The Free Application for Federal Student Aid opened Friday for the 2022-2023 school year, and Indiana officials and experts are trying to get more people to file.
Experts call the FAFSA the most important financial aid form for students planning to attend colleges or universities, but filing rates have continued to lag in recent years.
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Bill Wozniak is the vice president of marketing for the nonprofit INvestED, which offers filing help to any Hoosiers who want it.
He said there are plenty of misconceptions about filing the FAFSA and what happens afterward – some people think if they file, they're automatically signing up for loans to pay for school. That's not true.
"Decisions could be made if a loan is needed to fund it or not but there is no obligation just by filling out the FAFSA whatsoever," he said.
Wozniak said the form has also become easier and faster to fill out over the years, and because of different school-based financial aid deadlines, it's important for students to fill out the form as early as possible. He said any Hoosier family can get expert filing help from the nonprofit by attending events at nearby schools, calling INvestEd on the phone, or visiting its website.
Contact reporter Jeanie at jlindsa@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @jeanjeanielindz.