How to start preparing for FAFSA

STORRS, CT (WFSB) -If you’re applying for financial aid for college, things are going to work a bit differently this year. The FAFSA form won’t be available in October like it has in the past, but that doesn’t mean you should wait to get started.

The dreams of going to a school like UCONN, all start with filling out paperwork in high school, something that can be overwhelming.

“I think it was just the timeline. Everything has these due dates. It feels like every single month, I’m worried about when to apply to this college, when to fill out this letter, when to fill out FAFSA,” said Samantha Slossar, a UCONN sophomore student.

FAFSA is short for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

It’s a form you need to fill-out to see what federal grants and loans you qualify for.

Suzanne Peters is UCONN’s director of financial aid services.

“You can call our office, absolutely. You can ask us questions, and we’ll answer them for you and help you through the process,” said Peters.

Peters says the FAFSA process will be different this year. Instead of the form being available in October, it’s not expected to be released until December as the federal government works to streamline the process.

However, that doesn’t mean you should wait to start looking into things.

“When you postpone doing these things, it begins to just increase your anxiety levels,” said Peters.

Peters suggests families do a few things:

1) Attend a financial aid night- Many high schools will offer these in the fall. You can also attend a virtual one offered through a partnership with New Haven promise.

2) Apply for a FSA ID (federal student aid ID) - You will then use that FSA ID to fill out the FAFSA form when it’s available.

3) Find the student’s social security card - You’ll need to apply for FAFSA with the exact name listed on the social security car.

Slossar says all the work is worth it.

“It feels big. At first, I was a little scared, but you get to know a lot of people. I’ve met a lot of my very close friends here now,” said Slossar.