College financial aid coordinators give tips for filling out FAFSA

Rachel Erickson and Kim Pick know financial aid can be confusing and overwhelming. During the U.S. Department of Education’s FAFSA Completion Week of Action, the Chippewa Valley Technical College Financial Aid Coordinators want people considering college to know that help is available.

"Every student’s situation is different, so we do our best to listen and help provide any information that may be helpful," Erickson said. 

In general, two different FAFSA (Free Application for Financial Student Aid) applications are open right now, meaning students will want to make sure they complete the correct application depending on when they plan to attend college. 

To receive aid for fall 2024 or spring 2025, fill out the 2024-25 FAFSA form. To receive aid for summer 2025, fall 2025 or spring 2026, fill out the 2025-26 FAFSA form.

"We'd like to see every student fill out the FAFSA, even if they think they won't be eligible for any aid," Pick said. "Almost always, students are eligible for at least one loan, if not more types of funding. Each year, various pools of money are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so the earlier students can submit their FAFSA for the upcoming year, the better their odds are of receiving these types of funds."

If students or families fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible and they run into issues while completing the form, there is time for financial aid coordinators to help. Erickson added that various scholarships consider information submitted on the FAFSA, making it helpful to have the FAFSA completed even if students don't intend to use it.

Filling out the FAFSA can be anxiety-inducing, but Erickson and Pick have tips to get students and families through it.

1. Reach out with any questions and ask for clarification. If something doesn’t make sense, don’t be afraid to ask.
2. Get help completing your FAFSA. Especially if your situation is complex or you are running into issues, seek help sooner rather than later.
3. Review your FAFSA Submission Summary after you complete the FAFSA. This can tell you about your financial aid eligibility, making corrections or changes to your FAFSA form, and any next steps as you prepare to receive aid offer letters.
4. Learn the difference between your financial aid offer and the cost of attendance. Sometimes, students will see a very large number and assume it’s their bill (and start to panic) when it’s typically their cost of attendance, which includes items like food and housing, tuition and fees, books, transportation, and personal/miscellaneous to help build their budget and get them as much aid as possible. If you’re unsure what you owe or how much aid you expect to receive, feel free to ask a financial aid advisor. CVTC students should contact Student Central!
5. We know life happens, and situations can change at any time throughout the year, so keep the financial aid office in the loop with any changes that may impact your financial aid, such as a change in income, family size, job loss, medical bills, etc.
6. Feel free to ask any questions at any time. While filling out the FAFSA, it can be confusing sometimes to know if you’re a dependent or an independent student and if you’ll need to provide contributor information. More information on dependency status can be found here: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency.

Looking for more information? Below are numerous resources at CVTC and beyond for FAFSA completion assistance:

1. College Goal Wisconsin – Each year, College Goal Wisconsin brings free FAFSA completion workshops to students in communities throughout Wisconsin. This year, CVTC is hosting a workshop from 6 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the Business Education Center. This is an excellent opportunity for students and their families to complete the FAFSA and get assistance with any questions they may have. If this night does not work for you, there are several other events (both face-to-face and virtual). More information can be found here: https://collegegoalwi.org/. 
   Pro tip: Students and their contributors are more likely to successfully submit their FAFSA the same night if they can set up their FSA IDs ahead of time. More information on FSA ID creation can be found here: https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch.  
2. Fair Opportunity Project – If students are looking for evening and/or weekend appointments to get assistance with completing the FAFSA, the Fair Opportunity Project is a great resource for students and families to schedule an appointment with expert help or use the FAFSA Chatbot that can help answer various questions. More information can be found here: https://www.fairopportunityproject.org/fafsa-help.  
3. CVTC Student Central – located in room 113 of the Business Education Center, is a great place for face-to-face assistance or to call with any questions. Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Fridays.
4. CVTC financial aid advising appointments – (face-to-face and virtual appointments are available). Students and their families can schedule an appointment with the financial aid office via this link: https://outlook.office365.com/book/FinancialAidAdvising@alumni.cvtc.edu/.