FAFSA on your to-do list? Follow these FAFSA dos and don’ts
While the FAFSA has become much easier to fill out, there are still some steps you can take to make sure the process goes smoothly!
Do create your studentaid.gov ID early.
If this is your first year completing the FAFSA, make sure you create your ID early! The ID goes through a verification process that can take a few days. It won鈥檛 be possible to create your ID and complete the FAFSA on the same day. Instead, gather everything you need (social security number, personal email address, personal phone number) and create your ID a few days before you complete the FAFSA.
Do gather all your information ahead of time.
Completing the FAFSA is easier if you have all the required information in one place. Make sure you grab:
- The tax return two years prior to the academic year聽
- Example: If you鈥檙e enrolling in the Fall of 2025, you鈥檒l need your 2023 tax information聽
- Your bank statements and assets聽聽
- Your studentaid.gov ID聽
- The names of schools you are applying to聽
- Your parents鈥� information, including date of birth and social security numbers聽
- If they don鈥檛 have a social security number, that is okay!聽聽
Do fill out the application early.
While the federal government doesn鈥檛 award student aid based on when the FAFSA is completed, some schools award financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis, so the earlier you apply the more money you may be eligible for. Always look at your school鈥檚 financial aid deadlines 鈥� make sure you complete the FAFSA by their priority deadline!
Do complete the FAFSA online.
It takes about 30 minutes and is much easier than the paper version. Plus, this makes adding your tax information easier. If your consent to the use of tax information, it can be directly transferred from the IRS into your FAFSA form 鈥� saving a lot of time!
顿辞苍鈥檛 skip the FAFSA.
Most people qualify for some type of aid, and schools use the FAFSA to award their own need-based aid! The FAFSA is the first step toward paying for college and might open additional options that you hadn鈥檛 considered because you didn鈥檛 think they were possible. Remember, you鈥檙e not obligated to take loans that are offered to you, so it doesn鈥檛 hurt to see what aid you can qualify for!
顿辞苍鈥檛 feel intimated by the FAFSA.
Financial aid can be a stressful process, but the FAFSA doesn鈥檛 have to be! The FAFSA has been updated to help streamline the financial aid process to make it easier for families to complete. Gather what you need, take your time, and let us help! We鈥檝e helped hundreds of families file their FAFSA and we鈥檇 love to help you. We offer free one-on-one appointments in-person or virtually. 鈥痺ith our education and career pathways team.鈥��