This January, Take Some FAFSA Action!

A new year brings with it fresh resolutions as well as goal setting which for the high school senior means finishing school with a bang and preparing to go to college in the fall. Most students have completed their college applications and are waiting to see which schools accept them; the next few months promise to be one of nervousness and anticipation for applicants!

In the interim, students are being reminded to do one more thing and that is to fill out their Free Application For Student Aid or FAFSA which is a requirement in order to qualify for state and federal grants, need-based scholarships and some low-cost federal student loans.

According to the College Foundation for North Carolina (CFNC), 2008 tax information will be required to finalize your FAFSA, however it may prove advantageous to fill out the FAFSA earlier by using income estimates before families finish their tax forms. You can make corrections after you have final tax figures. In some states, including North Carolina, need-based grant money is available on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified students, therefore it may help to submit your completed FAFSA as early as possible after January 1.

You can find a link to the 2009 FAFSA application at the U.S. Department of Education website, FAFSA.ed.gov. One warning: avoid any website that charges you for help completing the FAFSA; you should never pay to fill out a FAFSA. As noted, the FAFSA is exactly what it is called — the “FREE Application for Federal Student Aid.”

For families needing help completing the FAFSA, some states offer a FAFSA Day where colleges, the state’s education department and other organizations join together to offer free in-person help at designated locations. In North Carolina, that date will be on Saturday, February 21, 2009. Check with your high school guidance department for assistance in your area.

Source: College Foundation For North Carolina

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