Five FAFSA Myths – Busted
What’s the FAFSA? It’s the online form you fill out to get financial aid from the government. To most of you reading this blog, that means this: FREE MONEY.
But you can’t get it if you don’t apply.
So before we get to the myths, heed this advice: File your FAFSA early.
When? Like, now. January.
Why? Some schools give money on a first-come, first-served basis. And when the money is gone then it’s, well, gone.
Here are some of the myths that keep students from applying, courtesy of this rad video from the good folks at FAFSA:
MYTH #1: My parents make too much money.
ACTUALLY: There’s no income cut-off for federal student aid. So apply no matter what!
MYTH #2: My parents have to file their taxes before I submit my FAFSA.
ACTUALLY: You can put in estimated info based on last year’s tax return, then update it later, once mom and dad have done their taxes.
MYTH #3: Filling out the FAFSA is too hard and complicated.
ACTUALLY: It takes about 30 minutes. Plus, FAFSA provides step-by-step instructions, live chat, and phone help.
MYTH #4: My grades aren’t good enough for me to get aid.
ACTUALLY: FAFSA funds aren’t directly tied to how you’ve performed in school.
MYTH #5: My ethnicity or age makes me ineligible for aid.
ACTUALLY: FAFSA funds aren’t dependent on ethnicity or age.
Ready to fill out the FAFSA? Go here: www.fafsa.gov
Want more details? Watch this simple three-minute video on How to Fill Out the FAFSA.
And click here for a whole bunch of short videos on everything from How to Determine Your Dependency to What Happens After You Fill Out Your FAFSA.
And click here for 10 Tips for Filling Out the FAFSA.
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Written by Ethan Sawyer – In addition to being the College Essay Guy, Ethan is a writer, teacher, speaker, and voice actor. He has worked at Elite since 2003 is also the coordinator for the Elite Community Scholars Program, a program very close to his heart. You can email him at ethan.sawyer@eliteprep.com. The views expressed in this blog post are Ethan's and don't necessarily reflect those of Elite Educational Institute.