There are several tools to make sure that students fill out FAFSA forms correctly. One helpful hint is, do everything online. Tell students not to mail anything; get a FAFSA pin and do everything online. Our office has access to FAFSA information within 10 days of a student’s submission. It’s the most efficient way to conduct all financial aid business.
To read more helpful hints about FAFSA, make sure to check out Union College's Guidance Blog at http://www.unioncollegeguidance.com/overcoming-fafsa-fear-helping-students-and-families-tackle-financial-aid/
Sarahof NY4:04PM April 04, 2012
Oh Yes, Just submitted my 2012-2013 Fafsa. One shortcut I recommend is to check the box not to include parents information. If you want the EFC=$0 (Estimated Family contribution) Its much quicker,, especially for us grown adults where it is not applicable.. You have to fill out your Fafsa in order to qualify for the non-credit based Stafford Loans. This Years Pell Grant is $5350 towards your tuition. Go for it its Free!
Jules
Julieof CA1:40AM January 28, 2012
So is this true, when asked about your NET WORTH you do not include any retirement or 401(k) plans?
L.DeLeonof OH3:37PM January 27, 2012
Did anyone catch this "between the lines" message in the passage below?:
"I've run across plenty of parents who worry that they messed up when completing their FAFSA. Paula Bishop, a CPA in Bellevue, Wash. and a friend of mine who has handled countless financial aid applications for clients, told me that she has never seen a FAFSA form completed by parents that didn't contain at least one error."
Sounds like O'Shaughnessy is subtlely advocating that parents pay to help have their FAFSA prepared. I seriously doubt that her CPA friend is preparing FAFSAs for free. How about encouraging parents and students to work with the school's financial aid office in completing their FAFSA? Every financial professional I've met and work with would be glad to help parents and student complete the FAFSA, and also help them check for errors. Let's not forget the "free" part of the FAFSA acronym.
SFA professionalof IL1:02PM January 13, 2011
Generally, the "legal custodial" parent IS the parent that the student lives with the most during the preceding 12 month period which the FAFSA examines. In those cases where it cannot be determined which parent the student spent the most time, the federal governments tie breaker is to report the parent with the highest income, NOT the lowest.
The feds might see your advice as encouraging "gaming" the financial aid application process. You are correct about one thing though, it will generally ruin the students and parents day when they are told to correct their FAFSA by removing the incorrect parent data and replacing it with the correct parent's data.
You journalists are NOT financial aid experts, just because you have a bully pulpit, try to do a better job. You make it more difficult for those of us who are experts. Thanks!
FAOof PA11:21AM January 13, 2011
Your last comment under #4 implies students can and should pick the parent with the lowest income. Of course this is not true. Students can't decide which parent to pick - they have to abide by federal regulations. Could families make living arrangement decisions in anticipation of these rules? They could, but for students whose families are going through divorce or separation financial aid is the least of their worries. So many students make bad decisions based on hearsay or incomplete information to make these decisions - which is almost always wrong. The question of "which parent" is a common error, you are right. The best source for an answer on this and any financial aid question is the school's financial aid office. We are there to help - we are not the enemy! Call us!
Leslie Turner, Financial Aid, IU Southeastof IN3:26PM January 12, 2011
This was a good quick read. I appriciated the ideas and hadn't thought about the video resources online for this subject. Occationally I do browse You Tube for this kind of material and sometimes I find some really helpful stuff.
SFA Professional of CAof CA12:54PM January 12, 2011
I realize that negatives sell papers (or make contact on advertised web pages) but SFA Professional of IL is correct. Writing this in a positive light would ease parents fear and start to remove the drama surrounding the FAFSA process. Yes, completing the FAFSA is a chore. But it is SOOOOOO much easier than it used to be. I am an aid administrator and also teach financial aid to high school counselors, and the comments I receive is that FAFSA isn't as bad as they thought.
It is time to give the US Dept of Education some credit for the excellent job they have done to streamline this federal form.
We could always go back to the paper process! Talk about scary!
Maureenof CA12:28PM January 12, 2011
As a financial aid professional I appreciate that you're trying to urge parents and student to complete the FAFSA sooner, but you're clearly trying to create negative hype so people will read your article. Nothing you've included in your article is new information, and it seems all you're trying to do created unneeded drama for worried parents by putting a negative spin on your article. Additionally, your information in point #4 is paritally incorrect and may misdirect parents to complete the FAFSA with errors.
How about trying to ease parents fears about the financial aid process? Financial aid professionals are advocates for parents and students. Our job is to do everything we can help families maximize their financial aid awards, and to help students stay enrolled in college through graduation. You could start the article with "ask for help" and add something about "follow up with the college or university's financial aid office".
Reader Comments
Back to blog
Sarah of NY 4:04PM April 04, 2012
Julie of CA 1:40AM January 28, 2012
L.DeLeon of OH 3:37PM January 27, 2012
SFA professional of IL 1:02PM January 13, 2011
FAO of PA 11:21AM January 13, 2011
Leslie Turner, Financial Aid, IU Southeast of IN 3:26PM January 12, 2011
SFA Professional of CA of CA 12:54PM January 12, 2011
Maureen of CA 12:28PM January 12, 2011
SFA professional of IL 11:36AM January 12, 2011