| January 2010 | Volume 10, Issue 1 |
Mapping Your Future is a national collaborative, public-service organization of the financial aid industry - bringing together the expertise of the industry to provide free career, college, financial aid, and financial literacy information and services for students, families, and schools via the web.
Mapping Your Future is supported by guaranty agencies (Sponsors) and lenders, servicers, and secondary markets (Friends) in the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Through the support of Sponsors and Friends, Mapping Your Future is able to provide free services.
- February tasks for high school seniors
- Top 10 tips for applying for financial aid
- College Goal Sunday events feature free FAFSA assistance, financial aid information
February tasks for high school seniors
- Be mindful of deadlines, especially financial aid. Always submit information on time.
- Research Advanced Placement (AP) or College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams.
- Watch for the e-mail notice indicating your Student Aid Report (SAR) is ready.
- Review your SAR for errors and make any corrections as indicated.
- Rank your top school choices.
- Attend a College Goal Sunday event. See www.collegegoalsundayusa.org for a list
Top 10 tips for applying for financial aid
10. Check your eligibility for federal student aid. www.fafsa.ed.gov/faq003.htm#faq003_1
9. Complete your tax return. If you and your parents complete your tax returns first, completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will be much easier. Plus, you won't have to correct the tax information later.
8. Do a little research before hand, reviewing frequently-asked questions about the FAFSA. www.fafsa.ed.gov/faq001.htm
7. Apply for a PIN prior to completing the FAFSA. With a PIN, you can electronically sign your application, make corrections to your submitted application, and review your processed application data on the web. www.pin.ed.gov
6. Gather the necessary information before you sit down to complete the FAFSA. You will need the following:
- Your Social Security number (can be found on Social Security card) Your driver's license (if any)Your 2009 W-2 Forms and other records of money earned Your 2009 Federal Income Tax Return Your parents' 2009 Federal Income Tax Return (if you are a dependent student) Your 2009 untaxed income records (Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records) Your most recent bank statements Your most recent business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records
- Your alien registration number or permanent residence card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
5. Print a FAFSA on the Web worksheet. Write in your answers and gather your parents' information so it's easier to enter the data into the FAFSA on the Web. www.fafsa.ed.gov/before012.htm
4. Determine the federal codes for the schools you'll enter on the FAFSA. www.fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/FSLookupServlet
3. Complete the FAFSA electronically. It's best to complete the FAFSA online, as this reduces errors. www.fafsa.ed.gov
2. Sign the FAFSA electronically. You'll need a PIN to do so (see tip #7 above).
And the number one tip for completing the FAFSA is . . .
If you need help, ask! www.fafsa.ed.gov/contact.htm
College Goal Sunday events feature free FAFSA assistance, financial aid information
Do you need help completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)? Consider attending a College Goal Sunday event for free assistance and answers to your financial aid questions.
Participating states and the District of Columbia host College Goal Sunday during January or February. For a list of participating states and College Goal Sunday events, visit www.collegegoalsundayusa.org.
The College Goal Sunday Program was created by the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association, with funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc. and with supplemental support from the Lumina Foundation for Education. The YMCA of the USA manages the program.
