Guest writer Jonna Mastropasqua has ten years experience in Financial Aid administration. She received her M.A. in Women’s Studies from the University of Arizona in 2006. She has been both a financial aid counselor, as well as the Director of the UofA’s LGBTQ Student Resource Center. Now a resident of North Carolina, Jonna enjoys gardening and spending time with her dogs. These are her words . . .

The financial aid application processes is, for most students, quite daunting. When confronted with pages of application forms that include questions about taxes, family members, enrollment intentions and more, quite a few students wish they could run for the hills or get a root canal instead. But, if you take a deep breath and follow some simple guidelines, I promise I will show you that applying for and getting money to help you pay for college is not as hard as it seems and the reward is . . . well, worth it.

Here are some facts, tips and tricks that every student should keep in mind when they are applying for financial aid.

‘¢ All federal, most state, and many scholarship programs require students to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) once each year. It’s free, so there is no reason not to submit it. Make sure that you submit your application using the U.S. Department of Education’s website’”www.fafasa.ed.gov. There are a lot of dummy sites out there that look and feel like the FAFSA site, but once you put all of your information in and go to submit it, they ask you for money. The real FAFSA site is ALWAYS free.

‘¢ The FAFSA covers a bunch of different programs, so even if you don’t qualify for grants (free money) you might qualify for low-cost loans, work study or other programs. Once your school establishes your eligibility, you can accept or decline any funds offered to you’”so even if you only get offered loans and you don’t want them, you can decline them later.

‘¢ Every student should submit a FAFSA (or renewal FAFSA) once each year’”for most students, submitting the FAFSA right around the same time as you do your Federal Income Taxes will keep you well in line with most state and school specific deadlines.

‘¢ Check with your college to find out what their deadlines are for submitting the FAFSA. Most will accept them, even after classes start.

‘¢ Federal Pell Grants and Federal Student Loans are awarded year round by most schools’”these funds won’t run out, so even if you haven’t done a FAFSA for this school year, do it now! State and some Federal grant, work study and other programs are typically awarded on a first-come-first serve basis, so the earlier your FAFSA is submitted the better aid package you are likely to get.

‘¢ Read the application instructions carefully and follow directions. Don’t worry if you make a mistake, they can be corrected. But slow down and put your information in carefully and it could save you a good deal of hassle later on.

‘¢ Don’t be intimidated by the FAFSA questions. They are actually pretty straightforward. If the question is about your taxes, for example, it will tell you to look at a specific line on your tax form and put that number in. Just match up the tax form type and the line number and you should get accurate results.

‘¢ Pay attention to your snail mail, as most schools will send decisions and/or requests for additional information to the address you list on your FAFSA or to the address on file with the school.

‘¢ If your school requests documentation, provide it promptly and make sure you follow directions.

‘¢ Finally, if you get stuck, ASK. Your local financial aid officer will help you, even if you are filling out a FAFSA for a school far away. Many schools also offer How To workshops that are designed to walk you through the application process. Just ask your local Financial Aid office if you are in need of a workshop.

In short, take your time. Follow directions. Ask for help if you need it. But the biggest, most important piece of advice I can give you is this: Apply. Apply early and apply every academic year. The bottom line is, FAFSA is FREE and might just net you a big chunk of change. So all you have to lose is an hour or so of your time. So get on it. Go. Now.