Tips to Avoid Making Common FAFSA Mistakes

As much as possible, you should try to avoid making mistakes on your FAFSA, for they can delay the application process by up to 2-3 weeks. The following is a partial list of ways in which you can prevent that from happening to you:

1. Do not use your nickname instead of your legal name.
2. Do not leave any field blank. Use a zero if the question does not apply to you.
3. Report all required sources of untaxed income.
4. Include yourself in household size, even if you did not live there the previous year.
5. Do not forget to sign the application. If you are filing as a dependent, make sure your parents sign too.

Visit the following websites for more detailed information regarding FAFSA mistakes:
http://www.finaid.org/fafsa/errors.phtml
http://www.fastweb.com/fastweb/resources/articles/index/102183