Why File the Free Application for Student Financial Aid

The time to file for financial aid is now here. Every year in February students are sent reminders to file there free application for student financial aid form. Maybe you are putting it off or do not feel you need to file for financial aid. The fact is, if you don't file, you might be giving up free money for college.

Filing for financial aid is an important process in going to college whether you are a student depending on your parents to pay for college, a parent of a potential college student or an adult student. By filing the free application for financial aid, you become potentially eligible for all types of financial aid in the form of grants, need-based scholarships and loans.

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Most schools have a deadline to file by in order to receive the maximum amount of financial aid you might be eligible for. Usually the earliest deadline date to file is sometime in February and as late as early March. The earliest deadline is for maximum consideration. If you file after the earliest recommended deadline, much of the free money in the form of grants and need-based scholarships, might already be expended. Check with your school to find out the earliest deadline to be considered for the maximum amount you might be eligible for.

While you can file as late as the end of June of the academic year, the later you file, you limit yourself to only being eligible for loans. If you can't afford to pay for college any other way, loans are a good option, but they must be paid back when you finish school and the interest rates can be substantial, as high as 8.25%. Your best bet is to file early to avoid a substantial loan burden when you are done with school.

Why File the Free Application for Student Financial Aid

ONLINE APPLICATION