The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has as its core mission to ensure that all eligible individual benefit from federal financial assistance - grants, loans and work-study programs - for education beyond high school.

Pursuing education beyond high school is an opportunity you should not deny yourself simply because you are not sure if it's for you or because you feel you cannot afford it.  The FAFSA is a federal program that could possibly help you fund your college education.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a FAFSA?  FAFSA means Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

What does a FAFSA do for you?  It examines your and your family's fianacial situation and determines if the federal goverment will help you pay for college.

Why bother to do this if you already know that your family makes too much money and you won't qualify?  Many colleges require that you do the FAFSA before they will consider you for their financial aid.  Many scholarships also require FAFSA results.

When should you do a FAFSA?    The FAFSA cannot be done until after January 1, but you should submit your FAFSA results as early in the year as possible.  Each college or university has its own financial aid deadline.  It is important that you know the deadlines of the schools in which you are interested and file your FAFSA in advance of that deadline.  You can find deadlines for Texas public colleges and universitites at www.ApplyTexas.org.

Who can help you with the FAFSA?   There are several resources you can use to complete the FAFSA correctly.

1.  The following website offers FREE help.  Notice that it is ".gov"; not ".com" studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/index.html

2.  Financial aid information will be presented to seniors in their English 4 classes on October 13 and October 14, 2009.

3.  A financial aid workshop for parents and students is scheduled for February 8, 2010, in the high school library.

4.  You can become familiar with the FAFSA document by going to www.fafsa.ed.gov/