In order to be considered for any type of Federally-funded financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (affectionately known as the FAFSA). In addition, if you go to a private school or even some public schools, you may also be asked to fill out the CSS/PROFILE form, which the school will use to consider aid that it will distribute. And, as if that wasn't enough, schools may also have other forms they require in order for them to consider your need for cash.
To make the form game easier for you, here is a step-by-step guide to the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE forms. In this section we will give you some basic tips on getting your forms done. There are also sections that delve into the specifics of the FAFSA form and the CSS PROFILE form (you will have to register or sign in to PrincetonReview.com to view these exclusive sections). You can read either or both of those sections depending on the forms required at your school. Lastly, there are some tips on packaging your forms and making sure you keep the right copies for yourself, as well as what to do if anything goes wrong after you've submitted your forms.
Here are the basic steps you need to follow no matter which forms you're filling out.
While researching schools, it is a good idea to become familiar with the forms each school may require. There are several methods to find this information: on a website such as PrincetonReview.com, in college guidebooks, on a college website, or by getting in touch with a school's financial aid office.
The best filing requirement and deadline information that we've found, however, comes from the annual college-published bulletins. No matter where you get your information, this is a great source to make sure you have the correct information because it is what the college will hold you to—no matter what they've indicated in other sources.
The good news is, no matter how many schools you apply to, you will only need to file one FAFSA and/or one CSS/PROFILE form. Each of these forms has space where you can indicate the schools that you are applying to that will need this information.
As you're getting your financial forms together, make sure to get any of the school's supplemental financial aid forms. You can find information about the required forms in the same places you find out if the school requires the FAFSA or PROFILE. For example, any undergraduate freshman applying for financial aid at the University of Pennsylvania must complete Form 6 of the Penn admissions application in addition to the FAFSA and the PROFILE form.
Carefully check through the admissions applications of the schools to which you or your child is applying to see if there are any supplemental aid forms that you need to complete. Supplemental forms are very important and must be sent directly to the individual colleges.
Filling Out the Right Form
Make sure you are using the most up-to-date version of the forms. Don't laugh. We've seen parents and students fill out the prior year's form. This can happen because the processing of the next academic year's need analysis form overlaps for six months with the processing of the current academic year's form. If you fill out the wrong form during those six months, the need analysis company will assume you are applying for the year already under way. Make sure the form you fill is labeled for the academic year you are applying for. Student going to school in Fall 2005 will want the 2005-06 aid forms. If you're filing your forms online, make sure you select the correct academic year as well.
If you're already in college during the 2004-05 school year and meet certain requirements, you may also be able to apply for aid for the 2005-06 academic year using a Renewal FAFSA, which will be either mailed directly to you or be made available through your college aid office. If you are still living at the same address that you listed on the 2004-05 FAFSA, it may also be possible to file a Renewal FAFSA via the internet. Regardless of the method you use, you can only file one version of the 2004-05 FAFSA per student.
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