Posted On: May 17, 2010

Paying for education is always a concern for many students. Colleges typically charge high tuition prices for the education they provide. Luckily, the government and many organizations, include colleges themselves, see the value in education and have set aside money to help you pay for it. There is financial aid information out there should you choose to seek it out.

There are many types of programs out there that can help you create a payment plan so that after graduation you won’t stress out from the thought of a monumental sum of debt looming over your head. There are student scholarships and grants that everyone can apply for that can help to reduce your yearly tuition payments.

For those needing more money beyond scholarships and grants, their is government assistant. The FAFSA or, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is probably the most common program that potential students work with to help pay for their schooling. While it is the most frequently used, the FAFSA is also considered to be the most difficult to apply for. It can sometimes be even more complicated than your federal income tax forms. FAFSA isn’t the only program out there though. There are hundreds to choose from and you can spend hours filling out paper work just to try to pay for school. According to U.S. Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings, almost eight million students don’t bother with financial aid applications because the amount of paperwork involved is too much trouble.

Since adding more stress to your life is something you don’t need, here are some important tips to learn that can help make filling out the forms for financial aid programs much easier.

• Fill out the entire form. The most common mistake you can make is leaving a space blank. Some questions might require information you didn’t know at the time. Most people leave those blank, thinking they will come back to it later but forget. Using markers such as post-it notes can be a good reminder and help you to avoid the most frequent mistake.
• Remember to double check all entries that require numbers. Long number entries such as your driver’s license and social security number can easily be written down wrong.
• Write down all marital statuses correctly. Whether it’s your status or your parents it’s important to list everything correctly while going through the financial aid process. If you have stepparents it’s necessary that you list them as such.
• List the correct amount of income in your household . Financial aid is most determined by the amount of money you and your family makes. Listing untaxed income such as social security or child support is just as significant as the money that is made from a job. Not reporting the correct numbers could result in your application being rejected.
• Follow the instructions. When filing forms such as FAFSA some sections may ask that you write in pencil while others require you to use a pen. Some might require you to print your information while other’s do not. Tiny details like this might seem irrelevant but they too can be deciding factors when being considered for a loan.
• Sign and Date. There will be many places that will ask you to verify all of the financial aid information you have provided. Believe it or not, forgetting to sign and correctly date a section is a very common mistake. Make sure at the end of each segment to leave your signature when asked. FAFSA forms will require you to obtain a personal PIN for signatures if you choose to fill it out online. Be sure to follow directions and obtain one before beginning.
• Report the correct information. Many times people report the wrong information. Things such as the wrong address, background / criminal records, and or a decimal or comma in the wrong place can be a big deal. Once you are finished it’s a good idea to go over each section carefully and re-read the directions then proofread what you entered.

When you first decide to embark on this portion of the college application process, you will most likely feel overwhelmed. But reviewing each section piece by piece, and ensuring you have all the necessary materials beforehand, can help make it a much smoother experience.