Navigating the FAFSA
By Addisyn Ludden
The FAFSA, or Free Application for Student Aid, is really important because it helps make college more affordable. This is a form that students can fill out if their family does not have enough money to pay the funding needed for college. Choosing not to fill the form out can cause students to miss out on opportunities to get the money they need for post secondary schooling.
On March 28, from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Pierce High School is holding a FAFSA completion night. This is the same night as parent-teacher conferences.
“Families will soon be receiving letters to provide more details about this event,” school counselor, Danielle Goetsch, exclaims.
This is the first year that all seniors in the state of Nebraska are required to complete the FAFSA in order to graduate. “Families who do not choose to complete the FAFSA must complete an opt-out form. The FAFSA has also made it necessary that all contributors complete a section of the FAFSA,” Goetsch says.
It is important for students to fill it out because it opens more opportunities for “free money.” “Many colleges require that the FAFSA is completed in order for students to qualify for scholarships. In other words, if students don't complete the FAFSA, they do not receive scholarships from those colleges. FAFSA also provides grant money and loan information. Students who complete the FAFSA and qualify for grants receive money from the government to pay for college. This is money that is gifted. The FAFSA also indicates how much a student can receive for a loan. Like any loan, students receive the funds and must pay the funds back with interest,” Goetsch expresses.
“I think the FAFSA will be a good thing because it gives many students opportunities to free money,” senior Shaylee Gardner says.
The senior class and their parents or guardians are invited to the FAFSA completion night March 28.
