Do you have to apply to a college before applying for FAFSA?

Do I actually have to fill out FAFSA when applying to college

• I will be a freshman this year in college. I plan on transferring from that college that I will attend in fall to a top tier school. Do I have to fill out FAFSA? I am asking this because I applied to some schools this year and I think that one thing that didn't let me make it was the financial part. I graduated 3rd in my class. My family cannot afford to pay for my school.

• Answer:

  Whoa, whoa. The FAFSA is your friend, not some evil to be afraid of. The largest financial assistance program for college students in the United States is managed by the US Department of Education, a cabinet-level division of the federal government. This program is designed to help every US family afford the high cost of a college education. The Department offers two types of financial assistance - one type is "need-based", the other is not. Need-based financial assistance is only available to families whose financial circumstances require that they will need a great deal of assistance. However, even if you and your family are not "exceptionally needy", the Department of Education offers another form of assistance, a government-backed student loan program. Schools do not discriminate against applicants who apply to the government (or anyone else) for financial assistance. First of all, the vast majority of students DO receive financial assistance, no matter what school you are talking about. Second of all, financial assistance does not "cost" the schools anything - the money comes directly from the federal government or from banks and other lenders. Nothing about applying for financial assistance will negatively affect your chances of being accepted to school. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the form that is used to determine the sources of financial assistance that are available to you. Remember what I said - this isn't like food stamps or welfare or something that you might be embarrassed to accept - MOST college students receive one or more forms of financial assistance from the federal government - even students from "wealthy" families. You should DEFINITELY complete the FAFSA and submit it to the Department of Education for processing. Depending on your family's financial circumstances, you may be eligible for a government grant (which is free money that you will never be asked to repay), you may be eligible for a part-time college job that will help you afford school, and you are guaranteed to be eligible for the government-backed student loan program. The Stafford loan program is THE BEST educational loan that you can find anywhere. As a participant in the Stafford program, you will be able to money for your college expenses without a credit history and without a cosigner. The interest rates are low and fixed, you have many years to repay the loan, you don't begin repayment until you have finished college, and you have the right to temporarily postpone payment if you experience financial difficulties after you get out of school. Take some time to look through the booklet that I've attached below. It explains the entire federal financial aid program - it's published by the Department of Education. Have your mom and dad read it, too, because they'll find out a lot about how they can help you achieve your dream of a college education. Good luck to you!