Have you filed your FAFSA ?
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid could be the single most important thing high school seniors and returning college students do when it comes to financing their education, say West Virginia University financial aid experts.
Nationally 8 million students miss out on low-cost loans and other aid every year simply because they do not apply for it, according to Sallie Mae, the nation’s largest student lender.
So with the March 1 filing deadline looming, the WVU Financial Aid Office is kicking off the second annual Financial Aid Awareness Week (Jan. 30-Feb. 3) Monday in the Mountainlair to remind students to file on time.
From 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each day, counselors will staff an information table by the food court and provide free handouts and advice to simplify the application process.
In addition, families will also have the opportunity to take part in an online chat from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, atwww.wvu.edu/nsi/chat. There they will be able to communicate with other college-bound students and get tips from the financial aid pros.
The FAFSA is the universal application form for financial aid, from loans and grants to scholarships and work study. Applications received after March 1 will be considered for Federal Direct Student Loans and Federal Pell Grants only, said Terry Miller of the WVU Financial Aid Office.
FAFSA forms may be picked up from the WVU Financial Aid Office in the Mountainlair. However, applying online athttp://www.fafsa.ed.gov/is the fastest and most accurate way to submit a form and get results. Students and parents need a federal PIN (personal identification number) in order to sign the FAFSA electronically. They can apply for their PIN atwww.pin.ed.gov.
The FAFSA requires yearly submission; students can re-apply for financial aid by completing the online renewal application, which contains most of their previous information.
Last year, WVU students were awarded more than $214 million in financial aid with the average package totaling nearly $11,900.
For more information about the FAFSA , contact a financial aid representative at 304-293-5242 or finaid@mail.wvu.edu .