FAFSA Facts

As I was working on my FAFSA this morning, it occurred to me that putting some information out there about the FAFSA might just be a good idea, especially since sometimes it's hard to find the school code for the school you're looking for. I also thought that I could clear up some confusion about the FAFSA. So, here goes...

Does every school require a FAFSA? Yes. The FAFSA is like the mother of all financial aid documents. There may be other documents that you need to fill out for your college, but the FAFSA is a must!

What is WGU Indiana's school code? As far as I can tell, WGU Indiana is still listed under WGU for coding purposes. The school code for WGU and WGU Indiana is 033394.

Do I need to file my taxes before I file my FAFSA? No, you do not. When you go to file your FAFSA, the form will ask you if you have filed your taxes. Simply check the correct answer. Remember that you need to submit the FAFSA by March 10, 2011, but you can always go back and correct it later.

What's the big deal with the FAFSA deadline and state grants? Anyone can file a FAFSA at any given time during the year. The problem is that if you file after the deadline, you lose eligibility for state grants. So, even if you don't have all the right information, just make sure that you file your FAFSA on time. As I stated earlier, you can always go back later and correct any mistakes.

What is the timeline of the FAFSA? Many people are confused about how the FAFSA works for their school year. The FAFSA that you file in the spring applies to your financial aid for the fall of that same year. When you think of the FAFSA timeline, think of the normal school year. It starts in the fall and ends in late spring. The FAFSA actually goes through the summer as well, but since the summer pell program is over, you don't really need to worry about that.

How are the budget cuts going to impact my financial aid? There was no reduction to the financial aid for the regular school year. For a brief time, there was a summer program that allowed students access to summer funds to pay for summer classes. The Pell grant now only runs through the normal school year as part of this year's federal budget cuts.

Don't sweat the small stuff. The FAFSA is fairly easy to fill out. It literally guides you step by step. If you don't have all the information you need, that's okay too. Just fill it out as best you can and submit it. The main thing is to have it submitted by the March 10, 2011 deadline. Changes can be made to the FAFSA anytime during the year without penalty.