The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application period began October 1, and families in Illinois with a college-bound student should fill out the form as quickly as possible. The reason for that is that Illinois’s Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants are provided on a first-come, first-served basis until the funds are depleted, and the state usually provides no more than a 24-hour warning for when those funds are gone.
When filling out the FAFSA, be sure to avoid these 12 common mistakes:
- Not completing the FAFSA form.
- Not using the correct website.
- Not filling out the FAFSA form as soon as it’s available.
- Not filing the FAFSA form by the deadline.
- Not getting an FSA ID before filling out the FAFSA form.
- Not suing your FSA ID to start the FAFSA form.
- Not using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT).
- Not reading definitions carefully.
- Inputting incorrect information.
- Not reporting required information.
- Listing only one college.
- Not signing the FAFSA form.
Finally, don’t forget to check out the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website for additional information and help in filling out the FAFSA.
