Is there any other financial aid rather than FAFSA?

I have a question regarding FAFSA/Financial aid. (2011-2012) <2012, Spring Semester>?

• I've heard that by submitting an online application to the FAFSA website, you will become eligible for Financial Aid. The website then reviews my application to determine the amount of money that I may receive from your school. In one of the final steps of wrapping everything up, the FAFSA will send their decision/approval to your school and after that the money will automatically be submitted into your student account. The strangest/most confusing part in all this is that I will be subjected to submit the application for Financial Aid just before 2~3 weeks prior to the beginning of Spring Semester, 2012, which seems like an awfully late date for one to submit their application to acquire an aid from the school. Does this mean that I would have to pay the tuition for this semester before the arrival of pell grant or you-don't-get-jack-decision from the FAFSA? Btw, this was the first occasion where I had submitted an application for Financial Aid. I go to a pretty $hi++y school, so the best advice I could get from all my peers, Financial Aid Office staffs & "schoolmates/meaningless lumps of dead end for desolate isolation," would be, "Go home and surf the web and you might find something resourceful there." So, yes. I am one desperate moose here that is near the edge of pulling the terrorist tactics on my college career. In short, I'd appreciate some cooperation on your part, and uhh, sorry for all the b!tchness and arrogance I might have shared with you all. P.S. Please do not give me your personal opinion on the matter. I've also checked out FAFSA website several times before posting this question here at Yahoo Answers, so I would appreciate it if you can refrain yourselves from stretching your fingers near your mouse to post links to any FAFSA related website(s) in response to my possibly idiotic and absurd question. Thank you.

• Answer:

  "The strangest/most confusing part in all this is that I will be subjected to submit the application for Financial Aid just before 2~3 weeks prior to the beginning of Spring Semester, 2012, which seems like an awfully late date for one to submit their application to acquire an aid from the school." You're right about that. That's why most people submitted their applications a year ago. The application for fall 2011/spring 2012 came out one year ago. Today, most students are busy filling out their financial aid applications for fall 2012 and spring 2013. So, yes you are very late. It's very likely that your school will not process your application in time for your tuition payment. You will most likely need to pay your tuition (or at least part of it) out of pocket while waiting for your school to process your application. It usually takes 6-8 weeks for the school to process financial aid applications. You can still get aid for the spring semester but don't expect for 2-3 months after the semester has started. So, make sure that you complete the 2011/2012 application immediately to get aid for the coming semester. Then go ahead and do the 2012/2013 application so that they have plenty of time to process that application and you get your aid in a timely manner next year.