The financial aid process is complicated, but it is very important to fill out the documents accurately and submit them before each deadline. If you have questions, be sure to talk to your school counselor or college access provider right away.

Here are a few tips to help make the process go more smoothly:

• Submit your FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1. The sooner you get your FAFSA in, the sooner you get your Student Aid Report. You need the Student Aid Report to submit the DC OneApp and apply for many scholarships. Getting your FAFSA in as soon as possible after January 1 means you have a better chance of getting as much financial aid as possible. Also, check with colleges to find out whether they require special paperwork or have earlier deadlines for some aid.  
• Fill out the FAFSA and DC OneApp carefully. If filling out a paper FAFSA by hand, make sure you use black ink, write legibly (print and use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS) and fill in ovals completely.  
• Make sure you have a Social Security number — you must have one to apply for financial aid. Use the name and number exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. Make sure you correctly enter your date of birth.  
• Keep your college list up to date. It’s your responsibility to list colleges you’re interested in so your financial aid package for each school can be developed. You will need to list the college code and name on the FAFSA. These codes are available at www.fafsa.ed.gov under “find my school codes” or from your school counselor.
• Know if either of your parents are considered dislocated workers. Individuals are considered dislocated workers if they lost (not quit) their jobs, have been laid off or received a layoff notice from their jobs, are receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off and are unlikely to return to a previous occupation, are self-employed but are unemployed due to economic conditions or a natural disaster, or are a displaced homemaker (e.g., a stay-at-home mom or dad no longer supported by the spouse and having trouble finding employment).  
• Register for Selective Service. Males aged 18 to 25 are not eligible for aid unless they register with the Selective Service. Do this by checking a box on the FAFSA or at www.sss.gov.  
• Record data accurately. The FAFSA asks for the net worth of your and your parents’ assets — the current market value minus any debt. Also, the FAFSA asks for the total amount of federal income tax paid, not the amount withheld on a W-2.  
• Understand tax forms. If you or your parents filed your federal income taxes using a 1040 tax form, the FAFSA will ask if you could have filed using a 1040A or a 1040EZ form. (Some businesses that prepare taxes will automatically use the 1040 for all of their customers.) It is important to know if you could have used one of those other forms because this information is used to calculate your eligibility for many financial aid programs. Generally speaking, people can file 1040A or 1040EZ forms if they make less than $100,000, do not itemize deductions, do not receive income from a business or farm, and do not receive alimony. Visit the IRS Web site for more information on tax forms.  
• Estimate your income for the FAFSA. If you file the FAFSA before you (or your parents) complete the current year’s income taxes, you can estimate information, such as by using the previous year’s tax returns or pay stubs. But if you estimate your tax information, you must correct it by June 10. And you must have your DC taxes completed before you submit the OneApp.
  
• Answer the drug question. This question cannot be left blank. If you have been convicted in the past, you still may be eligible for federal student aid. For more information, see the drug conviction worksheet or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.  
• Avoid careless mistakes. Double-check all answers. Common mistakes to avoid: recording an incorrect Social Security number; leaving questions blank when you mean to write zero (write “0”); recording the current date instead of your birth date; giving monthly instead of yearly amounts; entering decimal points; and reversing your first and last name. Filing the FAFSA online also can help you avoid mistakes.  
• Notify the college financial aid office if you or your family has unusual circumstances that might affect your financial situation, such as tuition expenses at an elementary or a secondary school or unusual medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance. You will need to provide the financial aid office with adequate documentation to support your request.  
• Notify the college if there is a change in status. If your status changes after you submit the FAFSA or DC OneApp — such as a job loss, a divorce, or a death in the family, or other changes in income or assets — immediately notify the financial aid office at the colleges you listed on the FAFSA and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). 
  
• Keep your records. If you file a paper version of the FAFSA, don’t mail the U.S. Department of Education your tax forms or other records. Just send them your FAFSA. And make photocopies of these documents for OSSE — don’t send them the originals.
• Sign the FAFSA! Or use your PIN to electronically sign the FAFSA. Get your PIN right away. (You and your parents may be able to get an immediate, conditional PIN just before signing the FAFSA online, but it’s best to request a PIN right away.)  
• Don’t forget to actually hit the “submit” button on the online form — saving is not the same as submitting.  

— adapted from Indiana’s Guide to Paying for College: Step-by-Step Tips To Help High School Seniors Apply for Financial Aid, Learn More Indiana.