{"id":29,"date":"2019-04-24T01:10:02","date_gmt":"2019-04-24T01:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/clevelandcc.mycareerfocus.org\/summer-2019-volume-14-issue-1\/applying-for-financial-aid-is-easier-than-you-think\/"},"modified":"2019-06-14T20:25:04","modified_gmt":"2019-06-14T20:25:04","slug":"applying-for-financial-aid-is-easier-than-you-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clevelandcc.mycareerfocus.org\/summer-2019-volume-15-issue-1\/applying-for-financial-aid-is-easier-than-you-think\/","title":{"rendered":"Applying for Financial Aid is Easier Than You Think"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why is filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) important?<\/span><\/h4>\n

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)\u00a0is the first step in getting federal money, including Pell Grants and work-study jobs at your college. Nearly 20 million FAFSA filers get access to federal grants each year \u2013 the vast majority of American college students. Yeah, it\u2019s kind of a big deal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Every student should apply<\/span><\/h4>\n

The biggest mistake you can make with federal aid is assuming you don\u2019t qualify. Even if you don\u2019t think you\u2019ll be eligible, you should apply. Many students qualify for the Pell Grant, which is money that you do not have to pay back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo many students do not apply for financial aid because they don\u2019t think they will qualify, and they fear the process,\u201d says Emily Hurdt, director of enrollment services at CCC. \u201cThe application process has become easier in recent years and can be done online, and we are always available to help. Students who apply are usually surprised at how much assistance they qualify for and the impact it has on their education.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s easier than you think<\/span><\/h4>\n

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application opening date has been moved to October, much earlier than in the past. That means students can file an application for the 2020-21 school year in October 2019. Plus, they can now use tax information from two years earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

These changes simplify the FAFSA a great deal. Students have already completed their taxes for the previous year, meaning more students are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which makes entering tax information much easier!<\/span><\/p>\n

The FAFSA is far less of a headache than it used to be. Once upon a time (not so long ago), filing for financial aid involved a 10-page workbook and poring over your family\u2019s paper documents. Today, less than one-half of one percent of applicants fill out the paper version.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, the online form at fafsa.gov<\/a> auto-populates many of the answer fields for the application\u2019s 108 questions using data already on file with the government through the IRS.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the U.S. Education Department this has cut the filing time down to about 20 minutes on average. Take time to fill out your FAFSA. What do you have to lose? You might be surprised at how much you gain!<\/span><\/p>\n

Need help or have questions?
\nContact our financial aid experts at 704-669-4028 or financialaid@clevelandcc.edu<\/a>.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Did you know?<\/span><\/h2>\n