College Students: Why to File a FAFSA Starting October 1

MMCCU Encourages Students to File FAFSA Early

Marshfield Medical Center Credit Union is reminding college students that it’s important to file a FAFSA starting October 1. College-bound high school seniors, college, and grad students can begin filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on that date, which can translate into hundreds or even thousands of dollars that helps pay for college – through grants, work-study funds, federal student loans, and certain state-based aid.

“It’s completely free to file a FAFSA and it takes about 20 minutes,” said David Murphy, VP of Finance and Risk. “It’s an important tool for students that need to pay for college.”

MMCCU shared 3 Steps to a Successful FAFSA:

1. File a FAFSA! It seems silly, but sometimes students don’t file because they think they might not get anything. Each year, there is unclaimed aid. It’s free – just file!
2. File early. File as soon as possible because some financial aid is first-come, first-served! The FAFSA can be submitted starting October 1.
3. Have your tax information handy. You will need this in order to file.

“Filing the FAFSA as soon as possible is important because some aid is first-come, first-served,” said Murphy. “Most students will receive some type of financial aid, so it’s important to file.”

He added that for students needing help paying for college, there are many resources available.

“It can be overwhelming to think about paying for college, but there are a lot of tools out there to help,” said Murphy. “We encourage people to explore those options with a trusted financial partner.”

According to the FAFSA website, the federal deadline to file a FAFSA for the 2021-2022 academic school year is June 30, 2022, but each school and state can implement their own deadline, so it’s important to file early to give your school ample time to review your application. You can always reach out to the financial aid department at the school you’re attending to learn more.

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