The FAFSA application has opened, and has left many seniors scrambling at the thought of being an adult and leaving high school.

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, it is free government money for grants and loans that is handed to seniors based on house income. This may sound like a blessing, but to many high school seniors across the nation, it is very stressful and annoying to fill out. 

Senior Delanie Lopez said it took her about 30-45 min to fill out due to her parents’ tax returns. She claims, “This personally did make me feel more prepared for college financially. I was so worried about how I was going to pay for college being a first-generation student but overall I feel less stressed.” FAFSA is a major contributor when it comes to paying for college. A lot of students don’t know how to pay for college, so FAFSA is a small step towards earning money.

FAFSA opened October 1st, but there is only a select amount of money that is given away as the government will run out of funds. This should motivate many students to fill out the form. School counselor Ms. Justyna Jablonska has a feeling that the money will run out quicker than usual this year, “Usually around mid December, but I think there will be a larger amount of students applying this year, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it ran out sooner.” This should really push the seniors at East Leyden to fill the form out as soon as possible. 

Even though FAFSA can seem intimidating at first, it leaves many excited and ready for what the next part of their life brings them. Remember if you or your parents are having any trouble filling out FAFSA or just simply don’t know what to do, then join Admission counselors and Leyden counselors at FAFSA fest. It’s at East Leyden tonight,  October 10, at 6:30. See you there!