I keep hearing about FAFSA, but what exactly does it involve? Is there a best time to start the process, and what information will I need to have on hand?
Hey there! I recently went through the FAFSA process with my own kid, so I totally get where you're coming from. FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and it's basically your gateway to accessing federal grants, loans, and work-study funds for college. It's best to start as soon as possible after it becomes available on October 1st because some aid is first-come, first-served.
You’ll need to have some information ready when you fill out the form, such as your social security number, your federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned, bank statements and investment records, and if you're not a U.S. citizen, your Alien registration number. If you’re a dependent student, you’ll also need most of this information for your parents.
The process itself can be a bit daunting, but the FAFSA website has lots of helpful hints. And remember, you need to fill it out every year you're in school, not just for freshman year. Best of luck!
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