Let's Go Get that Financial Aid Now (Hopefully)

Here we are...October 4th, and the applications are flying and the confusion is intense. With so many different college deadlines, application types, writing supplements, and forms that need to be completed, I'd imagine students and parents are already wishing the college application process was over!

Well, while the college process will not be official over until May 1st, I do have some good news. For the first time, the FAFSA is now open well before January 1st. You may be wondering why this is a good thing...just more paperwork right? Well that is true, but in the long run, this should be a benefit to students and families...hopefully.

For the 2017-2018 college academic year, families can now complete the FAFSA using their 2015 tax return. In the past, families would need to wait until after January 1st, file their taxes, then use that year's information to complete the FAFSA. This would only give school's a month or so to receive the information and send families a financial package...then rushing families to make a compare financial aid packages and make a decision.

The HOPE is that by opening the FAFSA sooner, is that families will receive their financial aid packages sooner, giving them much more time to make an informed decision.

If you are like me, just talking about the FAFSA makes my head hurt a little bit, but check out these few pieces of information on the FAFSA, and a USA Today article on the new FAFSA.


  • The FAFSA is free...do not pay for it! There are scams out there...here is the actual website: FAFSA Website
  • The FAFSA is for financial aid, while the CSS Profile (which many colleges use) will help families receive institutional aid
  • You will need to complete a FAFSA each year, so if your financial situation greatly changes from year to year, so will the financial aid you receive
  • Complete the FAFSA and Profile as soon as you feel comfortable. 


To find out more about the new FAFSA, please take a look at this USA Today Article.

Best of luck!!

Mr. Joseph D. Korfmacher

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