For Counselors

Every year, the U.S. Department of Education gives over $120 billion in federal grants, loans and work-study funds to more than 13 million college students. While the financial aid process can seem daunting to students and their families, School Counselors can help the process. The Counselor Page lists best practices, a calendar of FAFSA events, and tools and resources to help students complete the FAFSA.

FSA ID

The FSA ID is a username and password that gives you the unique benefit of logging into your accounts — while removing all personally identifiable information. The FSA ID is your new official Federal Student Aid ID, which you will use to log in to use FSA websites like FAFSA, StudentLoans.gov, and more. The FSA ID acts as your electronic signature when completing the FAFSA. 

Creating an FSA ID (Video)

 
Important Documents Needed to Complete a FAFSA

This section provides what information that you will need to bring with you to complete your FAFSA. For dependent students you will need to gather this information for yourself and from your parents as well.

Information Needed
 

 
What is the FAFSA?

FAFSA is an acronym that stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Colleges and universities use this form to determine your eligibility for federal, state, and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, educational loans, and work-study programs. 

Overview of the Financial Aid Procress (video)

How to Fill Out the FAFSA- User Guide
Am I a Dependent or Independent Student on the 2020-2021 FAFSA?

Your dependency status determines whose information you must report on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

FAFSA Checksheet- Dependency Status 

Special Circumstances
Best Practices

In Arizona, there are a number of exemplary high schools implementing FAFSA best practices.  The following schools received state recognition for their work and were presented with the monthly Innovative Player Award for the 2018-19 school year.  For each school we highlight the types of best practices that have led to their success.

 
FAFSA Finish Line Data

FAFSA Finish Line is a powerful resource that provides individual students' FAFSA application status to in order to empower high school personnel to provide help for a student to complete their application. 

Data Sharing Agreement

ACPE User Agreement

Arizona FAFSA Finish Line User Guide 

FAFSA Finish Line Log-in Portal 
FAFSA for Families

This section includes FAFSA advice for students and their families. It’s loaded with information that you need right now regarding FAFSA and financial aid, and tips on things you’ll want to consider over the next few months, like choosing a major or how to handle finances in college.

FAFSA Advice for Students and Families

 

 

 
FAFSA Myths/Facts

There are many myths surrounding the FAFSA. This section debunks those myths so that students and parents are informed with correct information regarding the FAFSA. 

FAFSA Myths & Facts

FAFSA Quick Guide

This resource provides a quick overview of the FAFSA process in a simple and easy to follow document. 
FAFSA Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Student Aid

This section provides tips and mistakes to avoid when completing the FAFSA. Knowing these tips can make the FAFSA process less stressful for students and parents. 

12 FAFSA Mistakes to Avoid 
FAFSA Webinars

FAFSA Training videos
Before the FAFSA - Creating an FSA ID and documents needed to complete the FAFSA
FAFSA 101 - The Basics - Outlines steps in the application process, mistakes to avoid, resources
After the FAFSA/Verification - Analyzing the confirmation page, Student Aid Report, and Verification
FAFSA Finish Line Data -How to up load student-level FAFSA data,utilizing the data, A-F

Spring 2020 Webinar Schedule
Financial Aid and Homeless Youth

This resource provides information on Financial Aid and homeless youth 

FAFSA Tips for Unaccompanied Youth 

Federal Student Aid and Homeless Youth-FAQ's 

Foster Youth- FAFSA FAQ's and AZ Resources

Empower- Free online training 
Financial Aid Glossary

This glossary defines the terms and acronyms that are most frequently used in student financial aid.

Federal Student Aid Glossary

How to Engage Parents in FAFSA Completion

Parents are an integral part of a child’s life, and having them on board and educated about the financial aid application processes will make it significantly easier. This section includes tips on how to engage parents in FAFSA Completion.
 
How to Read an Award Letter

An award letter is the documentation sent from a college or university to the student that details for how much financial support the student is eligible. The award letter is sent following the student's submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and application to attend college or university.

Award Letter Comparison Tool

College Financing Plan 
Incentives

Free and low cost incentives ideas to help motivate students to complete the FAFSA and help your school reach its FAFSA completion goal. 
Measurement and Impact

Using data can be an effective way to examine a school’s current FAFSA completion rate and opportunity for growth- This section includes information on the following: 
-How to calculate the FAFSA completion rate
-Where do we get the data
- Special considerations with data
Searching for Scholarships

Scholarships are a great way to assist with funding a college education. This section provides the most popular and useful scholarship search engines that students and parents can utilize. 

 
Undocumented Students

This section provides questions and answers about student financial aid for undocumented students as well as guidance for a specific group of undocumented students who have received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

 
Verification

Verification is a process by which the federal government requires schools to validate information provided by some applicants on their FAFSAs. 

ASU Verification FAQ's        UofA Verification FAQ's

NAU Verification FAQ's         GCU Verification FAQ's

MCCCD Verification FAQ's 
What is a SAR?

The Student Aid Report (SAR) is a paper or electronic document that gives you some basic information about your eligibility for federal student aid and lists your answers to the questions on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Student Aid Report- Example 

Student Aid Report- FSA site
What is the IRS Data Retrieval Tool?

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) allows students and parents who filed a U.S tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and transfer the data directly into their FAFSA.
What is Work-Study?

Work-study is a way for students to earn money to pay for school through part-time on (and sometimes off) campus jobs. Work-study gives students an opportunity to gain valuable work experience while pursuing a college degree. 

 
Marketing and Communication Tools

The following materials have been created to communicate with students and families at your school about the FAFSA. The messages focus on (1) general awareness building, (2) myth busting, and (3) promoting FAFSA events at your school. The materials below can be saved or cut and pasted to share with your students and families through your communications channels.
Planning a FAFSA Event

Hosting an event will require a great deal of organization so the more you plan ahead, the more smoothly your event will go. This section we set out general tips for planning an event, as well as specific tips for financial aid or college preparation events and for Free Application for FAFSA completion events.

Site Coordinator Manual

College Goal AZ- Coordinator Resources

 

FAFSA Event Planning Steps