What Are Some Common Mistakes Made on the FAFSA Application?

While investigating financial aid for college, such as scholarships offered by Catch a Break!, make sure you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which becomes available online every fall. The best way to approach this process is to apply as early as possible, and make sure you’ve filled out every field correctly before submitting it.

First, find an online checklist of all the required information you’ll need. This will be all of your tax and financial information, as well as proof of identity. Gather everything in one place before pulling up the FAFSA form. Take your time with each page. If you make sure to triple check everything, you should avoid some the most common errors. These errors include:

• Leaving fields blank. This can cause errors and possibly a rejection of your  application. Instead, put “O” or “not applicable.”
• Using commas or decimals in numeric fields instead of rounding up to the nearest dollar.
• Accidentally typing in the wrong Social Security or driver's license number. If your parents don’t have either, enter zeros. Never make up a fake number. 
• Failing to use your legal name - it should match your Social Security card exactly.
• Entering a temporary address.
• Listing the wrong marital status for either yourself or another parent.
• Entering the wrong federal income tax paid amount. This is the amount on your income tax return forms, not your W‐2 form(s). 
• Listing Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) as equal to total earned income. Usually the AGI is larger than your total income from working.
• Making a mistake in the head of household filing status.
• Failing to register with Selective Service. You must do this if you’re male and 18-26 or you will be ineligible for federal student aid.
• Forgetting to list the college.
• Forgetting to sign and date.

If you need help, FAFSA wants to provide it! You can access the Help section of their website. You can also call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-­800-­4­‐FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

The cost of college tuition can be daunting, which is why taking advantage of any possible opportunities for financial aid is so important. If you’re considering college in Minnesota, Catch A Break! is a scholarship program designed to help exceptional students graduate debt-free. Our program is open to students within the state of Minnesota who will be attending a public college in the state. We value smart, driven students who have faced significant challenges and demonstrate financial need. Our program offers up to $11,000 per year and is renewable for up to four years. Learn more by visiting our website.

About Catch A Break!

At Catch a Break!® we believe in the value of a college experience and the rewards of a hard-earned degree. The knowledge and abilities you gain in college can open new doors and change the course of your life. We are a testament to that fact; we’ve caught so many breaks in our lives that have helped us make a difference in the world, and we want to find deserving scholars who will catch their break and use it to make a difference of their own.

Catch a Break!® is proud to support financial awards and our scholarship program so we may choose the best students and potential talent. We select scholars each year and provide them up to $11,000 per year up to four years. Our goal is to help you graduate from college debt-free. Learn more and apply for our scholarship by visiting our website.