Tips for Completing the FAFSA

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Tips for Completing the FAFSA
Tips for completing the paper FAFSA Tips for completing FAFSA on the web What is a PIN and why have one?
Use your legal name as it appears on your Social Security card. Nicknames will cause delays. Read the questions carefully. Do not leave any blank fields. Use a zero if the question does not apply to you. Have all necessary documents on hand when completing the FAFSA such as your federal tax returns. Meet deadlines! Even if you have not filed your tax return, use estimates based on your W2's and make corrections to your Student Aid Report (SAR) later. Dependent students: if the parent responsible for completing the FAFSA has remarried, income and asset information for the new spouse must be reported. If you will have a child born before or during the award year (Fall through Summer sessions) and will be your legal dependent, the child should be counted as a member of the household. Be sure to report any money received or paid on your behalf on Worksheet B. Do not include grant or scholarship money on Worksheet C if you did not report them to the IRS. Remember to sign the FAFSA and obtain all other required signatures. You cannot receive aid without a signature. Make a copy of your FAFSA before mailing it. Do not include anything with the FAFSA when you mail it; any enclosures will be destroyed. Likewise, do not write comments in the margins of the form. Important: The FAFSA application is to be mailed to the Federal Processor at the address given with the FAFSA application. The Cabrillo Financial Aid office does not process your FAFSA application !! Back to top
Tips for completing FAFSA on the web The easiest and fastest way to apply for federal and state aid is by using FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. It is available in both Spanish and English and you can apply around the clock, seven days a week, starting on January 1st of each year. Apply for a PIN so you can e-sign the electronic FAFSA at www.pin.ed.gov. Dependent students can have one parent apply for a PIN. The PIN can also be used to make corrections to your FAFSA. Before starting, read the Pre-Application Worksheet at www.fafsa.ed.gov which lists what information is needed ahead of time. Review the completed FAFSA carefully before submitting it and keep a printout for your records. If you can provide an e-mail address, you will get a message confirming that your FAFSA on the Web was received. You (and a parent) can e-sign the FAFSA using a PIN. If you do not have a PIN, be sure to print, sign and mail the signature page. Avoid peak hours; you will get a faster response, especially after 8 p.m. To meet the deadline for Cal Grants, you must submit your FAFSA by the March 2 priority deadline for each year, but you are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last minute. If you do not have access to a computer, you can make an appointment to apply for FAFSA on the Web at the Cabrillo Financial Aid office in Aptos or the Watsonville Center. Back to top
What is a PIN and why have one? The Personal Identification Number (PIN) is the code used by the Dept. of Education to identify you online. You do not need a PIN to complete a FAFSA online but there are advantages to having one. A PIN allows you to: Electronically sign your FAFSA to speed up the process. Check the status of your electronic FAFSA. Make corrections to your SAR (Student Aid Report) online. Keep your PIN in a private place; it allows you (or someone else if they have access to your PIN) to electronically sign federal documents and access confidential information. If you completed a FAFSA last year, you may automatically have a PIN. You can check on your PIN status or apply for a new PIN at www.pin.ed.gov Back to top


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last updated November 1, 2007

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