What is FAFSA?
FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA is a form to see how eligible you are for financial assistance from the government. The form first opened in 1992, and since then, it has been helping students afford college. This year, there were few updates made to the form.
What Was Added?
The new FAFSA allows students to invite their parents to the form. This allows parents to fill out their section of the application. To do this, your parent will need to make an FSA ID, which is essentially their own account. The new FAFSA also offers parents/guardians the option for the IRS to have direct access to the form. You must give consent for this communication between these two parties to happen. You can also fill out the form manually, but you still need to give consent to the IRS to access the form, or else you will not receive aid. By giving consent, it allows the IRS to match their FAFSA account and their disclosure of their Federal Tax Income.
Updates… Or Downgrades?
Miss Reagan, EHHS College and Career Advisor, says, “They Changed it because they thought it would be easier.” But is it? She continued to say, “There are so many hiccups right now. They’re trying to make it easy for parents without social security numbers to complete the form, but there are a lot of bugs. It’s not fully functional right now.”
Due to the updates, the form is only available periodically. Although this is great to see how well the form is working, it makes it harder for students to complete it. Frustration rises amongst EHHS students as these issues make it difficult to finish the FAFSA.
Tips and Tricks with Miss Reagan
Having trouble navigating the FAFSA? Miss Reagan shares some tips and tricks to help!
- Talk to your parents: “Be in contact with your parents to make sure their parents have FSA IDs. Communication is super important on this one!” Parents need to create their FSA IDs to do their portion of the FAFSA form, so keep your parents in the loop!
- Keep track of deadlines: “To qualify for the most student aid, you have to submit your form before February 15th. This is also the deadline for most Connecticut state schools.” The deadlines for other schools vary, so make sure you keep yourself informed on schools you’re interested in attending. Keep these dates in mind so you complete the FAFSA on time!
- Be in contact with Miss Reagan: Have any questions about the FAFSA? Miss Reagan says, “Contact me! It’s better to get your questions answered now.” Schedule an appointment with Miss Reagan using the QR code outside of guidance.
