The spring semester of a high school student’s senior year might seem like the most stressful time of their lives. Between scholarships and college acceptances, it might seem like high school seniors are drowning in a sea of deadlines. 

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is an inevitable aspect of the senior year of high school. Ultimately, it might just compound with the already existing stress of high school seniors. However, it doesn’t have to be a big, scary beast to overcome. Actually, it might be easier than you think. Here are some tips for filling out the FAFSA.

You might be asking yourself “What is the FAFSA?” Simply put, it is the form used to apply for federal student aid for college. According to the Federal Student Aid website, to fill out the form, you will need the following:

• Your social security number
• Federal income tax returns, records of child support received; and your current balance of cash, savings, and checking accounts
• Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable), net worth of investments, businesses, and farms
• Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
• An FSA ID (account username and password) to log in to StudentAid.gov and start the FAFSA form electronically

This article is less of an explanation of the FAFSA, and more of tips to help you be successful when filling it out. For more background info on the FAFSA, visit our blog post from last year: https://u.osu.edu/ohiomilitarykids/2022/12/31/filling-out-the-fafsa/ (note that this is an old article, and the FAFSA has changed since it was published).

Let’s get on with those tips!

Apply Early!

The application for the 2024-25 FAFSA is now open! Applying early not only gets it off your checklist, but many states and colleges have limited funding. By applying early, you are eligible for more aid. 

Avoid making common mistakes

Between waiting too long to apply or incorrectly reporting income, there are easy mistakes that can be made while applying for FAFSA. Visit the Federal Student Aid’s website to familiarize yourself with common FAFSA mistakes: https://studentaid.gov/articles/10-fafsa-mistakes-to-avoid/ 

Use the online application

Although there is a paper option (https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-25-fafsa.pdf), the online version of FAFSA is much more comprehensive and easy to use. By using the online application, you will only be asked relevant questions and it will catch common mistakes. Access the online application here: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa 

Use the “Help” options

Sometimes, things might be too complicated for you and your family to sort out on your own. Skip the stress, and use FAFSA’s “Help” tool. You can find this on the FAFSA website, as well as at this link: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help 

Good luck throughout the application process! For a more comprehensive help guide, visit the official “tip” page: https://studentaid.gov/articles/category/fafsa-tips/