The winter term is ending and that means only one thing. The time for filing your 2008-09 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is almost here!

What??? No!!! It can not be that time already?!? And wait a minute, I did it last year!!! Yes, the new forms for 2008-09 will be available as of January 2, 2008. Even if you did file last year, you are going to have to file again. Filing a FAFSA is something you’ll do every year you or your student is in college.

“Do I have to file a FAFSA?” The answer is – of course not. Whether or not you file is entirely up to you. Just remember, without a FAFSA, most schools are not going to award you or your student any financial aid.
“It takes SO much time!” Even with complicated student/family financial situations, the FAFSA normally takes less than an hour to complete. If you do it online, the system provides you with a variety of questions and prompts to make your life easier; and, in the end, the tradeoff (financial aid) is worth it.

“But we never get any help!” That depends on how you look at it. “Financial aid” includes: grants, scholarships, work-study and educational loans. You may not want the help that is offered (work-study or loans) to you. but that does not mean it was not offered to you.

"The whole process is unfair!" The idea behind a common financial aid application and common requirements is that all students are treated exactly the same way--at least in the beginning. If you or your family have special circumstances that you feel cannot adequately be explained on the FAFSA, then it is time to visit with the financial aid office at the college you are or will be attending. Those offices have the power to consider special circumstances (excessive medical or day care expenses, changes in marital status, changes in family size, changes in income from job loss, etc.).

All in all, its worth an hour or so of your time to fill out the forms. Unless of course you or your student are in the position to simply write a check for college costs.

Until next time!

Lynn Byrne

Preparing for college admissions? Trying to find direction? Need a little help with the planning? Check out my college planning series:

• College Planning Made Easy--the planning and preparation workbook for the take charge, college-bound student,
  
• Paying for College Made Easy--a college financing guide designed to assist students and families in preparing and planning for higher education expenses; and
  
• The Great Scholarship Search--my guide for students and parents researching and applying for scholarship funding.