Friendly reminder to current & incoming college students:
It’s around that time of year where we have to submit our tax and income information for college, assuming you qualify for federal aid. When you are filling out your FAFSA application, make sure you choose the one with the web address of https://fafsa.ed.gov
It may seem pretty obvious, but when I was an RA, I’ve had a surprising amount of residents who had no idea which one to choose, and got caught up in things like:
- being charged to file (FAFSA is a free application and the government WILL NEVER CHARGE YOU)
- having sensitive information willingly taken (FAFSA is done online through a secure server on a .gov website, which for all intents and purposes is safe), and…
- …Because it was filed in the wrong place, the college never receives your information. Students think that everything is done, and wind up with no financial aid for the coming school year because they didn’t bother to check. This results in a lot of heartbreak and tears when you’re scrambling to get enrolled!
So please please PLEASE pay attention when you’re applying for aid. Don’t get scammed, and don’t get screwed out of help, okay?
And as another quick tip: make sure you have this year’s tax information handy (and your parents, if you’re a dependent) to make the process easier. Even if you think you or your folks make too much, apply anyway! Sometimes you could qualify for certain grants and scholarships through your school – but they need your FAFSA info!
This has been a friendly reminder. Good luck! ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ
Reposting just because LOL I MADE THIS MISTAKE IN 2008 IM SUCH A DUMMY I HAD MY MOM SPEND $75 TO FILE BEFORE I REALIZED IT WASNT REAL AND SEEING THIS AGAIN IM FEELING THAT SAME HOT SHAME RISE IN ME THAT I DID THEN