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by Karli Greenfield | Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

When completing the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, you may be asking yourself how to avoid mistakes. Or even more likely, you may be asking yourself, “What’s the easiest way to complete this thing?” If this is you, then you are certainly not alone, as the FAFSA has often been viewed as a daunting task for families. For those who are not aware, the FAFSA changed drastically last year, leaving families with more questions than ever. Let’s answer some of your questions by exploring some 2025-2026 FAFSA do’s and don’ts. 

• DON’T pay to complete the FAFSA. Remember, it’s in the name – FREE Application for Federal Student Aid. There are some scam websites out there that claim to be the official “FAFSA” site, and will not only seek to steal your personal information, but will also ask for bank and/or credit card information in an attempt to charge you for submitting the application. Only submit the FAFSA on the secure StudentAid.gov website.
• DO submit the FAFSA in a timely manner. You should be seeking to complete the application now if you have not already. Some schools may award additional financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the FAFSA is complete, students will typically begin to receive information about complete financial aid eligibility for the year.
• DON’T complete the FAFSA for your student. While the FAFSA does contain information from both the parent and student (for dependent students), it is recommended to have your student begin the form, and then invite you (parent) as a contributor. Students and parents are required to have separate StudentAid.gov user accounts in order to fully submit the FAFSA.
• DO pay attention to college and state financial aid deadlines. Many schools and some states impose financial aid process deadlines, and require the FAFSA to be completed as a part of the process.
• DON’T forget to list all colleges of interest. In order to avoid having to submit a FAFSA correction, make sure to list all colleges your student is applying to (or is interested in) during the initial FAFSA submission. Your student can select up to 20 schools of interest. Remember, a college cannot receive your student’s FAFSA unless they are listed on the application.
• DO ask for help. Even though the recent FAFSA changes were intended to “simplify” the application, it can still be complicated for families, especially for first-time FAFSA completers. College financial aid counselors are typically apprised of FAFSA changes, tips, and insights. However, financial aid counselors won’t know that you are in need of help unless you reach out.

Karli Greenfield is a higher education financial aid and enrollment professional. She holds more than 12 years of experience in financial aid, 11 NASFAA Professional Financial Aid Credentials, and years of active participation on the GA Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators board. She is passionate about working with students and families, and innovating college enrollment processes. Karli Greenfield, MBA | LinkedIn