If you’re a senior, you probably already have had counselors, parents, and maybe even friends hounding you to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA.

The FAFSA is an application, either online or paper, that high school seniors who are planning to attend college, or other higher learning institutions, complete to determine eligibility for federal and state need-based aid.

“Aid from the federal government can come in the form of grants, loans, or the federal work-study program,” said Mrs. Cindi Gustafson, one of the counselors here at East Leyden and also the Financial Aid and Scholarship coordinator.

But what do I need to fill out the FAFSA? What mistakes should I avoid? How much money can I get? These are a few of the questions that seniors may be asking as they rush to get their FAFSA submitted.

The first thing to do is make sure you are on the official FAFSA website.

‘The FAFSA is free to file. The official site to file at is fafsa.gov, [so] don’t be fooled by scam sites such as fafsa.com which charge you to file the FAFSA,” Mrs. Gustafson warned.

Mrs. Gustafson advises to have the necessary materials on hand before starting a new application, including your: Social Security Card, driver’s license, parents’ 2012 tax returns, and bank statements. If you are employed,  you will need records of your income in the past year, along with the income of your parents since most students are filing as dependents of their parents.

“In addition to completing the FAFSA, some schools might require you to complete additional aid applications,” Mrs. Gustafson explained.

This includes the CSS Profile or a form specific to that college or university, so it’s important for students to check the requirements of their individual schools.

Mrs. Gustafson stressed the significance of the FAFSA and added that “it’s extremely important to make sure that you take your time and fully read the instructions when you fill out the FAFSA.”

As a senior who has already filed my FAFSA I appreciated that explanations to most questions were included in a sidebar so you know what specific information you are being asked for.

I wasn’t sure if participating in certain activities would help me earn more money, but as Mrs. Gustafson pointed out, the FAFSA is need-based, not academic. “Many students confuse need-based aid with scholarships,” she clarified.

So how much can a student anticipate receiving through FAFSA?

“According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 66% of all college undergraduates receive some type of financial aid. For those who receive aid, the average amount is $9,100,” Mrs. Gustafson said. “Most colleges publish statistics on what percentage, how much, and what types of financial aid their students receive.”

The FAFSA is an individualistic process, so don’t expect you and your peers to get the same amount of money.

“You also want to file the FAFSA as soon after January 1st as you can,” Mrs. Gustafson added. “Many colleges and universities have institutional filing deadlines (such as March 1st) that you want to meet–otherwise, you might not receive all of the aid for which you are eligible.”

The counselors have set up lunch and learn sessions during the lunch periods to assist students with the FAFSA. “If you still have questions, seek out assistance from the FAFSA hotline (1-800-4-FED-AID) or see your counselor,” Mrs. Gustafson added.