FAFSA questions

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I'm sure this is a dumb question, but when do you fill out a FAFSA form? I've applied to ABSN programs but won't hear from the schools until Feb. 2013 and won't begin until May 2013. Do I fill it out now? Or not until 2013?

Which fiscal year do they look at? Just the previous year or the year you will be attending school?

Finally, do you really need your parents' information on your FAFSA form? I'm over 30, divorced and have children of my own... my parents aren't contributing to my education now!

Thanks for any and all advice!

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Here's the FAFSA deadlines link. You need to put in your state of residency and what year you are applying for. https://fafsa.ed.gov/deadlines.htm. This is the pdf link: https://fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1213/pdf/Deadlines.pdf.

You do not have to put your parents' information.

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The application for the 2013-2014 school year will be available January 1st. If you'd be taking classes during summer 2013, I believe that would be considered part of the 2012-2013 school year. So you would need to fill out an application for both years. I would check with the school if I were you.

No, you'd be considered an independent on the FAFSA, so you wouldn't need to put your parents' financial info.

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You need to fill out a FAFSA now for the May-July classes you will take, and then fill out another after you file your taxes in january/feb for the 2013/2014 school year starting in Aug. You are independent if you are over 24, so you dont need your parents info. They only use your taxes from the previous year. So for the 2013/2014 school year, they will only look at your filed 2012 taxes. You can't fill out your FAFSA for next year until you file your 2012 income taxes. :)

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Also, DON'T pay a third party website! FAFSA is totally free, so if you end up on a site that is asking for money, you have the wrong site. I know when you google it that one of the first results is a legitimate looking third party site. If you don't know better, it can get you. Almost got me once. Lol

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I just applied for federal aid for spring semester. I did not attend fall but still filled out 2012-2013 which I believe goes through summer. In January, you can start filling out for the NEXT school year of 2013-2014. I won't though because I don't want to get ahead of myself lol

Also, my app was processed super fast and I got my awards within the week. But depends on how fast your school does it. Hope this helps!

Oh! If you are 24 and over you do not need parents info. I'm 27 :-)

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for fafsa, you're suppose to fill it out by early spring of every year for the upcoming school year. as i have always understood it, fafsa counts three semesters as one year, starting from FALL to WINTER to SPRING/SUMMER. for example, THIS year (2012-2013), after you filed your taxes, you would have filled out your fafsa for the FALL2012, WINTER2013, and SPRING/SUMMER 2013 semesters.

in your particular situation, you should do it right now because when you start in may 2013, that's still under the 2012-2013 year.

even though, you don't go to school for ALL the semesters in a particular school year, you should just make it a habit to go ahead and fill out your fafsa after you filed your taxes. otherwise it's so easy to forget.

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Last year was the first year I applied. I filled mine out in october for the school year and got refunded my tuition for that fall that I had already payed for, as well as had my spring tuition covered. Fill it out now...you will get money for this term if you took classes.

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