How is a Printable FAFSA Application Useful?A printable FAFSA application can be used to mail your FAFSA for processing. I do not recommend that it be used for this.Paper applications can get lost in the mail or misdirected at the U.S. Department of Education. Even if all goes well, it will take longer than filing an online FAFSA application. With state and institutional aid, it's first come, first served. (Although this is not true of federal college financial aid.) Another reason not to file the printable FAFSA application is that you are much more likely to make mistakes on it. The FAFSA website uses software that prompts you to fix a mistake (like a blank space or two pieces of contradictory information) before you are allowed to move on. Also, the printable FAFSA form only allows you to select four schools to send your information to, while you are allowed ten if you file online. Instead, download the application, fill it out, and print a copy (or three). There are a couple of reasons I recommend this. If you are like me, you want to see the exact questions that you will be asked on the form, before you fill it out. The printable FAFSA application contains the exact same questions as the online FAFSA application- although they are presented in a different order. (And depending on your answers, you won't see the ones you are allowed to skip, if you use the online form.) If you fill out this paper copy and put it somewhere for easy reference, when you need to know what you wrote on your application (for instance your FAFSA deferred compensation) but you forgot your FAFSA PIN , you will not have to wait for your PIN to be emailed- usually 24-48 hrs. (Even longer if you need to get a new one because you guessed your favorite color wrong three times- don't ask.) You will always have access to the information that you gave the government if you keep a copy on hand. (You should always print out a copy of any application you fill out online, anyway.)
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When you renew FAFSA every year, most of your personal information will be pre-filled on the online form. But your financial info won't be- so if you are filing the FAFSA before you do your federal tax return forms, you will need to estimate. It will be easier to estimate if you have last year's FAFSA sitting in front of you. Make sure that you have the current FAFSA school codes each year; do not copy the ones from last year's form. FAFSA corrections can also be made on a paper student aid report (sent to you automatically if you mailed a printable FAFSA application, or upon request by phone) or on the website. Get the answers to some basic, "What does FAFSA stand for?" questions before you fill out the form. And don't forget to check your state's FAFSA deadline. 
The printable FAFSA application questions are not asked in the same order as they are on the FAFSA website, but the information will be the same and the corresponding numbers of the written form are also indicated. |
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