Application For College Financial Aid

Many parents of college-bound youngsters are currently working on the
looming deadline of anywhere from March 1 to March 15 that many
colleges have for submission of financial-aid paperwork.

The key form involved in this process is called the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You may download the form and related
instructions from: FAFSA Form. This site also allows electronic filing
of the form. It is a free form and you should apply even if you think that
there might not be any chance for you; New scholarships are created
every year and you may find some surprises.

You will need the data from your 2004 federal income tax return to fill out
the application, but DO NOT wait until you file your 2004 tax - even if you
have not completed your taxes you should use estimates to complete the
FAFSA form. Otherwise you may find yourself somewhere around the end
of a long queue. That's because most states and colleges start allowing
submission of FAFSA forms beginning Jan. 1. Applications received earliest
are given top priority.

Although the form is FREE to submit, Parents should remember that
student financial aid is not meant to provide a free financial assistance to
you. The system is set up to provide assistance to those who might not
otherwise be able to attend college.