What I Wish My Friends Knew About FAFSA

What I've Learned

(The Hard Way)


1. File your FAFSA personally. Don't make your parents do it. Get used to doing it yourself.

2. Create Your FSA ID Before January. This goes for both the student and the parent. Although you can file for them the day you fill out FAFSA, they take 1-3 days to process. Since they're good for 18 months, go ahead and file for your FSA ID's early.

3. File your taxes as soon as possible and don't lose your copy. However, if you misplace your copy, you can always request a free summary (Transcript) of your tax information from the IRS. It takes a few days though. 

4. Know what documents you'll need before you file.

5. Don't Procrastinate! State funding runs out in early February.

6. It's okay if your expected family contribution  (EFC) doesn't seem realistic - most everyone feels that way.

7. Always state your interest in all of the available loans/grants. Don't limit your options.

8. Fill out a Practice Worksheet. By printing off last year's form and filling it out ahead of time, you'll have a pre-filled form ready to quickly transfer over to the current online application.

Hope this helps. Happy Filing!

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