FAFSA FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID

HOW TO FILL OUT THE FAFSA

LET’S RECAP WHAT YOU JUST HEARD…

The FAFSA is the primary form of government aid to pay for college.  In order to receive financial aid and many scholarships you must file the FAFSA!  Don’t wait until you file your 2015 taxes! Instead, estimate your income, submit your FAFSA application, then log in and make corrections once you have filed your taxes. There is no penalty for filing your FAFSA with an estimated income. FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA)

FAFSA Application opens on January 1st.  Be sure to file for the FAFSA; the school year in which you will be attending college.  File by February 1 to get a chance to be offered the most money and best financial aid package!  Students on the “College Bound Scholarship” must file by February 1 st. (See Mrs. Mackleit it you have questions about your College Bound scholarship.)  Don’t wait until you are admitted to college to file the FAFSA.  Re-apply every year. FAFSA DATES AND DEADLINES:

1.Create an FSA ID: (Do this NOW!)  This will be YOUR unique username and password that you will use to electronically sign the FAFSA every year.  Your parent will need to create their own unique FSA ID as well. 2.Submit the FAFSA after January 1 and before February 1: 3.Submit any other documents required by your college or the state (check with college’s financial aid website and in your ).  Community Colleges of Spokane require an additional Data Sheet to be completed and sent to them. You will not receive financial aid from them if you do not submit the Data Sheet by their deadline! HOW DO I APPLY FOR MONEY?

 Both the student and parent need to apply for their own FSA ID before submitting the FAFSA application.  If your parent has already created a PIN for an older sibling, then your parent will need to create an FSA ID and connect their PIN number.  Create your FSA ID NOW so it will be ready when you file your FAFSA because it takes 1-3 days for it to be verified before you can use it!!  Create an FSA ID FAFSA PIN NUMBER VS FSA ID

 You use your FSA ID to:  Electronically sign your FAFSA application, dramatically decreasing the processing time.  Make online corrections to your FAFSA.  Access your Student Aid Report (SAR)- This is the report that shows you how much money you are being offered!  Do not to share your FSA ID with anyone! Be sure to keep your FSA ID username and password in a safe place. WHAT IS MY FSA ID USED FOR?

1.Your Social Security number.  Your alien registration number or permanent resident card if you are non-U.S. citizen. 2.Your driver’s license (if any). 3.Your 2015 W-2 forms and other records of money earned (or estimated income amounts if you are filing before you receive your 2015 forms). 4.Your 2014 Federal Income Tax return to use to estimate your 2015 taxes until they are actually filed (You need your parent’s taxes if you are a dependent student). 5.Current bank statements. WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO APPLY FOR THE FAFSA?

 You can start a FAFSA application, save it, and return to it later.  Don’t forget to sign your application with your FSA ID and submit it! Starting it and saving it does not submit it.  You NEED to file your FAFSA or you won’t be offered any student aid, work study, grants, or possible scholarships.  Consider it an “insurance policy” in case your family situation changes in the next year (loss of job, injury or death in the family, natural disaster, etc.).  Just because you are offered money, doesn’t mean you need to take it. Seriously! We’ll get into more details about the kind of money being offered in another seminar (E.g. loans, grants, scholarships, etc.). WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?

WHAT IF I’M NOT AN ELIGIBLE CITIZEN  Students who are unable to file a FAFSA due to immigration status, may instead complete the FREE Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WAFSA) form.  This form will determine your eligibility to receive State Need Grant funds for college.  Apply at

Come to LC’s Financial Aid/FAFSA Event! Thursday, January 7, :00-6:30 p.m. FAFSA & Financial Aid Presentation 6:30-8:00 p.m. Breakout sessions  College financial aid representatives will be here to answer questions and assist students and parents in filing their FAFSA.  Breakout sessions include information on applying for scholarships.  Computers will be available for online filing and scholarship searches. All students and families are welcome to attend! WHAT IF I OR MY PARENTS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FAFSA/WAFSA?

Here are other FAFSA/WAFSA filing opportunities for you: 1.Seminar 1/5 and 1/12: You will have computer access to work on your FAFSA/WAFSA during one of these days during Seminar. You will need to know your social security number to start the FAFSA. 2.FAFSA/WAFSA Filing in the Career: Days and times will be announced in January. WHAT IF I CAN’T MAKE IT THAT NIGHT?

Be sure you fill out the application beginning on January 1! READY, SET, FILE!

SENIOR REMINDERS…

Cake Pop Grams December 7 th the ProStart students are selling Cake Pops for $1.00 A quarter of our proceeds will go to the Second Harvest Food Bank for Rubber Chicken!

For $1.00 you can get a Candy Cane Cake Pop. Send your friend or teacher a sweet treat for winter.

When and Where? Order from December 7 th to the 15 th. They will be delivered on December 17 th Morning: Business office and Tiger Perk Lunch: Business Office, Tiger Perk, and in the front hall by the auditorium.

When you purchase a gram, you will select a special friend to give a sweet treat! On the inside of the gram you can write a special message to your special friend. You can send as many as you desire. They will be delivered in first period on December 17 th, not when you buy them.