Financial Aid Events

Question 1

What is verification?

Answer

Verification confirms your FAFSA data is accurate. You might be chosen randomly or because a school verifies all forms.

Question 2

How do I know if I've been selected for verification?

Answer

You will need to review your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) to know whether you were selected for verification. An asterisk will be placed by your Student Aid Index (SAI). Please review this Federal Student Aid webpage for more details to better understand how to identify if you were selected for verification.

Question 3

What do I do if I'm selected for verification?

Answer

If you are selected for verification, please reach out to your financial aid counselor and review our Verification page for the forms you will need to submit to our office. Please submit them as soon as possible to get federal aid. In some cases, you may need to submit a tax transcript or other documents.

Question 4

How soon do I need to file the FAFSA, and should I still apply if I think my family makes too much money?

Answer

The sooner you fill out the FAFSA, the better. The application is free, and it's not just a way to determine how much federal student aid you'll receive. State governments, and some colleges and universities use information from the FAFSA to determine what state and institutional aid you qualify for. But state agencies and individual schools also have different deadlines to qualify for aid -- so keep track of all of the deadlines, and get a head start. Even if your household income is too high for you to qualify for federal grants or work-study funds, the FAFSA is also used to determine federal student loan eligibility. There's no harm in applying, and on average, it only takes 15 minutes to fill out the FAFSA. Please note, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, an FSA ID is required for individuals associated with the application.

Question 5

What are some common mistakes students and families make when filling out the FAFSA?

Answer

The first mistake you can make is not filling out the FAFSA in the first place! Don't assume that you can't afford college - the FAFSA opens the door to many different opportunities for financial aid, and the sooner you apply, the better, as state grant agencies and scholarship organizations— which often have a limited pot of funds to give out on a first come, first served basis— usually require you to have filed a FAFSA in order to receive aid. Keep in mind that you don't need to know where you'll be attending school in order to file the FAFSA, and you don't need to have your taxes completed yet for the previous year because you will use tax information from two years prior. Applying online makes filling out the FAFSA easier because the online form uses skip logic to only ask relevant questions. You will also have the option to transfer your IRS data to automatically populate the FAFSA, which simplifies the application process, helps reduce errors and lowers your chances of being selected to verify the information on your application. Be sure to use your legal name, have official documents you need ready, and see what other common mistakes you can avoid.

Question 6

Besides federal grants and loans, where can I go to find college financial aid?

Answer

In addition to federal grants, loans, and other types of aid (such as Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and the Federal Work-Study Program), students can receive financial aid from state agencies, individual schools, and a variety of community organizations. Usually, the FAFSA is the only form you need to apply for state financial aid, but you should check with your state agency to see if more information is required. Most schools have their own financial aid programs, and use your FAFSA results for those too. There are other independent sources -- through community organizations, churches, and private organizations -- that award financial aid to students. Remember that you do not have to pay anyone to help you find aid, and if you have questions, you can reach out to your school’s, or a prospective school’s, financial aid office.

Question 7

Besides tuition and fees, room and board, what else should I include in a budget for the school year, and how can I stay on track?

Answer

It's important to make sure you have enough money and financial aid to cover tuition and fees, and living expenses, but there are other expenses that make up the entire cost of attending college. Be sure to also budget for textbooks and supplies, transportation, travel to and from home during breaks, and emergencies. In some cases, you might also be required to purchase certain supplies specific to your major that might not be listed in the overall estimate for the cost of attendance.