When to Apply for Financial Aid

Deadlines are extremely important in the financial aid process because aid is given out on a first come first serve basis and once the money is gone it's gone. Since it takes a few weeks to process the FAFSA, especially if you use the paper forms, it is a good idea to submit your FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1. The sooner you complete the FAFSA, the more money you will receive for college!

  How to Apply for Financial Aid

You apply for need-based financial aid by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial aid is given out each year, so you must reapply each year. To complete the FAFSA step by step:

1. Pick up the form from your Access counselor.
2. Fill it out with your parents, don't forget all the signatures.
3. Bring it back to the counselor so they can file it on line; it is much quicker to file on-line. If you or your parents have questions you can make an appointment to have them answered.

After your Access counselor files it, they will print a signature page for you to sign. They will then mail it off and that's it.

  What if I want to File the FAFSA online myself?

Go to www.pin.ed.gov and request a PIN if you don't already have one in hand. You will be required to use a PIN to ensure the privacy of the information you are submitting when you sign the form electronically. You will need records of your parent's income earned in the year prior to when you will start school.

You will need the following:

• Your social security card & driver's license
• W-2 forms or other income records
• You &Your parent's Federal Income Tax Return, and Business records if applicable
• Records of other untaxed income
• Current bank statements and records of stocks, bonds, and other investments

  Completing a FAFSA online

1. Log on to www.fafsa.ed.gov and select entering a FAFSA online.
2. Select the Fill Out a FAFSA.
3. Select the school year & form you would like to fill out.
4. You will need to enter your social security number, First two letters of Your Last Name, Date of birth, and PIN to use the Renewal FAFSA on the Web or FAFSA corrections on the Web.
5. If you choose to fill out a regular FAFSA on the Web application, select whether you want to sign using a PIN or not. If you do not have a PIN, select 'No'. You'll have the option to print a signature page later in the application.
6. Fill out or make corrections to your chosen form. After you finish, the program will check your form for missing information and inconsistent answers.

  What Happens Next

After you send off your FAFSA, your information will be processed and your EFC calculated. The results will be sent to you in the form of a document called a Student Aid Report or SAR. This form will also be sent to the schools you listed on the FAFSA. It is important to review your SAR and make sure everything is correct; if anything is wrong your ACCESS counselor can help you fix it.

Once you have been accepted to a college or university you will receive an award letter from the financial aid office. Your award letter will detail your financial aid package. Most school's award packages will combine scholarships, grants, loans and work-study.

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