Have You Started Your FAFSA?
By Ivy Brewer - Faculty
The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. As the name implies, it is free to complete (and is relatively simple, too!)
To receive any government aid (including Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, etc.), families must complete a FAFSA. For Georgia state residents to receive the HOPE scholarship, families must complete a FAFSA. Most colleges use the FAFSA in order to award need-based institutional aid as well. It is based upon a family's previous year tax returns, and yes, it is to be completed annually for every year of college. Most colleges require that the FAFSA be submitted by March 1, so get started now!
The Web site for the FAFSA is www.fafsa.ed.gov. Do NOT visit any similar sites that end in .org, .edu, or .com as these sites do not represent the federal government aid programs. Even if you don’t think your family will receive need-based aid, complete the form anyway! Millions of dollars go unclaimed each year, and you just may qualify.
Attending a private college? Your family might need to complete the CSS Profile. Consult the college’s Web site to see if they require it. If so, visit www.collegeboard.com to complete this form. It is very similar to a FAFSA, but requires some additional information. Some private colleges use it to determine how they should allocate institutional need-based money. There is a fee to submit a Profile.
