Applications
Why Filling Out Financial Aid Forms ASAP Could Help You
The FAFSA and the CSS Profile both open their applications on October 1st. Even though fall is in the air, and the pumpkin patches are calling—students who are getting serious about college have some homework to do first. Here’s why filling out financial aid applications on October 1st could help you save money.
What is the FAFSA?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid provides financial aid to students who are US citizens (or eligible noncitizens) attending accredited colleges and universities within the United States.
The CSS Profile?
The College Scholarship Service Profile is the platform that many private schools in the United States use to allocate financial aid and funding from the university.
What’s really important about this? They both open their new applications each year on October 1st! That means that early birds can start getting organized and ready to submit. Review this article on the US student financial aid system for a primer on other important dates.
Why could filling out these financial aid forms early help me and my family?
While you have until June 30 to fill in the FAFSA and March 31 for CSS (varies between colleges), the earlier you fill them in, the better to ensure you don’t miss out on aid. Some of these sources of money are first-come, first-served. The sooner you can submit your applications (correctly) the better chance you stand of benefitting as much as possible from these financial aid systems. For more financial aid tips and tricks, check out these other articles on our blog!
Pay Less for College!
Most middle and upper-middle-income families are surprised to learn that with a little planning, they can significantly lower out-of-pocket college costs, maximize grants and scholarships, and minimize debt.
Empowerly is teaming up with SMARTTRACK® College Funding, the nation’s leader in developing strategic college funding plans, to assist our clients with the financial piece of college planning. They’ve helped over 250,000 families affordably reduce the cost of higher education, often by tens of thousands of dollars per year.
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Final thoughts
As autumn falls and the trees begin to change, don’t forget to consider your student’s financial aid situation. You can always turn to the experts for help. The semester has started and things will get busy. Nonetheless, try to set aside some time to handle your scholarship and aid applications, to avoid the scariest thing of all—tuition bills! Empowerly is here to help you achieve your best future on all fronts.