Big changes are ahead for college bound seniors. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA, was available earlier than in years past.
Typically, the application went live on Jan. 1 of each year. Students planning to attend universities for the upcoming fall semester would then fill it out. However, this year the FAFSA, for the first time, went live on Oct. 1.
With more than 22 million submissions, the FAFSA is one of the most important steps in the college process.
“The form is really complex,” principal Tom Lietz said, “but there’s no more important thing a senior can do than fill out the FAFSA with their parents.”
It is crucel to fill out the form as soon as possible to allow for the maximized amount of aid. Waiting too long to file may influence the amount of aid recieved, since money can be given on a first-come, first serve basis in some cases.
“Understanding how to fill it out is very important, too,” Lietz said. “If you go onto Naviance and do the FAFSA training, it will go through step by step and teach you.”
While the process can appear daunting, this year’s new edition will be not only easier, but quicker, too. The process, which once took hours, will now take a significantly less amount of time to complete.
The amount of aid received will depend on need of the individual. Information from 2015 tax documents will be pulled to help determine the aid amount given to the student.
The process will match you with state aid and give applicants access to other types, as well.
“I think it’s really helpful that we get a chance to cut costs of tuition,” senior Emily Ludwa said. “It makes the process less daunting.”
College is a big investment. Getting as much aid as possible will be very beneficial. Aid, in combination with scholarships, can greatly reduce the cost.
“The college process is stressful,” Ludwa said, “but having tools like FAFSA ensures it’s less of a challenge.”