New FAFSA Opening

http://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/parents-fafsa-application-begins/zOFgJJKokTYNMTPFq4jixO/

Used to be, January 1 in many households was not only New Year’s Day, but also the start date for college financial aid season.

But changes are coming.

Beginning this year, filing for financial aid using the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, begins Oct. 1.

The change begins with students applying to college for the 2017-2018 school year.

FAFSA is the form used to determine how much in federal grants, loans and work-study programs college-bound students are eligible to receive. And in most states, it is also used as a starting point to allocate scholarships and other school-based aid.

All students should complete the FAFSA at least once, and complete it as early as possible, said Ron Day, director of Kennesaw State University’s financial aid department.

Read more about how the earlier start date will impact the college admissions process, other FAFSA changes and more advice from Ron Day at myAJC.com.

The AJC has created the The Ultimate Atlanta School Guide that lets you look at and compare critical data for every school in Georgia. You can find it at http://schools.myajc.com/#/schools.