Fafsa time

It is Spring and it is time to update your fafsa. If you are a veteran on Planet College you probably know what a fafsa is and have probably had one for some time. This is just a basic reminder that it is a good time now to update your fafsa. You'll need the information for the 2009-2010 school year. If you don't have a fafsa it is time to get one. If you don't know what a fafsa is it is time to go to your student aid office and have this basic term explained to you. Fafsa. Even if borrowing is not a part of your college financing plan it is quite likely you need a fafsa. It's spring. It is time to update your fafsa. Do it now.

Planet College added note. If you are currently attending a post-secondary school, that is a college, community college, private college, for profit college, or trade school of any kind and you do not know what a fafsa is it is timed you found out.  Occasionally students, often if their college cost are being paid by some one else, do not know about or realize the value of a fafsa. Or if you just don't know what a fafsa is use the search up on your left. Enter 'fafsa'. The responses from this site will supply enough information to get you at least oriented to the subject.  If there is a finance office, financial aid office or student finance office on your school site a visit there can help clarify fafsa further.  Planet College emphasizes obtaining good information about every aspect of student life. A fafsa is something you should not about. Even if you think you don't.

FAFSA Renewal Time.

One of the tasks which should be on the top of your list right now before this term gets real busy is renewing your fafsa. If you are not back on campus yet you can renew your fafsa from home.  From where ever you re-new the basic information you need is here.  This is what it says.

You must apply for federal student aid for every school year that you attend. To reapply, you should submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you submitted a FAFSA last year, and you are eligible to complete a Renewal FAFSA, you may choose to have most of the questions pre-filled with the information you provided. Simply updating the information for the new school year on a Renewal FAFSA may be faster. However, the Renewal FAFSA is available solely for your convenience. If you prefer to start fresh with a new FAFSA, you are free to do so.
To reapply, click Login on the home page to log in to FAFSA on the Web, and then click FAFSA Renewal.
Note: If you are eligible to complete a Renewal FAFSA, you will be asked to provide your PIN, as well as answers to income, asset, and tax questions. You must also update any information that has changed since last year.

There it is. So, go ahead, jump on it, right now. No time like now. Get on it.

When Things Change Go Check Your fafsa.

 Planet College has frequently emphasized keeping your fafsa up to date. Those posts can be seen here.  This is another fafsa reminder.

The start of a school year brings many pressing subjects to the mind of students on Planet College.  Housing, work and class schedule are pre-eminent among the things which need to be attended to as classes start.  One thing which may have a direct bearing on each of these factors is your financial aid award. If you received your award letter  agreed signed and returned it to your school then the financial aid it represent is probably in place.

But what if things have changed for you financially?  Specifically, what if some help you were counting on has not come through.  Have changes in your personal financial aid picture left you unnecessarily stretched.  Planet College has always emphasized the importance of asking for help when you need it. And if your are short of funds then you need help.  Help almost always starts with you. What are you doing to help  yourself?

First thing is make an appointment to discuss your situation with a counselor in your schools financial aid office.  Then go on line and change your fafsa to more accurately reflect your current situation. Your fafsa, the document which provides the basic information upon which your school determines your need was no doubt filed much earlier this year. During the intervening months much could have happened to affect your financial status.  Many students depend on family for support but what if changes have reduced or eliminated that support? Changing the facts as you can see them is the first step to getting the help you need to complete this coming school year successfully.

While students often don't realize that they can amend their fafsa to more accurately reflect their actual financial picture now you know.  So, when you need help ask. But first help the helpers help you. If it is appropriate change your fafsa now.

Do I have to have a FAFSA?

Hopefully by now you are familiar with the FAFSA. If you aren’t the government has help on line here http://www.fafsa.edu/ for filling out this essential document. This document is so essential that even if you were not a financial aid student I would recommend filling out and submitting a FAFSA on an annual basis while you are in college. Check your school’s financial aid office for filing deadlines. Realize however that even if you are past the dead line for your schools financial aid you still may benefit from other sources. These sources will no doubt require a fafsa. So, first thing, right now, if you haven’t already done so, go fill out and submit a fafsa.

What About Next Year?

NO. Not, next term. Next school year. You have your schedule for this up coming term, right. But, Unless you're graduating you still have to think about Fall 'O8 soon. This is important. A great deal can be gained on Planet College by planning at least somewhat ahead. Think about next school year.
For example, on out campus priority consideration for financial aid is given to students who file their fafsa before March 2. Take this opportunity now to file your new fafsa. They start taking new fafsas on the first business day of the new year. This year that day is Wednesday, Janurary 2. Filing your next fafsa is something you can do for yourself for your next school year. Go do it. Planet College note. If you don't know what a fafsa is go to your school's financial aid office and ask. While there ask for help.

FAFSA Time.

First things first for a new calendar year. Your fafsa. Time to do your fafsa for next school year. That is 2013-2014.  Yes it is that time and the sooner the better.  Many schools base their awards on a priority system.  That is, the sooner your school, or which ever school you will be attending, gets your information, the sooner they can get to work on your award package. Right now, before everything gets real busy, and it always does, get on line, put in your username, put in your pin and start updating your fafsa.  You may not have every thing you need, for example, your 2012 employers may not have sent your W-4s, your 2012 earnings reports. Still, you can start now and update the information as it comes in. On Planet College, there is no time like now to take that next important step.

Back To The fafsa.

Mid-year often calls for adjustments on Planet College. Moving, changing majors and even changing schools, these types of things. In order to keep up with your fast changing life on Planet College it is probably important to keep all of your forms up to date. Particularly your fafsa.
Your aid this year has been based on the information you provided winter a year ago. Just like this calendar year the deadline last year for whatever school you were intending to attend or attending was probably something like March Second. Things may have changed for you financially for this school year.
This is important.
If you are not continuing to recieve assistance that you had counted on for this year your next step might be revising your 09-10 fafsa. This is the first step before you go to your schools financial aid office seeking further help. This means for this year. Students are often unaware that when circumstances change for the current school year they may be in a position to ask for more help.

If this is true for you stop by your schools financial aid office and talk it over with an advisor.

On Planet College it pays to ask for help.

Planet College Recognition: Mike Did It Right.

On Planet College opportunity is found where ever. Just before graduation with a BA in Psychology Mike applied for a program, a certificate in School Psychology. The program was at a university in another state. Because of the lateness of his application he was informed he was on a wait list. In the middle of August Mike received notice that he had been admitted to the program. The school was several hundred miles away in another state. Mike packed up his car and drove to his new school. Once there, with no accommodations, he, for a few days slept in his car and showered in the school gym. He was a late add for most of his courses but he did start his program with a full load. Meanwhile he found employment as a part-time counselor on the campus and a room mate from one of his classes. Because he had filed his fafsa as usual that year his financial aid was available within a few weeks of the new term. This was helpful because among other things the out of state fees for Mike'd new University were pretty hefty and Mike needed all the help he could get. During his second semester Mike found a temporary position as a school counselor through a referral from his Department's office. Mike completed his certificate that school year and his temporary position turned into a permanent School Psychologist position at the same school.

With quite a bit of experience on Planet College Mike was able to move forward in his chosen career by basically doing everything right. He moved as soon as he was admitted. He added the courses he could when he could. He found a room mate and a job on campus. Because he had a fafsa in place, updated, his financial aid came through soon after classes started.

This is an example of a student who, through continuous application and persistence, was able to move forward into a chosen career fairly promptly. Mike simply had the experience of having been on Planet College for a typical student career. Because Mike knew the basic moves he was able to use this experience and now has what is for him a worth while job on Planet Earth.

You can do this too. If you've been on Planet College for a while you can trust your own experience to move on. Get through school and back to Earth with a real job. Start looking now. Where do you want to work? And what do you have to do to get there.

Your Graduation Starts Today

On a college campus in Southern California there are banners strung across the walkways. The say “Graduation starts today.” This is an effective reminder of your position on Planet College. Today is the day to take that next step toward graduation. What is it? Go to the library and check out those books your instructor has on reserve? Figure out your schedule for next term? Fill out your FAFSA for next year. Pay the materials fee for your art class?
Whatever it is, today, take another step toward your graduation, today.

Bad Information

Recently I had a conversation with a potential college student which proved to be distressing. She told me she had been accepted to a very good university but would not be attending soon. When I asked why she informed me that she was working on improving her credit score so she could qualify for Financial Aid. I asked her if she had a fafsa and she made a face and said, “Oh no.” I didn’t pursue this with this student. I could tell she was very reluctant to reveal personal information about herself or her family to a faceless bureaucracy. I can assume that she is working from incomplete or bad information. I can also assume that she had confused financial aid, which often includes student loans with consumer credit like credit cards. In fact, I have a hunch she has assumed that financial aid and consumer credit are one in the same thing. I can understand how anxiety provoking this can be. I can understand many students' concern about their credit score.

So, here is today's Planet College Bulletin: Your credit score is a totally separate issue from completing your education. This is the straight fact: Your ability to complete your higher education does not depend on your credit score. If you are a student and you need financial help go to your school’s financial aid office and tell them so.

Getting the best information you can get is critical in any endeavor. Especially, in the often confounding world of student finances. The best information usually comes from the best source. The best source for information about your student finances is not a bank, it is not a credit card company, it is not a loan company and it is not a pawn shop. Each of these will in their own way tell you what is best for them not necessarily you. The best source is on your campus. It is the financial aid office. Go there. Talk to them. Ask for help.