Filing a FAFSA can help with college costs

Staff report

Columbus

As students apply to colleges and celebrate acceptances, the University System of Ohio reminds them to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The U.S. Department of Education has set up a process to help students pay for college, and it starts with filing the FAFSA.

It is the process by which the U.S. Department of Education allocates billions of dollars in federal aid to students. FAFSA is the primary tool used to determine eligibility for federal and state financial aid as well as aid from many colleges and universities.

The University System of Ohio has posted a video on its website, http://students.ohiohighered.org/paying/FAFSA, which provides tips and advice for filling out and filing the FAFSA. The OhioHigherEd.org website also features a fact sheet about the FAFSA that answers potential questions.

USA Today recently reported that about 28 percent of families with college-bound students did not submit a FAFSA in 2010. About half said they were not aware of the form or didn’t think they’d qualify. Federal financial aid and many other types of financial aid are determined based on information provided in the FAFSA.