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| | Federal Financial Aid for your Student (FASFA)
For those parents who are new to the “monies for school” game, it is time to fill out your FASFA form. The FAFSA is probably the single most important document you will ever submit to obtain financial assistance. In
submitting the FAFSA, you automatically apply for the Pell Grant, Work Study Program, FSEOG, and Perkins Loan, as well as pre-qualify you for the Stafford Loan.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid (FASFA) programs are the LARGEST SOURCE of STUDENT AID in America, providing nearly 70% of all student financial aid. Help is available to make education beyond high
school financially possible for your child.
Students who are attending two year/four year public/private colleges or career/trade schools are all eligible for this aid. Now the catch for all of us is proving NEED. This aid is of course based on a need factor.
But, you must be QUICK, in order to secure these monies as EVERYONE is applying. There are several “rules of thumb” to keep in mind when deciding to go for the FASFA monies:1. This is a “First Come, First Served” deal,
so the FASTER you APPLY, the easier it will be to secure some of this aid.2. It is a huge misconception that you must first have filed your taxes for the current year before you can apply for this grant. THAT IS
COMPLETELY WRONG. You simply estimate your income when filing for FASFA and then you can update it later.3. You must apply EACH YEAR, for EACH CHILD.
What this all means, is that AS SOON as you finish reading this article, RUN to your computer, go to: www.fasfa.ed.com and
apply for this aid. There will also be a listing for those who need to renew their application. Don’t be put off by the website, it looks more complicated than it is, but it is relatively easy to navigate it. Be sure
and read the part that tells you what documents you will need to apply. DEADLINES (for 2004-2005 school year---July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005) FAFS on the web and FASF Renewal on the WEB and mailed in applications must be
submitted by midnight Central Daylight time, June 30, 2004. Please remember that the WVU Financial Aid Office priority
deadline date for filing is March 1, 2004. Corrections on the Web forms must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight time, September 17, 2004. As soon as I send this article to the newsletter editors, I am filling out
my application!
-Kathy Gunning
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West Virginia
University