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Myth Or Fact - FAFSA Edition

Scholarships can be based on academic merit and financial need. But there are also scholarships given based on many other criteria.

MYTH!

“You have to be a star student, athlete or president of a club to receive a scholarship.”

You can list up to 10 colleges or universities on the FAFSA form and can change those at any time. If you don’t end up applying or getting accepted into every one, that’s OK. You will be reviewed for aid after you are admitted to the schools you choose.

“I can submit my FAFSA to as many colleges as  
I’m interested in.”

Federal student aid can include different kinds of assistance, like grants, work-study funds, low-interest loans and more!

“All federal student aid is just free money.”

Students will need to accept or decline any offered aid, and they may need to submit more documentation as needed after the FAFSA. Students should also apply for other scholarships and grants throughout their college journey.

“Students only have to submit the FAFSA to get financial aid, and then they’re done.”

Accepting financial aid early helps prevent delays in the aid process, but if you choose not to attend a school, you can simply notify them to cancel.

FACT!

“I can accept my financial aid without making a commitment to attend a school.”

About 90% of first-time WVU students receive financial aid of some kind.

“Not many students receive financial aid.”

Even seemingly small changes to your family’s situation can change the amount of aid you may receive. Your results can vary year to year, especially if your family has more than one child in college. Plus, some state, institutional and private scholarships require a FAFSA regardless of your parents' income.

“My family didn’t qualify for aid last year, so I might as well skip the FAFSA moving forward.”

Your parents’ citizenship actually has nothing to do with your eligibility for federal aid. In fact, the FAFSA doesn’t even ask about it.

“The FAFSA doesn’t ask about whether my parents are U.S. citizens, so I don’t have to worry about their citizenship status affecting my aid.”

There are eligibility requirements for federal aid, but ethnicity and age are two factors that are NOT considered.

“My ethnicity or age makes me ineligible for federal aid, so I might as well skip the FAFSA.”

Submitting the FAFSA is completely free. No matter what you might hear, it is FREE to fill out and submit the FAFSA. The word itself stands for “Free Application for Federal Student Aid."

Even if you support yourself and file your own taxes, you may still be considered a “[dependent](https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/dependency)” student in terms of federal aid.

“I support myself financially, which automatically means I don’t have to include my parents’ information on the FAFSA.”

The FAFSA needs to be completed again prior to every year you plan to attend college, preferably by the March 1 priority deadline to receive the best aid offer available to you.

“I did my FAFSA last year, so I don’t have to do it again.”

You can begin the FAFSA as early as October 1 during your senior year of high school. Just list all the colleges you’re considering — it’s OK if you aren’t accepted or don’t apply to all of them.

“I should wait until I’m accepted into college before I begin the FAFSA.”

The conclusion: To be considered for financial aid and some merit-based scholarships, you have to complete a FAFSA by going [here](https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa), or by downloading the [myStudentAid mobile app](https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/fafsa-mobile-options). Don't forget to submit by March 1 for priority consideration. 
Have more questions? Check out this FAQ [page](https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help) or contact the [Mountaineer Hub](https://mountaineerhub.wvu.edu) at 304-293-1WVU.

You know a thing or two about [FAFSA](https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa) completion.

The conclusion: To be considered for financial aid and some merit-based scholarships, you have to complete a FAFSA by going [here](https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa), or by downloading the [myStudentAid mobile app](https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/fafsa-mobile-options). Don't forget to submit by March 1 for priority consideration.   

Have more questions? Check out this FAQ [page](https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help) or contact the [Mountaineer Hub](https://mountaineerhub.wvu.edu) at 304-293-1WVU.

Maybe you should brush up on your [FAFSA](https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa) knowledge.

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Myth Or Fact - FAFSA Edition

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