This site uses cookies to improve your experience. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country, we will assume you are from the United States. Select your Cookie Settings or view our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Used for the proper function of the website
Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Strictly Necessary: Used for the proper function of the website
Performance/Analytics: Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
High school seniors who are ready to unlock financial aid and take the next step toward your education, it’s time to file your FAFSA. Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is one of the most important tasks you’ll need to tackle as you prepare for college. How to do it: Go to fsaid.ed.gov to create your ID.
FAFSA Deadline: The FAFSA deadline (Federal) is June 30 th 2025. However, it is recommended to submit the FAFSA by the college’s deadline to ensure that your child is considered for the maximum amount of financial aid. It is important to check with each college’s financial aid office to determine their specific deadline.
Here, we’ll dive into what interest in these schools could mean for students seeking financial aid and how working with a financial aid advisor on your FAFSA and/or CSS Profile could be your ticket to unlocking more funding opportunities. Negotiate Aid Offers: Learn the art of financial aid appeals to potentially secure more funding.
If something has changed since you submitted your FAFSA, or if you’re facing unexpected costs, it might be time to ask for a little more help. Financial aid packages are based on information submitted in the FAFSA, but schools can adjust awards based on changes in circumstances.
The FAFSA is one of the most important applications youll fill out, and it opens every year on October 1st. Create a Financial Aid Checklist Gather important documents like tax returns, social security numbers, and your familys financial info ahead of time. This will make filling out your FAFSA or scholarship applications a lot easier.
Get Familiar with the FAFSA The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is your golden ticket to need-based financial aid. While the FAFSA doesnt open until October 1st of your senior year, its never too early to get familiar with the process. Take some time now to understand what documents youll need.
Provide Supporting Documentation Your financial aid office will likely require supporting documentation to validate your claim. Make sure to provide all necessary documents, as this will make your case more credible. Schedule a 15 Minute Power Chat to learn more about finding ways to pay for college.
Be prepared to provide supporting documentation, such as a letter explaining your situation and any relevant financial documents. More about Jodi and College Financial Aid Advisors Jodi is a FAFSA financial advisor who helps with the financial aid process to help families of college students maximize their financial aid.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens on Oct. Instead of waiting until a FAFSA deadline approaches, it’s a better idea to submit this important form as close to Oct. If you apply early, not only will you meet all the various FAFSA deadlines, but you might also get more financial aid for college. FAFSA FAQs.
More Time to Submit Financial Aid Forms For students applying Regular Decision, the financial aid deadlines may align more closely with when the family has completed their taxes and other financial documents. Since the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) opens on October 1st (December 1st this year!)
Federal Student Aid has released volumes of the 2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide. The volumes contained in this guide contain FAFSA Processing System (FPS) technical information for the 2025-26 award year and are only available as PDF documents at this time.
The most important financial document that students will file with their families this fall is the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. For the 2025-2026 application cycle, the FAFSA will come online in December. Why Do I Have to File the FAFSA? This will give you access to the online FAFSA application.
As students prepare for the exciting journey of attending college, one of the most important steps you’ll take is filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The earlier you complete your FAFSA, the better your chances of receiving aid, as many programs are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
But, I’m here to tell you that a request for extra documentation is not a reason to panic! Here is what to do if you receive a request for verification for your FAFSA: Stay alert Review your Student Aid Report, check your email, and visit college portals regularly to find out if your application has been selected for verification.
As the gateway to federal financial aid for college, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a crucial step for students and their families in securing funding for higher education. However, completing the FAFSA can often feel like navigating a maze, with complex forms and important deadlines to contend with.
The 2024–25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) integrates major changes in the way students will apply for Federal student aid. Education Department (ED), these changes will help students by enabling a better and simpler FAFSA experience. According to the U.S.
How Finding Money for College Is Now Easier Than Ever For the last 40+ years, students and families have been frustrated by the process of filing the FAFSA. This single document is the key to funding a college education, yet it’s been one of the most notoriously difficult documents to file.
How the FAFSA is Making Financial Aid More Accessible to Families Nationwide In the last year and a half, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid – or FAFSA – has undergone major changes to make the application easier to complete for students nationwide. Who should file the FAFSA? How do I prepare for the FAFSA?
Ensure that your student has met all criteria and completed any necessary documentation before proceeding with enrollment. Submit Required Documents Promptly : Whether it’s transcripts, test scores, or recommendation letters, make sure to submit all required documents promptly.
Wading through the world of financial aid can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re met with acronyms like SAI, SAR, and FAFSA. Once you complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you’ll receive a SAR or Student Aid Report. This document summarizes the information you submitted on your FAFSA.
Colleges use your completed FAFSA to determine how much your family would be expected to contribute. Explain Any Unusual Circumstances: Sometimes the FAFSA doesn’t give a real picture of your family’s financial situation. Make sure that you have documentation of any changes not reflected in your current FAFSAdocuments.
I want you to feel confident and comfortable as you navigate all of the documents you’ll be handling over the next year! FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) The FAFSA is a form that students and their families fill out to determine their eligibility for financial aid, including federal grants, work-study programs, and loans.
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) : In a normal year, the FAFSA will open on October 1st. All schools will require you to file the FAFSA. CSS Profile: Some colleges require this in addition to the FAFSA. Schedule a 15 Minute Power Chat to learn more about finding ways to pay for college.
How to Update Your Financial Aid Application to Reflect Your Current Income One of the most important steps in applying to college is completing the FAFSA, which will open in December. What many families don’t realize is that the FAFSA uses federal income tax information from the previous year to calculate financial aid eligibility.
The FAFSA: Your First Step to Financial Aid The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is your starting point. Filling out the FAFSA is easier than ever with online tools that guide you step by step. If you want to read some of my tips to prepare for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, check out recent blogs here!
Whether it’s completing forms, submitting documents, or seeking additional assistance, staying proactive is key to avoiding last-minute stress. Set Reminders : Have your student schedule regular check-ins with the college portal. Schedule your FREE 15 minute call. They can provide guidance and support.
To wrap up your financial aid journey, here’s a few things I recommend for the class of 2024… Make sure the FAFSA has your 2023 tax info: April 15 is almost here and you should definitely have completed your 2023 taxes by now. It’s important that you have documentation about every change you’re sharing with the offices.
Prepare Strong Applications: Scholarship applications often require essays, letters of recommendation, and other supporting documents. Starting early gives students ample time to refine their writing skills, gather necessary documents, and seek feedback to improve their applications.
Assign specific days or times to work on different aspects of the application, such as drafting essays, requesting letters of recommendation, and gathering supporting documents. #5: Schedule a 15 Minute Power Chat to learn more about finding ways to pay for college.
Starting early gives you time to develop your writing skills, gather necessary documents, and refine your applications for maximum impact. More about Jodi and College Financial Aid Advisors Jodi is a FAFSA financial advisor who helps with the financial aid process to help families of college students maximize their financial aid.
While getting a job in college can be a great way to limit how much money you need from loans, it will impact your student’s schedule – so think about it carefully! If the numbers don’t add up at one particular college, there may still be time to file an appeal or provide additional documentation.
Carefully document all changes in your family’s financial situation from last year to this year. File Your 2023 Federal Income Tax Return You’ll need it when you go to complete the FAFSA in the fall. Finally, one big deadline to be aware of is filing your FAFSA by 1 October. You want to put that high on your priority list!
For most private schools, the family financial aid application requires a standardized process resembling the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application for college loans and grants. Deadlines and required documents vary by school, so make sure to stay informed about the application process and timeline.
Don’t forget that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should open on October 1. If the schools do need any clarifications, adjustments or updated documents, ensure that you return them in a timely manner. Schedule a 15 Minute Power Chat to learn more about finding ways to pay for college.
Juniors: Although college seems to be far off, signing up and creating an account for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will ultimately give students a headstart when filling out financial aid forms. Schedule a 15 Minute Power Chat to learn more about finding ways to pay for college.
A student’s college determines eligibility for a Federal student loan based on the information submitted on the FAFSA form. The Master Promissory Note (MPN) An MPN is a binding legal document that a student must sign before receiving money from a Federal student loan. The college determines the schedule.
Schedule a demo Terrance Hamm: How has empower impacted your program? empower showcased the application online, highlighting mandatory fields and allowing document uploads. Kent : I describe empower as a robust platform that covers everything you need, from online forms to documentation.
Schedule a demo empower ’ s individual student services tracking goes beyond grades and testing, providing insights into financial aid, application status, and other crucial data. Recording notes about our students is now a breeze, ensuring that every counseling session and important detail is documented.
Fake employment offers: An online or print ad may describe a job that is a great fit for a student’s schedule and pays well. Firms are illegitimate if: They charge a fee for assisting students in the completion of the FAFSA form. They will use pressure tactics — such as limited-time offers — to get students to sign up.
Use the summer to research schools, start brainstorming and even writing your essays, and building a schedule for the fall. These may be general steps, such as filling out the FAFSA, or school-specific steps, such as writing your supplemental essays. Keep your documents and application materials organized.
The privacy controls were so convoluted and hotly debated that the law had to be amended twice after that, and the law still hasn’t been implemented more than two years later (it isn’t scheduled to be until late 2023). Only if people proactively consent to share their recent tax return information directly with the U.S.
We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 5,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.
You know about us, now we want to get to know you!
Let's personalize your content
Let's get even more personalized
We recognize your account from another site in our network, please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.
Let's personalize your content