It’s been a few weeks since you submitted your Early Decision or Early Action college applications, and you’re in the process of finishing up your remaining Regular Decision applications. Another deadline looms, however. To determine your eligibility for federal financial aid, you will have to complete the FAFSA form for the 2025-2026 academic year. A simpler version of the form experienced a bumpy launch last year, causing the U.S. Department of Education to make some adjustments. As you approach your application finish line, get to know more about the FAFSA, including the timeline and tips so you can apply for financial aid successfully.
This Year’s FAFSA Process: Dates and Delays
While the redesigned FAFSA, which debuted last December, brought some welcome changes to the form itself (learn more here), the launch was not without its technical difficulties and delays. There was some hope that FAFSA would become available to all students this October in a return to the typical release schedule. Unfortunately, to potentially mitigate major issues and alleviate stress to the system, the decision was made to make the 2025-2026 form available in phases with only a limited release in October and a final release by December 1. Deadlines to complete the FAFSA vary by college and state, according to the FAFSA website, but typically college deadlines are the earliest. For example, the University of Pennsylvania lists February 1, 2025 as the Regular Decision FAFSA deadline with the recommendation to submit by the deadline in order “to receive your financial aid eligibility at the same time as your admissions decision.”
In short, the later December launch means a shorter window of time for students and parents to complete the form and for colleges to process it before making their aid offers, making it even more essential to be well informed and well prepared to complete the FAFSA as soon as it becomes available.
Get Ready to Fill Out the FAFSA!
When you already have so many deadlines for your schoolwork and college applications, adding on another responsibility like the FAFSA can be overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be! Prepare yourself by following some simple tips that can help save your time and your sanity.
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- Create a FAFSA ID. Each parent and each student should create his or her own FAFSA ID in order to access and fill out the FAFSA form. Make an account at StudentAid.gov to create your FAFSA ID.
- Mark your calendar. Whether it’s on an app, on paper, or a whiteboard, mark key dates for the FAFSA, including the December 1 launch, the dates you set as goals for completion of part or all of the form, and the deadlines set by your prospective colleges (check college websites for specific dates).
- Compile personal financial information. You and your parents are going to be asked a lot of questions, and to answer quickly and easily, you will want to have everything already in front of you. Gather federal tax returns, W-2’s, checking and savings account statements, and records of any assets and investments.
- Determine demographic details. Information like birth dates, addresses, etc. will be asked of you, so know, or make note of, such details ahead of time.
- Identify relevant colleges. You can list up to 20 schools on the online FAFSA. Obviously whichever colleges you’re applying to should make it onto your list.
- Avoid errors. Getting the FAFSA right is critical, as mistakes mean delays and can affect eligibility. Don’t make common errors, such as forgetting to sign and date forms, using commas or decimals when you’re supposed to round to the nearest dollar, or leaving fields blank instead of inputting a 0 or N/A.
To make the process even smoother, make a plan for how you are going to complete the form. Pick the day or days you will work on it, who you will work on it with, where you will fill it out, what devices you will use, and even the time of day that you will do it. You can take about an hour to finish it one day, or you can save your work and complete it over several days. The key is to be proactive. You don’t want to make careless errors in a last minute scramble to finish the form.
How A+ Can Help
With up to date information and correct preparation, you can complete your FAFSA and be one step closer to financing your college dreams. For additional assistance with the college admissions process, A+ Test Prep and Tutoring has College Admissions Coaches who can guide and support you with research and deadlines. A+ also offers College Admissions Essay and Editing services that can help you brainstorm and perfect both college application and scholarship essays. By working together with our knowledgeable and experienced tutors, you will be able to submit your applications with confidence.
At A+ Test Prep and Tutoring, our practices are based on the latest developments in educational theory and research. We have an excellent team of tutors who can help you with standardized testing, executive functioning, or achievement in any other school subject. If you want to find out more about our services, contact us here.
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