Fed Financial

Can I file for Financial Aid before I am accepted at the universities I am planning to attend?

I am planning to return to college for Spring 2008, but I still have a few things I need to do (tests, references, etc.) before I wll have completed my application to the schools I'm considering. Should I file my FAFSA as soon as possible..? Or do I need to wait until I have been accepted to a school? If I need to wait until I've been accepted, then do I also need to wait until I've decided exactly which university I will attend? What if my decision will depend somewhat on how much financial aid I receive?

Public Comments

1. File for the FAFSA ASAP and when you do be sure to send your SAR to all the schools that you are applying for (this is done during the application) but if you leave a school out you can go back and edit your SAR to send to that particular school. It won't do any harm and it won't cost you anything. As a matter of fact, it should help you decide which school you want to go to because since the schools will have your SAR they can offer you a financial aid package and you can pick from your favorite schools off the basis of the best financial aid package.