LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The deadline for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is getting closer however, according to recent data about 36% of high school seniors in Nevada have filled out the form, leaving millions of dollars in free money behind.
Completing FAFSA allows students to be considered for financial student aid and colleges use the information to determine their eligibility.
Mary Jo Terry of Yrefy said many families do not complete the form because they think their income is too high. However, she said that by filling it out, students may be alerted about work-study programs and other grants that they were not aware of. Colleges may also use it to award private scholarships from their funds.
Students and parents/guardians must set aside time to complete FAFSA by going to studentaid.gov/fsaid. There is a verification process that asks for a lot of personal and financial information.
Depending on which university the student is going to, they may also need to go to a second website.
“You may need to also go to collegeboard.org. Collegeboard.org is actually a place where a lot of institutions manage their scholarships in grants, check with your institution,” Terry said.
Terry said once FAFSA is filled out, the student will receive a lot of information and suggests they set up a secondary email to keep track. She also wants to remind students that it is first come, first served.
The FAFSA form must be submitted by 11:59 Central Time on June 30.
