FAFSA.ED.GOV

By now this website should be on your favorites list. This is the financial aid website that almost all of you in the United States at least should be applying for. Or at least you should be on the website and have created a PIN number for yourself. You don’t need to do anything else but create a PIN for identification and to at least have your account created. This will not speed up your financial aid process, nor will you get to the front of the line.

Remember this will be financial aid for next school year, 2012/2013.

You have to wait for certain documents to be provided to you so you can start financial aid. Your taxes have to be done mostly in order for you to technically have everything. But check out my post on all the documents needed for proper financial aid filing. This is important as your filing can be delayed if you do not have all the documents required.

Those of you high school seniors, your financial aid should be at least started now. Either go to FAFSA.GOV or check with an admissions representative at a college that you have already chosen. If you have NOT chosen a college yet, then no need to check with them Just go to the website and create a PIN number which starts your account.

Below are federal and state financial aid deadlines dates as published on FAFSA.GOV:

Alabama  Check with your financial aid administrator.    Alaska     AK Education Grant & AK Perf. Scholarship – June 30, 2012 midnight, CST.       American Samoa  Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.        Arizona    Check with your financial aid administrator.            Arkansas    For Academic Challenge – June 1, 2012 by midnight, CST. For Workforce Grant–check with your financial aid office. For Higher Education Opportunity Grant – June 1, 2012 by midnight, CST.           California    For initial awards – March 2, 2012. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of      their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency. For additional community college awards – September 2, 2012 – date postmarked. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.           Colorado    Check with your financial aid administrator.                Connecticut     February 15, 2012. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.                       Delaware  April 15, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.        District of Columbia   June 30, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. Additional form may be required. For priority consideration, submit application by May 15, 2012. Contact your state agency for more information.             Federated States of Micronesia     Check with your financial aid admin. Add’l forms may be req.       Florida   May 15, 2012 – date processed.       Georgia   Check with your financial aid administrator.             Guam  Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.           Hawaii  Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.             Idaho     Opportunity Grant – March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.           Illinois    As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted.           Indiana     March 10, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.           Iowa    July 1, 2012 by midnight, CST; earlier priority deadlines may exist for certain programs.          Kansas    April 1, 2012 by midnight, CST. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Add’l form may be required. Contact your financial aid admin. or your state agency.             Kentucky    As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted.               Louisiana    June 30, 2013 (July 1, 2012 recommended).              Maine    May 1, 2012, by midnight,Central Time.                Marshall Islands  Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.        Maryland    March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.           Massachusetts   May 1, 2012 by midnight, CST For priority consideration, submit app. by date.          Michigan  March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.             Minnesota  30 days after term starts by midnight, Central Time.            Mississippi   MTAG and MESG Grants – September 15, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. HELP Scholarship – March 31, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.                Missouri  April 2, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.               Montana  March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.           Nebraska  Check with your financial aid administrator.        Nevada  Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.         New Hampshire  New Hampshire is not offering a state grant this year.           New Jersey   2011-2012 Tuition Aid Grant recipients – June 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.  All other applicants – October 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time, for fall and spring terms; March 1, 2013 by midnight, Central Time, for spring term only.          New Mexico   Check with your financial aid administrator.            New York  June 30, 2013 by midnight, Central Time. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.          North Carolina   As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted.       North Dakota   April 15, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Early priority deadlines may exist for institutional programs.            N. Mariana Islands   Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required. Ohio   October 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.         Oklahoma  March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.          Oregon  OSAC Private Scholarships – March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. Oregon Opportunity Grant – February 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.              Palau  Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.         Pennsylvania   All first-time applicants at a community college; a business/trade/technical school; a hospital school of nursing; or enrolled in a non-transferable 2-year program – August 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. All other applicants – May 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.                Puerto Rico       Check with your financial aid administrator.         Rhode Island  March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.           South Carolina       Tuition Grants – June 30, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. SC Commission on Higher Education – As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted.         South Dakota   Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.               Tennessee   For State Grant – As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted.  For State Lottery – September 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.          Texas   Check with your financial aid administrator.            U.S. Virgin Islands    Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.  Utah   Check with your financial aid administrator.             Vermont        As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted. Additional form may be required.          Virginia   Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.       Washington   Check with your financial aid administrator.                 West Virginia    Promise Scholarship – March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency. WV Higher Education Grant Program – April 16, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.          Wisconsin   Check with your financial aid administrator.       Wyoming   Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.

If you have  a college in mind that you selected and you have been working with admissions, this will be your time to meet with a financial aid advisor to get this financial aid stuff done. They should guide you through the process or at least point you in the right direction.

Questions about the process? Let me know 🙂

Your Success is My Success,

Keith Lipke

I’m a careers and college recruiter, coach, public speaker and leader at The Career Closet. His passion is to educate, inspire, and give hope to young people who need it upon their search for the right career and college

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