7 Things You Need Before You Fill Out the FAFSA

If you are a Senior going to to a community college, technical school or college or university hopefully you are starting to think about filling out the FAFSA. The FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  This is how you find out if you are eligible for student loans, grants and even work study.  If you are in the A+ program one of the requirements is that you complete the FAFSA.  Below is some information taken from "Homeroom", the official blog of the U.S. Department of Education.




7 Things you Need: 
If you need financial aid to help you pay for college, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). The 2016–17 FAFSA is available on January 1, 2016, at 12 a.m. Central Time. You should fill it out (for FREE) on the official government site, fafsa.gov.

To speed up the FAFSA process, get prepared early. Here is what you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA:

1. Your FSA ID*

On May 15, 2015, we changed the way you log into the FAFSA. You now need an FSA ID, instead of a PIN, to log in and sign your FAFSA online.

Anyone who plans to fill out the 2016–17 FAFSA should create an FSA ID as soon as possible. In some situations, you may need to wait up to 3 days to use your FSA ID after registering. If you want to avoid FAFSA delays, register for an FSA ID now.

If you are required to provide parent information on your FAFSA, your parent will need to register for an FSA ID too. Because your FSA ID is equivalent to your signature, parents and students each need to create their own FSA IDs using separate e-mail addresses. Parents should not create an FSA ID for their child and vice versa.

2. Your Social Security number*

You can find the number on your social security card. If you don’t have access to it, and don’t know where it is, ask your parent or legal guardian or get a new or replacement social security card from the Social Security Administration. If you are not a U.S. citizen, but meet Federal Student Aid’s basic eligibility requirements, you’ll need your Alien Registration Number.

3. Your driver’s license number

If you don’t have a driver’s license, then don’t worry about this step.

4. Your tax records*

Use income records for the tax year prior to the academic year for which you are applying: so if you are filling out the 2016–17 FAFSA, you will need 2015 tax information. If you haven’t filed your taxes yet, don’t worry! You can still fill out the FAFSA now. Just estimate the amounts using your 2014 tax return and make sure to update your FAFSA once you file your 2015 taxes. After you file, you may be able to import your tax information electronically into the FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.

5. Records of your untaxed income*

This includes variables that may or may not apply to you, like child support received, interest income and veterans non-education benefits. Parents can find specific details here. Students can find details here.

6. Records of all your assets (money)*

This includes savings and checking account balances, as well as investments like stocks and bonds and real estate.

7. List of the school(s) you are interested in attending

Two-thirds of freshmen FAFSA applicants list only one college on their applications. Don’t make this mistake! Be sure to list any school you’re considering, even if you haven’t applied or been accepted yet. The schools you list on your FAFSA will automatically receive your FAFSA results electronically. They will use your FAFSA information to determine the types and amounts of financial aid you may receive. If you add a school to your FAFSA and decide not to apply, that’s OK. The school likely won’t award you aid until you’ve been accepted anyway. You can list up to 10 schools on your FAFSA. If you’re applying to more than 10 schools, you can add more later.

TIP:  To be considered for state aid, several states require you to list schools in a particular order (for instance, you might need to list a state school first). Find out whether your state has a requirement for the order in which you list schools on your FAFSA.

*If you’re a dependent student, you will need this information for your parent(s) as well.

Who's My Parent When I Fill Out the FAFSA?

To get to a better version of this flow chart go HERE.

November Newsletter from MDHE

To see the online version of the newsletter go HERE.

MDHE October Newsletter

To see the online version of the MDHE newsletter go HERE.

Missouri Department of Higher Education September Newsletter

Go HERE for the newsletter.

NCAA Eligibility Center and Playing Division I Sports

*Taken from the NCAA Eligibility Center High School Newsletter*

ARE YOU AWARE?

The requirements are changing for students who enroll full time at an NCAA Division I school after August 1, 2016.   

Students must graduate high school and meet ALL the following requirements: 

• Complete 16 core courses:
  • Four years of English
  • Three years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)
  • Two years of natural/physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it)
  • One additional year of English, math or natural/physical science
  • Two years of social science
  • Four additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy
  • 
    
• Complete 10 core courses, including seven in English, math or natural/physical science, before the seventh semester. Once students begin their seventh semester, they may not repeat or replace any of those 10 courses to improve their core-course GPA.
• Earn at least a 2.3 GPA in their core courses.
• Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching their core-course GPA on the Division I sliding scale, which balances their test score and core-course GPA. If students have a low test score, they need a higher core-course GPA to be eligible. If they have a low core-course GPA, they need a higher test score to be eligible.  If they have a low core-course GPA, they need a higher test score to be eligible.

For more resources regarding these changes, visit NCAA.org/student-athletes/play-division-i-sports or the Division I Academic Requirements Guide.

Completing the FAFSA

Many of you have been asking about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (otherwise known as the FAFSA) How you complete it, when the deadlines are and so on.  I hope this serves as a way for you and your family to get the information that you need.  If you are the first student to attend college from your family then this can feel like a complicated process.  Thankfully, there's several resources available to assist you.  The first thing that you should know is that 

you do NOT pay anything to complete the FAFSA. If you find that the website that you are on is asking for money know that you are not on a credible website.

One of the things that you can do now, is get a Federal Student Aid PIN.  To do this go to: www.pin.ed.gov and provide some information such as:

• your Social Security number
• your full and correct last name
• your full and correct first name
• your middle initial
• your date of birth
• your street address
• your email address (optional) 

From there you can create your own PIN or have the site create one for you. You can also choose to have the PIN displayed immediately, mailed or emailed to you. 

It's important that once you receive your PIN that you put it in a safe place.  You will need this every year that you reapply for financial aid.  It's also information that you do not want falling into the wrong hands.  Your PIN enables you to sign your FAFSA, sign federal student loan contracts online, find out whether your FAFSA has been processed or correct information that you reported on your FAFSA. 

Once you have obtained your PIN you will go to www.fafsa.gov to complete the FAFSA.

Something of the things that you will want to make sure you have available before you begin your application are: 

• Social Security card
• Drivers license
• Permanent Resident Receipt Card (if applicable)
• W-2 forms and other 2014 records of money earned
• 2014 income tax return (see the instructions on the FAFSA if the tax return has not been completed)
• Records of child support paid
• Records of taxable earnings from Federal Work-Study or other need-based work programs
• Records of student grant, scholarship and fellowship aid, including AmeriCorps awards, that was included in your (or your parents’) AGI
• Current stock, bond, and other investment records
• Current business and farm records
• Current bank statements

For further instructions and resources these links may be helpful: 

• FAFSA on the web worksheet go HERE
• Completing the FAFSA Booklet go HERE 
• Expected Family Contribution go HERE

If feel like you need further help you may want to attend FAFSA Frenzy at Missouri Western State University on February 22nd from 2:00-4:00.  The FAFSA Frenzy is a place where you can go and get free assistance with completing the FAFSA.  Please be sure to click the link above if you go so that you will have all of the proper documentation that you will need. Remember too, that the financial aid office at the college you've selected can be a great resource as well. 

You may also go HERE to access the financial aid presentation that was held at NPHS this fall.    

Good luck!