How to Complete the FAFSA for the 20092010 Academic Year

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How to Complete the FAFSA for the 2009-2010
Academic Year
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Good Reasons to File Electronically

• FASTER !
• INSTANT EFC
• EASY
• ACCURATE
• ABILITY TO CHECK APPLICATION STATUS ON LINE

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FAFSA on the Web (FOTW)www.fafsa.ed.gov

• Request a PIN now at www.pin.ed.gov
• Gather necessary documents
• Check browser requirements
• Print the 2009-10 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet 8
  page booklet containing
• Instructions
• 93 questions in 5 sections
• NEW! Students who are unable to provide parental
  data can submit their application through FOTW.
• NEW! CPS will send email notifications to
  applicants who have a saved application at 7 and
  14 days of inactivity.

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Application Saved Text

• You can save your application at any time and
  return to it later.
• Click the Save button after each page.

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Step One Step Two - Student
Information

• General Student Information
• Name
• Social Security Number
• DOB (full birth date)
• Q22 Selective Service
• Q23 Drug conviction status
• Q24 Q25 Parents educational background
• Q28 What will be your grade level
• Q31 What types of student aid interest you?
• Q33-40 Financial data for the student

TIP Use projections if taxes NOT yet
completed Current value minus debt equals net
value
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Step Three - Dependency Questions

• Students dependency status
• If all No responses, student is dependent
• If Yes to any question, student is independent
• Changes Effective for the 2009-10, College Cost
  Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA)

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Step Four - Parental Information

• Divorced or Separated Parents Who do I use?
• During the past 12 months
• Who did you live with most?
• Who did you receive the most support from?
• None of these
• Last person you received support from
• Include step-parents if remarried

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Step Four - Parental Information
Q63-70 Last name, date of birth, Social
Security Number Q71 Email address Q75
Household size/number in college Q77-81 Did
anyone in the parents household receive benefits
from any of the federal programs listed? Q82-90
Financial data for parents of dependent
students Q91-93 Asset figures snapshot at the
time of filing and CANNOT be updated
TIP Use projections if taxes NOT yet
completed Current value minus debt equals net
value
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Step Six Colleges to Receive Information

• FOTW Up to 10 colleges to receive FAFSA data
• Federal School Code for each college
• HSU School Code 001149
• CR School Code 001185
• Housing plans for each college
• List schools most likely to attend first
• FAFSA information sent to colleges listed
  approximately 10-14 days after FAFSA submission

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Signatures

• Required by student and one parent (dependent
  students)
• Review FAFSA and Apply Signatures
• Format
• Electronic using PIN
• Signature page
• Paper FAFSA

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FAFSA Submission Confirmation

• CPS Notifies student of FAFSA processing results
  by
• E-mail notification containing a direct link to
  students on-line SAR if students email was
  provided on paper or electronic FAFSA
• Student with PIN may view SAR on-line at
  www.fafsa.ed.gov
• Students informed if selected for verification
• Identifies checklist tasks that students must
  complete

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Application Status Check
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Special Circumstances

• Cant include on FAFSA
• Contact each college
• College will
• -Request documentation
• -Review situation on case by case basis
• -Decisions final and cannot be appealed to U.S.
  Department of Education
• Examples of other special circumstances
• Change in employment status
• Medical bills not covered by insurance

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Frequent FAFSA Errors

• Parent and Student Social Security Numbers
• Divorced/remarried parental information
• Income earned by parents/stepparents
• Untaxed income
• US income taxes paid
• Household size
• Number of household members in college
• Real estate and investment net worth

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Reminders

• FILE EARLY California priority deadline is
  March 2nd
• Review data, your SAR, for accuracy
• Keep copies of all forms, documents and PIN
• Update estimated FAFSA information when actual
  figures are available
• REAPPLY EACH YEAR in January
• Questions? Ask your financial aid office