As the parent of a high school senior or college student you will want to explore financial aid options. As a family, soon you will need to submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

According to James Boyle, president of College Parents of America, myths abound when it comes to financial aid.
They include:
- Only students with high GPAs get all the aid;
- Only extremely needy students receive financial aid, so if your family income is high, then don’t bother to apply; and
- If your older son or daughter didn’t qualify for aid, then neither will your other children.

The FAFSA, to be issued Jan. 1, 2008, will be available online. Filing online is highly recommended for both speed of transmission and accuracy of information.

Hard copy forms may be available at your high school’s guidance counseling office; or, in the case of returning college students, at the UNM financial aid office. According to Boyle, fewer paper FAFSAs will be printed for this upcoming financial aid cycle, as the government’s goal is for the process to go paperless.

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