not pertain to you.
As mentioned, most campus offices are fully aware of and experienced with the FAFSA, and you will do well to allow a counselor or financial aid officer to compile the resources and application for you. All of the information on the first two sections is extremely important. Whether you are a legally emancipated minor, a legal alien, a U.S. citizen, or an adult who didn?t finish high school, the information that you enter here must be accurate and provable. If you have opted for the online application process, you might want to get all of your vital information together before you begin.
As you may have suspected, there are some very basic pieces of information that will be required of you including your full name, maiden and aliases, and your social security number or proof of your legal alien status. If you are a dependent, you will need the same information for your guardian. If your parents have divorced, then you must provide the information of the parent with whom you spent the majority of the past 12 months. Your permanent address is defined as the address where you reside when you complete the application (not your future college address).
At any time you can speak with a specialist about your situation f you feel that you have extenuating circumstances. There is a phone number provided both o the form itself as well as on the website that will point you in the right direction. Also, as a way to help you further, there is a checklist of documents that you can gather to make your experience more enjoyable and productive. If you opt for the paper version, you can print it off the site, have one mailed to you or request one from your school?s financial aid office or even your local library.
One of the things that you will notice right away as you research how to fill it out online is that there are many companies that want to charge you for the application. What you must realize is that the form is 100% free and you can obtain it without much hassle from the government website. They have PDF forms in both Spanish and English that you can download for easy use to help you along. The most important thing about filling out the form is that you must fill it out completely and accurately. Even the sections that do not pertain to you must be crossed out so that the processors understand that you have read the question and it does not pertain to you.
As mentioned, most campus offices are fully aware of and experienced with the FAFSA, and you will do well to allow a counselor or financial aid officer to compile the resources and application for you. All of the information on the first two sections is extremely important. Whether you are a legally emancipated minor, a legal alien, a U.S. citizen, or an adult who didn?t finish high school, the information that you enter here must be accurate and provable. If you have opted for the online application process, you might want to get all of your vital information together before you begin.
As you may have suspected, there are some very basic pieces of information that will be required of you including your full name, maiden and aliases, and your social security number or proof of your legal alien status. If you are a dependent, you will need the same information for your guardian. If your parents have divorced, then you must provide the information of the parent with whom you spent the majority of the past 12 months. Your permanent address is defined as the address where you reside when you complete the application (not your future college address).
At any time you can speak with a specialist about your situation f you feel that you have extenuating circumstances. There is a phone number provided both o the form itself as well as on the website that will point you in the right direction. Also, as a way to help you further, there is a checklist of documents that you can gather to make your experience more enjoyable and productive. If you opt for the paper version, you can print it off the site, have one mailed to you or request one from your school?s financial aid office or even your local library.
About the Author:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About The Author: Brandon Hansen is a college funding enthusiast and expert. His website at http://www.myschoolplans.com/ offers simple yet effective guide on how you can correctly complete the FAFSA application and avoid errors and inaccuracies.
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