<p>Someone else is handling all of our financial forms and getting them done for us...except he didn't hand them in on January 1st and it could be another 2-3 weeks before my FAFSA/Profile is actually submitted. How bad is this? Will I get the short end of the aid now? </p>
<p>Any previous experiences?
I'm getting VERY worried.</p>
<p>I don't think they have to be filed ON Jan. 1st. I think they just need to be filed as soon as possible after Jan. 1st - you might want to re-check each of your school's deadlines. For a quick way, use collegeboard.com. Do a quick search on the college, click on "deadlines," and it should show you when the forms are actually due. Then, if you're still nervous, check each school's website.</p>
<p>Is there any way you could gather the forms and at least do the FAFSA yourself? It is not that complicated, mostly information gathering, income and assets and then in future years you just update it. You could have it done a lot sooner than 2-3 weeks.
It is not horrific to get it in the end of January but given all the posts you have made about aid I would think you would want it to be in the earliest possible date, especially the first year you are applying.
Is this someone helping you or have you hired them? If you are paying this person I would suggest looking elsewhere, they should have known to get the FAFSA forms in ASAP. I actually know someone whose accountant told them not to "bother" with the FAFSA, and now 2 years later their kid is transferring to a cheaper college to save money.</p>