03/09/2010 (10:54 pm)
Don’t wait to file for college financial aid
Colleges are bracing for another year of high demand for financial aid — and that means students need to get their applications in as quickly as possible.
Federal student loans remain plentiful, but other types of aid from states and colleges are more limited. By missing one of the many deadlines, students could receive fewer sought-after grants and scholarships that don’t have to be repaid, and end up having to apply for loans that do.
Blame the continued weak economy for the stiff competition for aid. Unemployment remains high. Families that have burned through cash reserves now are applying for aid for the first time, aid officials say.
In addition, a bumper crop of high school seniors and more people returning to school for advanced degrees will add to the aid demand, says Patricia Nash Christel, a spokeswoman for student loan giant Sallie Mae.
The first step to getting aid is filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at fafsa.ed.gov. It not only will determine your federal aid, but states and colleges also use the FAFSA to award their money.
The earliest you can submit a FAFSA is Jan. 1. States and schools set their own deadlines for when the FAFSA must be submitted.
Schools often set priority deadlines so applications submitted by that date will be the first batch looked at. Deadlines can differ widely, so check your school’s website.
Parents often want to file their tax returns before filling out the FAFSA. Although having an up-to-date tax return makes filling out the application easier, it’s better to get the application in by the deadline using last year’s tax return and then correcting the information later.
Besides the FAFSA, many schools are creating their own aid forms or requiring families to submit additional documents to make sure the aid is going to students in need.
What if you blow all the deadlines? You can still qualify for federal Stafford student loans by submitting the FAFSA any time during the academic year.
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