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Mistakes are easily made when filling out the FAFSA application
if students and/or parents do not understand the instructions
fully. Some errors will require an applicant to start all
over delaying the processing of your FAFSA at the federal
level, and thus delaying the award process at the university
level. The Office of Financial Aid has compiled a list of common
errors made on the FAFSA to help eliminate common mistakes
and make the FAFSA application experience as easy as possible.
- Other people (besides the student who is applying for
aid) may help fill out the FAFSA form; please keep in
mind that the application is about the student. On this
application, the words "you" and "your"
always refer to the student. The word "college"
means a college, university, graduate or professional
school, community college, vocational or technical school,
or any other institution beyond high school.
- It is important to use your proper name as it appears
on your Social Security card.
- Confirm your Social Security Number is accurate. The
processing center and Methodist University will use it
as a key identifier in the application process. An error
here can cause a substantial delay.
- If you are applying for financial aid at more than one
institution, answer enrollment questions according to
your plans for your first-choice college. Check the terms
that you will be enrolled and the type of enrollment.
Full time equals 12 hours or more (9 or more hours for
Graduate or Professional Students); 3/4 time 9 - 11 hours;
Half time 6 - 8 hours; less than half-time 1- 5 hours;
and not enrolled equals 0 hours. Your enrollment requirements
may differ with the type of aid that you are receiving.
- Answer the question regarding the possession or selling
of illegal drugs honestly. FAFSA on the Web will not let
you continue with the application process until this question
is answered. Having a conviction may or may not hamper
your ability to receive federal aid. Visit the Drug Question
Worksheet website for more information. If you have questions,
contact the federal processing center.
- If you wish to receive a student loan, make sure you
answer yes to the question about your interest in loans,
otherwise you will not be offered one.
- If you answered "No" to all questions in
this section, FAFSA on the Web will direct you to complete
both student and parent information. You will be considered
"Dependent" for Financial Aid purposes.
- When asked if you have a dependent, keep in mind that
a dependent is a person for whom you (the student) provide
and will continue to provide more than half of his/her
total support. If a student has a child and that child
is being supported by the student’s parents or someone
else, then the student does not have a "dependent."
The student will still be a dependent of their parents.
- Undergraduate students cannot declare themselves independent
of their parents due to family disagreement, living arrangements,
because their parents no longer claim them as dependents
on their tax return, or parents' unwillingness to contribute
to the costs of their education.
- All income information must be completed. Put "0"
for any line items that do not apply to you. If your parents
have divorced or separated, provide information about
the parent you lived with most during the past 12 months.
If you did not live with one parent more than the other,
answer in terms of the parent who provided the most financial
support during the last 12 months
- Answer all questions about parent name, Social Security
Number, and date of birth. If this information is blank
or incorrect, your FAFSA will be rejected at the federal
level.
- Marital status of parent refers to the status of the
parent with whom you live. This means if your biological
parents are divorced and you live with your mother who
has remarried, then her status is "married."
Given this scenario, both the income for the mother and
stepfather must be listed on the application.
- To find the correct amount of taxes paid, you must
use the amount from line #56 if you filed a 1040, line
#36 if you filed a 1040A, or line #10 if you filed a 1040EZ.
DO NOT USE THE ADJUSTED GROSS
INCOME.
- If you or your parents received payments to tax-deferred
pensions and savings plans (paid directly or withheld
from earnings) as reported on the W-2 form, Box 13 , this
is untaxed income. The income should be included on worksheet
B of the FAFSA.
- Housing, food, and other living allowances paid to
members of the military, clergy, and others are also considered
untaxed income and must be listed on Worksheet B. For
those serving as active duty military you must provide
the amounts of BAH and untaxed income (combat pay). Should
you have any questions, contact the Office of Financial Aid.
Dependent:
- If you did have to enter parent information and are
considered "dependent" according to financial
aid regulations, include only those who receive more than
half their support from your parents between the period
of July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, in your parent's household.
- List the name of the college any siblings or children
under the age of 24 will attend between July 1, 2007 and
June 30, 2008. If a student’s parent is attending
college, the parent will be listed as household member,
but not as a household member in college. Count only the
family members who will be enrolled at least half-time
in a degree or certificate program that leads to a recognized
education credential at an institution that is eligible
to participate in Federal Student aid programs.
Independent:
- Include in your household: yourself (and your spouse,
if you have one), and your children, if you provide more
than half of their support, and other people if they now
live with you, and you provide more than half of their
support and will continue to provide more than half of
their support from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008.
- List the number of people in your household (spouse,
siblings under the age of 24, or children) who will attend
college between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. Count
only the family members who will be enrolled at least
half-time in a degree or certificate program that leads
to a recognized education credential at an institution
that is eligible to participate in Federal Student aid
programs.
- Methodist University’s Title
IV Code is 002946. Regardless of how you list the
university’s name, we will receive your information
if the code is correct. If the code is incorrect, the
information will then go to another school. If you do
not list our code, we cannot process financial aid for
you.
- It is imperative that the student and, if the student is dependent,
one of the student's parents sign the FAFSA on the Web electronically
using a Personal Identity Number (PIN),
which can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Education through
their website (www.pin.ed.gov).
Both student and parent should obtain a PIN. If you do not have
a PIN, you may print and mail the Signature Page from the website.
If the PIN is not entered, or the Signature Page is not mailed,
this can cause a rejection of your application and it cannot be
processed until the signature is received. This can cause serious
delays in the receipt of your aid. DO NOT close
out your browser until you reach the page with your confirmation
number. Otherwise your application will not be transmitted and
processed.
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The Office of Financial Aid
Search Methodist University
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