It has come to our attention that many potential college applicants and their parents believe there is a cost associated with filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Please make note of the first word in the name of this form: FREE. And that’s because it is! Let us explain.
Completing the FAFSA maximizes your access to funding, helping you find resources to make college affordable. The form becomes available every year on October 1 at FAFSA.gov. This federal student aid site is an Office of the U.S. Department of Education. If at any time you are asked to make a payment to complete the FAFSA, then you are NOT on the correct website. The application will take roughly 30 minutes to complete, and you will be asked to provide information regarding parental income, student income, parental assets, college savings, etc. From there, you will be able to access your eligibility for scholarships, grants, loans and work study programs. The FAFSA must be completed on an annual basis every year you are in college. As each college has a different FAFSA deadline and awards are given on a first come, first served basis, it is important to file earlier rather than later. Further, every college is required to include a net price calculator on their website, which can provide an estimate of tuition costs.
Still want help filling out the FAFSA? Every college has some kind of financial aid/services office with personnel who will be glad to help you for FREE. “We get this question all the time,” says Amanda Sheets, Operations Manager at the Crawford Success Center of North Central State College in Bucyrus. “We are more than happy to help students complete their FAFSA application.” Additional resources include crawfordcollegeconnection.org, CheapScholar.org, and studentaid.ed.gov.
With college classes available right here at the Crawford Success Center in Bucyrus, a huge variety of scholarships (for both traditional and non-traditional students) at Crawford College Connection and The Community Foundation for Crawford County, AND a FREE FAFSA form and people to help you complete it, your educational dreams have never been more attainable than right now!
Learn On,
Amanda Sheets, NCSC’s Crawford Success Center
Margaret Thornton, Crawford College Connection
Lisa Workman, The Community Foundation for Crawford County
