FAFSA 2024-25

Frequently Asked Questions

The 2024-25 FAFSA has been plagued with technical problems that have been extremely frustrating for many college-bound students and their families. We hope this guide will help smooth the path for our students.  

Have you attempted to create an FSA ID? (Click if "no," otherwise keep reading topics.)

Please visit studentaid.gov, click on "Create Account" and follow the instructions. 

Do I need to create an FSA ID?

If you are a student, YES.

If you are a parent, MAYBE. Only parents who have been designated as "contributors" must create an FSA ID account. We think "contributor" is a misleading moniker. For FAFSA purposes it means "contributor of information to a student's FAFSA profile," not "contributor of money to a student's college costs." 

I am a parent, how do I know if I am required to contribute my information to my student's FAFSA? 

Your student will complete their portion of the FAFSA first. In that process they will answer a set of questions that will determine which parents and stepparents must contribute their information. Those parents will receive an email invitation that is linked to the student's FAFSA and they must create an FSA ID. 

To learn about which parent(s) must contribute financial information click here or here.

I am a student and I do not have a social security number. What do I do?

Get one. You will need to apply to the Social Security Administration. 

I am (or have) a parent who does not have a social security number. What do I do?

This has been the #1 problem with the FAFSA this year. Parents without a social security number have not been able to contribute financial information to the FAFSA due to ongoing technical issues. FAFSA has now announced that they expect this to be fixed by mid-March.  They have offered families a couple of "workaround options;" however, we encourage families to wait for the fix to the online system. This situation is stressful and uncertain right now but we fully expect it to be resolved in plenty of time for our students to meet important deadlines, and we think in the long run it will be easier to wait than to gamble that the "workarounds" actually work. One possible but unusual exception: if your student absolutely must demonstrate that they have submitted a FAFSA before March 15 then please contact the College & Career Advisors for individual advice. 

I received an error message or encountered other roadblocks while trying to create an FSA ID. What do I do?

We recommend using "Aidan," the FAFSA virtual assistant.  Look for the icon on the lower-right corner at studentaid.gov.  If the automated responses do not solve your problem disconnect, start a new chat, click "I have a different question," then "Other," then "Talk to a representative."  Be prepared to wait, but know that wait times for a human being in the chat tool are much shorter than for a telephone representative. 

I have an FSA ID and I am ready to begin working on my FAFSA. What information do I need to have ready?

According to the FAFSA Help Center, both parents and students will need the following:

Students also need all of this information for their parents (both parents if the parents are divorced, separated or otherwise unmarried and not living together) to answer questions in the FAFSA interview. 

Students are welcome to sit in the College & Career Center while they submit their FAFSAs so that the CCC Advisors are close at hand to help if necessary. 

I am a student and have not yet submitted my portion of the FAFSA. WHAT IS THE #1 SOURCE OF ERRORS AND HOW CAN I AVOID FALLING INTO THAT TRAP??

You will come to a page that seems to be asking you two separate questions. The headline appears to ask whether you want to be considered for unsubsidized federal loans. The body asks whether you have a parent who refuses to contribute their information to the FAFSA.  Ignore that headline about loans. Answer the question about your parent. Read it carefully, the wording is confusing. Many students have selected the wrong answer for their situation and thereby inadvertently locked their parents out of FAFSA. This will ultimately delay (but not decrease, don't worry!) their financial aid offers.  If you are at all confused check in with the CCC Advisors. This question has tripped up many students at Arcadia and everywhere! 

I already know where I am going to college. Does this matter for submitting the FAFSA?

Yes! If you already know where you are going, the financial aid office from your intended college will be your best resources for getting help, and calling them on the phone is often the best way to use that resource. Don't be shy, their job is to help you! 

University of Arizona Financial Aid: 520-621-1858. Have your 8-digit Student ID number ready for the quickest assistance. Press 0 to speak with an Ask Aid Team member during regular business hours (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday–Friday 8:30 am–4:30 pm; Tuesday 9:00 am–4:30 pm). While in the queue, you may select a callback option if desired. Our phone queue has a limited number of spaces so some new calls may be disconnected.

Arizona State University Admissions (handles FA questions for admitted freshmen): ASUOliviaDineen@asu.edu or 480-965-0976 or schedule a time at https://calendly.com/olivia-dineen

NAU Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid: 928-523-4951 or Financial.Aid@nau.edu

I received an error message while working on the FAFSA (after logging on with my FSA ID), before clicking "submit." What do I do?

Start looking for help at the FAFSA Help Center. If you don't see the solution to your issue we recommend you use "Aidan," the FAFSA virtual assistant. Look for the icon on the lower-right corner at studentaid.gov.  We advise you not to select one of the topics suggested as that will lead to canned responses that are not individualized to your question. Instead click "I have a different question," then "Other," then "Talk to a representative."  Be prepared to wait, but know that wait times for a human being in the chat tool are much shorter than for a telephone representative. Students are encouraged to use Aidan while sitting in the College & Career Center so that the advisors can help if necessary. 

There is considerable variability in the quality of the FAFSA agents. Some are very helpful and knowledgeable, others... not so much. If you feel like your representative is not helpful consider disconnecting and trying again, hoping for a better experience. 

You may end up being referred to the telephone help line anyway. Be prepared for a long wait! 

If you are not getting quick or easy resolution from Aidan please contact the College & Career Advisors.  

I am a student, and I realized after I clicked "submit" that I had made a mistake on my FAFSA. What do I do?

For now, nothing. You will need to wait until your FAFSA has been processed before you can make corrections. You will receive an email once the form is open for corrections. FAFSA currently says that the window for corrections will open "in the beginning of March." We'll see. 

I am a parent, and my student needs to submit a correction to their portion of the FAFSA. Does this affect my portion?

Apparently, yes. We raised this issue with an agent and were told "You will need to wait for the [student's] form to process before you will be able to . . . submit the contributor portion."  

We interpret this to mean that if you have not already submitted the contributor portion you should wait until your student has made their correction (see previous question). 

If you have already submitted the contributor portion you may need to correct it after your student corrects the student portion. Or not. It depends on the nature of the student error. Our advice is still to do nothing until the student correction is submitted.