Some states and colleges require additional financial aid information. Check with the state or college to see if that’s the case. If so, complete those forms just after the FAFSA.
Once the FAFSA has been reviewed, students will receive a
Student Aid Report (SAR),
which can be reviewed online by inputting the FSA ID. The SAR will show the
Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
An EFC is an estimate of how much a family can afford to pay out of pocket and
that determines financial need.
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Colleges will take a look at the
EFC
and provide you with a personalized financial aid package. The financial aid package may contain grants, work-study, or
student loans.
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It’s up to you and your parents/guardians to decide which parts of the financial aid package to accept and decline. Students can also negotiate their financial package with the school through
appeals process
if they feel the financial aid package is not enough to help cover total college costs.
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Finally, students should keep in mind that the FAFSA must be filed every year in order to qualify for financial aid. Filling out the
application will be much easier in subsequent years as a
FAFSA renewal
is all that is required.