<p>Hi all, I am so so so confused by this whole process as I am sure a lot of people are. My daughter is a senior in HS this year and has been accepted to several colleges in our region and at this has been the most stressful time in our life as we have been preparing for this extremely exciting time. But, reading through the EFC guidelines document (all 35 pages of it) both my daughter and I are getting a headache. Is there a simple logic to this madness?
Thank you</p>
<p>It is a lot easier to do online.
FAFSA becomes available Jan 1st.
You can apply for your PIN ( the student will need one & the parent) ahead of time.
It acts as your verified signature.
[The</a> PIN Web Site - Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp]The”>http://www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp)</p>
<p>If you want a good overview of financial aid, get a copy of “Paying for College Without Going Broke” by Kalman Chany. It costs about 12 bucks and is money well spent (or you could get it from the library for free!). He walks you through the financial aid process and really helps you understand it.</p>