File the FAFSA!

File the FAFSA!

Anyone for admission to college should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)! This is one of the few absolutes that applies to every student. 

Even if you think you are not eligible for financial aid because you family's income is too high, you may still be eligible for a student loan. Additionally, many colleges and universities seek lists of students who filed the FAFSA from the Financial Aid Office when seeking applicants to whom they want to offer scholarships created from privately donated money given to the institution for this purpose. Also, there may be scholarships that you will be unable to receive unless you have filed the FAFSA. 

All students seeking financial aid must file the FAFSA every year. If you are applying for admission to Kean University as an EEO/EOF Freshman, you must file the FAFSA. You can file the FAFSA now for the 2014-2015 academic year. The new FAFSA is available after January 1st of each calendar year. 

Filing the FAFSA is done online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Do not be fooled by www.fafsa.com websites which offer to file the FAFSA for you. They charge about $100 for something that is easy to do yourself. 

When you file the FAFSA, it is recommended that: 

1. Parents/guardians and students (if students file Federal taxes) complete the 2013 IRS Federal Income Tax Return before filing the FAFSA. 
2. When filing the FAFSA, it is easier if the IRS Data Retrieval Tool is utilized so that the Federal tax information uploads onto the FAFSA.
3. When filing the FAFSA, the link on the FAFSA confirmation page entitled “Optional feature-Start your state application…” should be clicked so that the N.J. Higher Education Assistance Authority (HESAA) can access the information for State financial aid processing.
4. List Kean University as your #1 choice of colleges on the FAFSA. All students should list a New Jersey college as #1 on the FAFSA to be able to initiate being directed to answer questions with HEESA.
5. Males should register for Selective Service via the FAFSA, even if you are not yet 18. Only those male applicants who have registered for Selective Service are eligible to receive financial aid. 

More information is available at http://studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa.