<p>He's super anxious and skeptical about entering all that important info online. What can I do to convince a paranoid parent?</p>
<p>tell him that if he isn't willing to share his financial info., he'll have to pay full price for your college tuition... :p</p>
<p>How 'bout saying this: "People apply for mortgages online all the time with this same info." I have to admit I don't like the idea of sending that info out into cyberspace either. Maybe you can find info on the website about security with which to reassure him.</p>
<p>lol, clever. </p>
<p>But, he doesn't think will get any federal aid. (which could also explain his belligerence). I still need to do it for merit aid though, so I'll remind him of that (ha, I prob won't get that either).</p>
<p>Explain to him that the FAFSA website is an encrypted, secure website, meaning that nobody except the government will be able to get into the records. </p>
<p>Here's how I explained it to my parents (they're not very computer savvy). "A WHITE box at the top with the website address is NOT SAFE. Everyone can see that. A YELLOW box at the top means the website is safe."</p>
<p>That's how my computer shows secure websites. :P</p>
<p>And I thought you can apply by paper?</p>
<p>IS it possible to submit a paper FAFSA? Many students have that question.</p>
<p>Yes it is possible to submit it by paper. Some people have to (for instance if parents are non citizens and cannot get a PIN). Anyone else can choose to. From</p>
<p><a href="http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before010.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before010.htm</a></p>
<p>
[quote]
What methods are available for completing the FAFSA?
You can complete the FAFSA electronically by using FAFSA on the Web, or you can fill out and mail a paper FAFSA. Each method is available in both an English and a Spanish version.</p>
<p>In addition, some schools participate in Electronic Data Exchange (contact your school for more information).</p>
<p>You may use any one of these methods to apply for federal student aid, but do not submit more than one application.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You just print it off, fill it in and mail it. It will take weeks to get the SAR instead of a day or two doing it online. And you have to contact the FAFSA people for any adjustments or to have it sent to extra schools.</p>
<p>However, be advised that it is not possible to submit the CSS PROFILE on paper.</p>
<p>I would want to add to this discussion that before submitting any confidential information online, that a computer has proper and up to date anti-virus software running and that a complete scan has been done in the past day or 2. </p>
<p>There are keylogger programs (and corresponding bot malware) that can record your activity and broadcast your actual keystrokes (getting around that nice encryption because it records what you are doing not what you are sending) that are relatively easily to detect and remove with current anti-virus software.</p>
<p>If you have a properly maintained machine and are working on a secure website (both FAFSA and CSS are secure), your information is safe.</p>