Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) gives you access to different types of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and loans.
Making a mistake on your FAFSA application can cost you money. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon. Every year, hundreds of students lose out on their entitled financial aid because they made mistakes on their FAFSA application form.
The financial aid application is as important as your admissions application. Filling out the FAFSA application form correctly is a crucial step to ensuring that you get the best offer possible.
These are some of the more common FAFSA mistakes that students make on their application:
- Making a mistake when entering their name or date of birth
- Mistyping their social security number or driver’s license number
- Not answering all questions
- Giving incorrect or incomplete answers to some questions
- Not entering their FAFSA PIN, also considered as an electronic signature
- Leaving the income question blank
- Forgetting to date and sign the form
- Submitting the application form after the deadline
- Not immediately updating the family’s financial information after completing the tax return
- Waiting too long to submit the application
To receive the best possible offer, it is crucial to make sure that the application is accurately completed and submitted as early as possible.
Use College Raptor to discover personalized college matches, cost estimates, acceptance odds, and potential financial aid for schools around the US—for FREE!
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
6.97%-15.03%* Variable
5.99%-14.00%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
6.37% - 16.70% Variable
4.50% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
 |
4.98% - 16.70% Variable
4.07% - 15.66% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.07% - 11.31% Variable
4.39% - 10.39% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
6.22% - 16.08% Variable
4.09% - 15.66% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
6.54% - 11.08% Variable
3.95% - 8.01% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
5.62% - 18.26% Variable
4.11% - 15.90% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
4.98% - 12.79% Variable
8.42% - 13.01% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
