any FAFSA tips?

[My sister's princess]

Aid Administrator here

Many schools do base some of their aid on when you file the FAFSA, so filling it out today, even with estimates is the best idea!


I HIGHLY and can not stress enough HIGHLY, recommend updating using the IRS data retrieval tool, about two weeks after filing your taxes. This will make sure that your FAFSA is filled out properly, and that if you get selected for verification, you have to provide less paperwork!!!


Happy FAFSA day everyone!!!!

 

[njcarita]

okay just logged on to site..what is the federal student aid pin............ and do i need to apply for the fasfa............. and where do you find the state stuff???

 

[njcarita]

and one more question do i get a pin and my son a different pin???

 

[mbf]

Yes, you have to apply for a PIN. I believe you are able to make up your own now or change it to one you can remember. Oldest DD's PIN took a few days to come after I applied for it 5 years ago and youngest DD actually had to file a FAFSA to receive financial aid from a summer ballet program she attended in 9th grade so she has had hers for awhile as well.

And what My Sisters Princess said about the IRS data retrieval is also true. I think a lot of schools mandate it now for their students. However, I did still have to submit our hard copy forms (or rather PDF's of them) to the school as well. I would say that probably varies place to place though.

Another thing, filing your FAFSA early will give you that much quicker response on your entire financial package from any college. Some colleges wait until spring to make merit scholarship offers as well instead of making the offers with acceptance letters and you don't want to leave them waiting for your FAFSA if you want to have a lot of time to weigh offers. Another thing is that at some schools the median income of incoming freshman may be higher and even if you don't qualify for Federal or State aid you may be considered for need based aid directly from the school or given some extra aid based on the fact that you did not qualify for any government aid. It is all about enticing students to come to their schools and aid is often negotiable.

 

[My sister's princess]

okay just logged on to site..what is the federal student aid pin............ and do i need to apply for the fasfa............. and where do you find the state stuff???

use www.fafsa.ed.gov

If they are asking for $30, you are in the wrong place!!!! For my state the state grant is applied for by filling out FAFSA

and one more question do i get a pin and my son a different pin???

www.pin.ed.gov

and yes, you need a PIN, and so does your student

 

[teller80]

My DD graduates from college in May (Woo Hoo!) and is considering medical school. Does anyone know if I need to fill out FAFSA? Is it only for undergrad years? Thank you!

 

[My sister's princess]

My DD graduates from college in May (Woo Hoo!) and is considering medical school. Does anyone know if I need to fill out FAFSA? Is it only for undergrad years? Thank you!

If she would like to receive the government backed loans, yes she needs to fill it out, and depending on her school, they may have scholarships for grad students that require it!

As a grad student, filling hers out is much simpler, just asks for her information, and her spouse's if she has one

 

[njcarita]

use www.fafsa.ed.gov

If they are asking for $30, you are in the wrong place!!!! For my state the state grant is applied for by filling out FAFSA



www.pin.ed.gov

and yes, you need a PIN, and so does your student

im on the right site...thank u.............. now the challenge will be to get the 17 year old out of bed this morning to get his pin.................

 

[Jules123]

I am a little confused on what we need to claim. I am divorced and am considered the primary custodial parent although technically I only have DS one more day a year than my ex. We have 3 kids and swap off claiming them on our taxes. Last year, I claimed my oldest DS 17 and my youngest DS8. This year I will only claim one child. I receive child support each month. Do his father and I both need to claim our incomes or does it just go by mine and my child support since technically I am the custodial parent. And how many other dependents am I allowed to claim? 3 for all of them or just the 2 that I claimed on 2011 taxes?

 

[My sister's princess]

I am a little confused on what we need to claim. I am divorced and am considered the primary custodial parent although technically I only have DS one more day a year than my ex. We have 3 kids and swap off claiming them on our taxes. Last year, I claimed my oldest DS 17 and my youngest DS8. This year I will only claim one child. I receive child support each month. Do his father and I both need to claim our incomes or does it just go by mine and my child support since technically I am the custodial parent. And how many other dependents am I allowed to claim? 3 for all of them or just the 2 that I claimed on 2011 taxes?

Jules, call your student's prospective school tomorrow, and ask for help, they might ask some questions, but they are going to give you the best advice!

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

My DD just finished U of MN-Twin Cities. I found the fafsa to be a lot of work. Between us, we had so many accounts to track down and add up. The efc was always around the price of a full year, so I stopped filling it out. My DH is a saver, so we were able to pay for her school. DD had AP credits and scholarship money that helped, too.

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

My dd had an overnight at her friends house so I went on to start the process. I am using my email since she rarely looks at hers and determined a pin number. Now I need another pin number for me? Can't we share the same?
My dd is an only child so I have never gone through this process before.

 

[Kasper1014]

I have a question....

We are finally starting the process. My son is a senior and we are finally getting him to take his SAT/ACT, etc. He knows where he wants to apply to and I'm pretty sure he'll get in.

Do we have to wait until he gets accepted before we fill out FAFSA?

 

[My sister's princess]

My dd had an overnight at her friends house so I went on to start the process. I am using my email since she rarely looks at hers and determined a pin number. Now I need another pin number for me? Can't we share the same?
My dd is an only child so I have never gone through this process before.

Both the student and the parent need a PIN. The student's PIN should be connected to their email, and the parent PIN should be connected to the parent email.

I have a question....

We are finally starting the process. My son is a senior and we are finally getting him to take his SAT/ACT, etc. He knows where he wants to apply to and I'm pretty sure he'll get in.

Do we have to wait until he gets accepted before we fill out FAFSA?

Nope! Fill it out now! You can always go back in and add or delete a school from your FAFSA!

 

[alexandmaddie]

Is the EFC a yearly amount or the amount that is expected to be contributed over all four years of attendance? The EFC that was calculated for my daughter is more than one year of tuition, room and board?

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

Another question. I had to fill out the CSS Profile for an Early Read for one of her colleges to estimate her financial package. Isn't that almost the same information as the FASFA? I am starting on that now and it seems like the questions are exactly the same so far. Maybe this will be a little easier than I thought because I have do that form?

 

[angwill]

Dang, Just filled out the FASFA and it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Yeah it's done!!!!

 

[njcarita]

Is the EFC a yearly amount or the amount that is expected to be contributed over all four years of attendance? The EFC that was calculated for my daughter is more than one year of tuition, room and board?

as far as i know that number is per year......

 

[angwill]

Is the EFC a yearly amount or the amount that is expected to be contributed over all four years of attendance? The EFC that was calculated for my daughter is more than one year of tuition, room and board?

Did your amount on the EFC have a dollar symbol in front of it? Mine starts with a 0 and looks more like a code than an amount. Weird.

 

[njcarita]

okay just did a soft run thru of our taxes.........husband is self employed now off to do FASFA