Reasons You Should Apply For Financial Aid 

1. You won't know if you qualify unless you apply.

Most parents have no idea if their student is eligible for financial aid. It's nearly impossible for the typical family to draw any conclusions about their eligibility without actually going through the process. If you don't try, you could be shortchanging yourself tens of thousands of dollars or more.

2. You could qualify for a state grant.

About 17% of college grants come from state governments, but if you don't apply for financial aid, you may not qualify. States routinely use FAFSA information when doling out their financial aid cash.

3. Your money is tied up in your house.

Don't assume that you won't qualify for financial aid because you're sitting on a lot of home equity. The FAFSA won't even ask if you own a home. So, if you are house rich and cash poor, the FAFSA will give you a break!

4. You have more than one child in college.

Maybe you've decided not to apply for aid because you've been turned down before. Plenty of affluent families who didn't qualify for aid with one child in college, however, can qualify when they're supporting two college students. The amount a college will expect a family to pay at a minimum -- it's called the Expected Family Contribution - will drop by about half when parents have two students in college.

5. You can't get the best student loans without applying for financial aid.

Without completing the FAFSA, you won't be able to borrow through the federal government. That means you won't be able to access the federal Direct Stafford Loan, which is the superior loan for students. Parents also would be ineligible for the Direct PLUS Loan for Parents. 

Applying For Financial Aid

Students submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) if you are a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. 

Students can submit the WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid) if you are not eligible to complete the FAFSA due to immigration status, defaulted federal loans, or other issues with federal aid.

To apply for the FAFSA-Free Application for Federal Student Aid

• If you haven't already, create an FSA ID here. You'll need this to apply. 

• Fill out and submit your portion of the form online here.

• Your parent/guardian (if applicable) will get an invitation to fill out their portion.

• If you have already filed taxes, you can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool- information is auto filled for you (no mistakes) 

• Select any schools you're at all interested in, that way if you decide to apply there, they already have your Financial Aid Report.

Never pay ANYTHING to file the FAFSA-It's FREE to file!