How to Get Student Financial Aid Crystal Lake IL

As students prepare for college one acronym stands out throughout their collegiate days: FAFSA. Most students know that those letters represent the form you have to fill out to receive financial aid and many even know that it stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. What we often do not know is how to fill it out. Where do I start? And what do I need to get started?

The most important thing to remember is that you are filing a free application. As I started to research the FAFSA, I entered .

The free, federal site provides similar options: Fill out a FAFSA for submission and/or check the status of a submitted FAFSA. At this point in my research, the benefit of paying $79.99 for a free application eluded me. The government site posted this bold warning:

Filling out the FAFSA, and applying for student financial aid is free. You should be wary of mailings or Web sites that offer to submit your application for you, or to find you money for school if you pay them a fee. Some of them are legitimate, and some are . Additional information may be obtained from FederalLoanHelp.com and OneStudentLoan.com.

© 2004, American Collegiate Financial Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

• More Students Turn To Private Loans
• Private Student Loans: Pros and Cons
• Financial Aid Basics: How to Apply, Finding Scholarships, Types of Student Loans