How to renew my FAFSA for the new school year without starting over?

When can i start filling out a fafsa for this coming school year?

• 09-10 school year starting september. I'm going to a community college.

• Answer:

  Um, Jackie: 3 months ago. The FAFSA for each academic year is posted to the internet site on January 1st. Though the FAFSA appears at the first of the year, the best strategy is for you and your parents to complete your taxes before sitting down with the FAFSA. Most employers don't mail out their tax forms until late January or early February, so it's around that time that financial aid applicants usually begin working on their FAFSAs for the coming year. Some students think that the FAFSA process is a race, and they rush to get their form in first - but that's not really true. The important date that every student should keep an eye on is the "priority aid deadline" at his/her school. Each school establishes its own priority aid deadline, so it's a good idea to keep tabs on when your school's deadline will arrive. The priority deadline is the date that your school will actually begin processing aid applications. That's why it's not really a race, because students who get their applications submitted on January 2nd will have their aid processed by the school on the exact same day as a student who submitted their application on the morning of the deadline. You'll want to have your application in on time, because the best aid awards go to students who meet the priority aid deadline. That's because some forms of aid are allocated from limited pools of funds. All of those types of aid are often given away on that first processing day - so students who miss the deadline will usually not be considered for those types of aid. However - even students who miss the deadline by months are okay - because the two largest aid programs, the Stafford Loan and the Pell Grant are awarded from unlimited funds. No matter when you apply, you'll get those funds, if you are eligible. You need to get on to this FAFSA business right away. Sit down with your mom and/or dad, and start tackling the form. If you have any questions about it - be sure to contact the financial aid office at your community college - that's what they're there to help you with! Good luck to you - now go get busy!