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If you're hoping to get any
kind of financial aid for medical school, it's time to
start thinking about your FAFSA, or Free Application for
Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA filing period begins
on January 1, and the sooner you submit your
application, the better off you'll be.
Whether you want to get scholarships, grants, or loans,
completing the FAFSA is the first step. This application
gathers all the information financial aid offices need
to determine the amount of financial support you're
eligible for.
Many med schools use FAFSA as the first step in
determining need-based assistance, whether you're
seeking government funding, a tuition waiver, or other
school-sponsored award. Always check with each school
you're applying to for that school's specific
requirements. And getting your application in early is
important, because a lot of med schools distribute
need-based financial aid on a first-come, first-served
basis. This means that early applicants may have a
better chance of getting more assistance, and later
applicants may not get all they need if the school runs
out of funds.
Even though FAFSA asks you to complete information from
this year's tax return, don't wait until you've filed
your taxes to submit your application. Just use
reasonable estimates. You can then update the
information once you file your taxes – even after you've
submitted your FAFSA.
So how do you get started on your FAFSA? You can submit
your application either online or in print. If you'd
rather fill out the printed form, you should be able to
get one from your school's financial aid office. To
complete your application online, visit the official
FAFSA website at www.fafsa.ed.gov. This website can also
answer many questions you might have while filling out
your application. Make sure you go to this official
site. Some other sites may try to charge you to apply
for financial aid or find scholarships. The FAFSA is
free, so don't let yourself get duped.
So get busy on your FAFSA today. With the rising costs
of medical school, make sure you give yourself the best
possible chance for all the financial aid you deserve.
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