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# Why Should I File a FAFSA?

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/MMyXl3ax.m3u8" -->
## Video: Why Should I File a FAFSA?

[Watch (HLS stream): Why Should I File a FAFSA?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/MMyXl3ax.m3u8) (1:40)

![Why Should I File a FAFSA?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/MMyXl3ax/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2016-01-12. MONEY writer Kim Clark talks about why it's important to file a FAFSA._


---

Jul 27, 2023 7:26 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

[FAFSA: How to a Create FAFSA ID](/video/xXTR9o0Q/)

### FAFSA: How to a Create FAFSA ID

[FAFSA Advice from The FAFSA Lady](/video/eO0Nes3s/)

### FAFSA Advice from The FAFSA Lady

[When Should I File a FAFSA](/video/9OH4jIkz/)

### When Should I File a FAFSA

---


## Transcript

[ MUSIC ] Here the details on the 3 Reasons Why You Should Fill Out A FAFSA. The first one is that the FAFSA is needed by colleges, scholarship foundations and state agencies that handout aid to families sometimes more than 100 thousand, even 200 thousand dollars. Schools like Princeton and Yale actually hand out need- based aid to families earning up to $ 200, 000, so you need that FAFSA to qualify for that aid. The second reason is the FAFSA automatically qualifies your student for what are the best student student loans, the federal student loans have very low interest rates, and in many cases are forgivable.

So just filling out the facts qualifies the student for that. In addition, the facet is the first step to qualify the parent for the Federal Parent Plus Loan. So if parents want to borrow to help pay for their student's college education, this is a loan application. The FAFSA's basically a loan application. The final reason is That in some cases, filling out the FAFSA can actually increase your odds of getting in to, let's say a dream school. A few college admissions officers have told me that if they see an applicant who they think probably needs aid, but they don't see that student filing a FAFSA with the school Then they already think that the student is maybe not so serious about applying or attending that school.

So they are maybe a little more likely to reject that student. So if you have a dream college and you know you're gonna need aid, go ahead and file the FAFSA. That way you're showing the school that you're serious about attending. [ MUSIC ]

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