The S.C. Commission on Higher Education shared advice from a former financial aid director on completing the federal student aid application.
The S.C. Commission on Higher Education is urging students and families to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, as an early step in preparing for college costs.
The commission shared guidance from Tamisha Martin, director of admissions at Allen University, who previously spent 12 years working as a financial aid director.
Martin said one common misconception is that filling out the FAFSA obligates a student to take out loans. “The FAFSA is simply an application used to determine what types of financial aid a student may qualify for,” she said, according to the commission.
That aid can include grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities and loans, and Martin said families should not assume they will not qualify. “Never disqualify yourself before you apply,” she said.
Martin also advised against waiting too long to file the application or guessing on questions applicants do not understand. “Do not guess when you’re unsure,” she said. “Ask your financial aid office for assistance.”
She recommended families carefully identify which contributors need to submit information and confirm that each person has access to their own StudentAid.gov account. She also urged applicants to double-check identifying details such as Social Security numbers, since errors can delay processing.
For students who feel overwhelmed, Martin suggested tackling the process step by step, beginning with a StudentAid.gov account, gathering documents, completing the FAFSA and then contacting the college’s financial aid office with questions. “Submit the FAFSA,” she said. “Whether you think you qualify or not, you can’t go wrong with it.”
Martin said students should stay engaged after submitting the application by checking email and student portals regularly, responding quickly to requests for documents, and asking colleges about institutional scholarships, work-study and emergency aid. She also recommended using a personal email address for financial aid communications rather than a school-issued account that may become inactive after graduation.
More information and the application are available at StudentAid.gov, according to the commission.
Based on a release from S.C. Commission on Higher Education.
Source: S.C. Commission on Higher Education original release.
