Chris asks…
How do i fill out my fafsa if my mom left, my parents aren’t divorced, but she isn’t supporting us?
She left around last Summer, and i don’t know much about her…So how can i fill out my Fafsa. I’m 17. I mean how do i put her finanacial stuff on there if i don’t know she already started a new life with a man.
Michelle answers:
Please copy the following articles and take them to your guidance counselor to ask.
Completing the FAFSA
If your parents are separated or divorced, the custodial parent is responsible for filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The custodial parent for federal student aid purposes is the parent with whom you lived the most during the past 12 months. (The twelve month period is the twelve month period ending on the FAFSA application date, not the previous calendar year.) Note that this is not necessarily the same as the parent who has legal custody.
Http://www.finaid.org/questions/divorce.phtml
the federal formula doesn’t include the financial resources of the noncustodial parent … Some private colleges, however, do ask about the noncustodial parent’s income and assets on their own aid forms and consider the resources of both parents — as well as the custodial parent’s spouse.
Http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/ask/archive/2007/q1203.htm
Sandra asks…
My brother and are both going to college and I’m wondering what I will get from FAFSA?
I am a senior in high school and my brother is a junior in college. He is at a state university and I am planning on going to one next year. He got around 5000 dollars for his student loans and I was wondering how much money would I be able to get. Would FAFSA take into account the fact that my parents are helping two children through college and maybe give me more that that?
Michelle answers:
Yes, there is a question on the fafsa that asks how many of the family are in college. Be sure to include him in the family household number (if he’s not married and meets the other dependent guidelines) and be sure to add him to the number of people in college. Be sure to do this on both your and his applications. Parent information will be the same for both, but not likely the student information because you may have both worked and made different amounts. You prob won’t get the same amounts, upper class-men are eligible for more loan money.
Good Luck.
Thomas asks…
Is the FAFSA award amount the same for every college you apply to?
In other words, will I be receiving the same amount of aid through the FAFSA for every college? (excluding scholarships, aid direct from the school, etc.)
Michelle answers:
No.
The entire point of the FAFSA is to determine your how much you and your family can afford to pay for college. THey look at your income and assets and whatnot to figure out your EFC the magical number that the government thinks you can pay.
Total expenses – EFC = financial aid needed.
So if you applied to a school costing $30,000 and another $12,000 and the FAFSA says you can pay $18,000 you may not recieve any award for the cheap school, and up to $12,000 “aid” for the other school.
Just remember that the “aid” is rarely just free money. You are more likely to be offered work study and low rate loans.
George asks…
Do I have to fill out fafsa again or make corrections to my existing application?
I filled out fafsa for the fall term 2009 but i didnt go. I have now decided i want to attend school spring of 2010. Also, I have changed what school i want to attend. Do i have to fill out another app because its a new year or jus correct my existing app. with the new term and school.
Michelle answers:
Yes, you have to modify the FAFSA form since you are changing schools for the spring semester 2010. You have to change the code on it. It will send the information to the new school, so you could get a financial aid package from them. I have included a great free website on financial aid.
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