Do the FAFSA. Really.

Many schools’ FAFSA deadlines are rapidly approaching, or even past. Whether or not you think you’ll get need-based aid, you should be completing and submitting the FAFSA (and PROFILE, if applicable).

What happens if you miss your school’s deadline? Each school has its own policies so you’ll need to contact them directly. Generally you should expect that they will still accept it up until the federal deadline of June 30. However, you may have missed out on aid dollars that are allocated first come, first served; and there may be delays in getting any funds applied for first semester.

Many families with students attending private schools have been pleasantly surprised to see that they receive some aid after submitting the FAFSA or PROFILE. It may be a small amount, but every dollar of gift aid that you receive is one less of your own or your student’s that you need to spend.

See The FAFSA®: What it Does & Doesn’t Do for more.