when to fill out the FAFSA?

Paying for College
1

<p>i've heard that if you fill out the FAFSA as early as possible you are likely to get more money from the government... i'm a high school senior, finally, and i need to know what is the earliest date i can submit my FAFSA for the college 07-08 fall term...</p>

2

<p>January 1, 2007, I believe. The profile can be filled out sooner, and then corrected. Look at the deadlines for any profile schools and meet that deadline. I think a lot of them have fall deadlines.</p>

3

<p>It is not even possible to file it online until 1/1/07. The computer system locks everyone out of the site. I've never tried it on paper, and I'm not sure what would happen if you sent one in before 1/1/07 or if the form is even available before then.</p>

4

<p>i'm going to fill it out soon as the clock strikes 12 midnight on 1/1/07 so i can get as much money as possible... if i fill out the paper fafsa i should have all the info i need to fill out the online one, correct?</p>

5

<p>As far as I know filling out FAFSA early doesn't mean you will get more money from the government. The use a formula to calculate your family contribution. I believe early filing is better because college financial aid offices calculate what financial aid they will give you based on your FAFSA (and PROFILE for some schools). If one waits too long to fill out FAFSA/PROFILE individual colleges may have less money to give you. While its good to fill out FAFSA early I don't think it matters if you fill it out soon after the clock strikes midnight - just get it done before the college's financial aid deadline. Note: I believe it helps to have your taxes done before you do FAFSA so , many people have to wait until mid January to do it.</p>

6

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<p>You can submit your FAFSA on January 1 of your senior year of high school indicating "will file" (meaning you will file your taxes for the previous year). You will then complete your taxes when you can (beginning of Feb). Then you can go online and amend the FAFSA as soon as possible after Feb. 1....and that is when it should happen. The year you are entering your freshman year is NOT the year to wait to file your taxes until April 15.</p>

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<p>Yes, the Profile can be filed in the fall of your senior year. There are some schools that have priority deadlines as early as November for finaid for their EA/ED applicants. HOWEVER...you cannot amend the Profile online at all. If you need to make a change after filing your income taxes, you have to print out your Profile and write the corrections on it by hand...and mail it to each college. </p>

<p>Regardless....WATCH DEADLINES!!! They are different at every school. Read the websites carefully!!!</p>

7

<p>IF you go EA at BC they want your CSS by Nov 1st... none of my other schools wanted it until Jan but you have to be aware of the due dates, cuase they're not all the same.</p>