FAFSA 2008 Information
The Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a sometimes confusing application utilized by the United States Department of Education. Students seeking federal student aid are required to fill out the FAFSA in order to receive consideration for aid. The following are some common questions surround the 2008 FAFSA. Where is the FAFSA available?High school counselors and college financial aid offices typically keep blank FAFSAs on hand for students to fill out. The FAFSA is also available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.Can I photocopy and submit a FAFSA?Unfortunately, the Department of Education does require applications submitted to the department be original – not a copy. Anytime of photocopy, scanned or faxed version is unacceptable.When should I submit my FAFSA?The sooner the better. The FAFSA can be submitted anytime on or after Jan. 1 for the following academic year. Students are encouraged no to wait on their tax forms. Instead, fill out the application and provide updated information including tax details at a later date.
How long will it take to process my FAFSA?Students who haven’t heard from the DOE four weeks after submitting a FAFSA should contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 4-FED-AID and ask if the application has been processed. My birthday is on Jan. 1, can I qualify as an independent student? Students born on the first of the year are still required to provide their age for the previous year. Therefore, if you turn 24 on Jan. 1, you still cannot answer no to the question that asks “Were you born before January 1. ”What do all of these acronyms on my Student Aid Report (SAR) mean? The SAR is the direct product of information provided on the FAFSA. While students typically anticipate its arrival, it is often hard to read. Some common terminology on the SAR includes: Expected Family Contribution (EFC), Allowances Against Total Income (ATI), Employment Allowance (EA), Contribution from Available Income (IPA).
