Students: Don't Forget Your FAFSA


(NewsUSA) - Students can find federal money to help cover college costs, but 25 percent of families do not fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) according to a recent study by Sallie Mae and Gallup on "How America Pays for College."

"Students and families miss out on free money when not filing a FAFSA," said Martha Holler, spokeswoman for Sallie Mae, the nation's leading saving- and paying-for-college company. "In this economy, why pay more for college than you have to? Let financial aid pick up some of your college tab."

Students who fill out their FAFSA's early will have a better chance to receive financial aid. Students neglecting to submit the form might make funding their education more difficult. The federal government, state governments and higher education institutions all rely on students' FAFSA information to award financial aid, including need- and non-need-based grants, scholarships, work-study and student loans. Some aid is handed out on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The federal government is working to simplify the FAFSA process to make it easier for students and families. The recent passage of the Higher Education Opportunity Act in 2008 will simplify the federal student aid application process.

Students and their parents can complete the application on the Web in as little as an hour or two. They simply need to gather the relevant documents and information -; their Social Security number or alien registration card, driver's license, latest federal income tax return, W-2 forms, bank statements and investment information -; before completing the application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Students need to submit a FAFSA every year they are in college to receive federal student aid. Each year, an estimated 14 million students file a FAFSA, with more than 70 percent of them receiving some type of federal aid.

Other Web sites can also help students and their parents find financial aid. For example, Sallie Mae's award-winning Web site, CollegeAnswer.com, has free tools and information to simplify the FAFSA application process. Resources include sample FAFSAs in both English and Spanish, a list of state financial aid deadlines and a three-minute FAFSA podcast, which can be downloaded to an MP3 player or computer.

CollegeAnswer.com also contains the largest free online scholarship database, containing more than 2.8 million scholarships worth over $16 billion. Visit www.CollegeAnswer.com/fafsa for more information.

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