To read this story in Spanish, click here.
Stopping by the San Diego City College Financial Aid Office, scanning a QR code and watching a queue display your name might feel like a hassle for many students.
But according to student assistant Erika Garbay, an unwanted visit to the Financial Aid Office can be prevented by following these five simple steps on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
1. Students should submit their FAFSA forms even if they are unsure if they will attend college
Even if students are on the fence about attending college for the whole year, Garbay recommends that students still fill out and submit a FAFSA form, just in case they change their minds.
2. Put the correct Social Security number on your FAFSA form
If students incorrectly enter a wrong Social Security number, they will need to make that correction within their FAFSA and resubmit it.
“Students need to put their right Social Security number,” Garbay said. “Since it’s federal money and a federal school, it needs to match.”
This correction will take up to 7–10 business days to be processed and can result in students waiting for their FAFSA disbursements longer.
3. Put your first and last legal name
According to Garbay, a common mistake students make is that they use their nicknames instead of their legal names on their forms.
This can result in your FAFSA form not being able to verify your identity, which will impact a student’s wait time when it comes to receiving their FAFSA refund check.
4. Don’t take too many courses
Students tend to take many classes, but are unaware that if they fail or withdraw, their aid packages won’t generate. Then they will have to go through a Satisfactory Academic Progress submission, or SAP.
An SAP appeal is a statement that details why a student couldn’t maintain academic standard. This statement is then reviewed and approved by an appeals committee, which can prevent students from receiving aid for up to 6–8 weeks.
“Try not to overwhelm yourself by taking too many units,” Garbay said. ” Try to take six units in the beginning.”
5. Save your FAFSA refund checks
FAFSA disbursements, known as refund checks ,can take a couple of weeks for students to receive.
“But once you get the checks, try to save some of it,” Garbay said.
It’s best to plan accordingly. Save and use some of that money for books and school supplies for the upcoming semester. Many times, students stop by the Financial Aid Office asking for assistance with books and school supplies, but the office can’t assist with that.
Apply for financial aid yearly and follow these steps for a smooth completion of your FAFSA form.
This story was edited by Briana Bush and David J. Bohnet.
Update, Dec. 15: This story was updated to include a link to the Spanish version.
