Toolkit 2018-2019 Educators School Counselors College Access Professionals - for - TN.gov
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2018-2019
Toolkit
for
Educators
School Counselors
College Access Professionals
www.TNFAFSAFrenzy.gov
Table of Contents
1. About TN FAFSA Frenzy and Financial Aid 3
About TN FAFSA Frenzy 4
Need More Assistance? 5
What is Financial Aid? 8
Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Information 10
2. Filling Out the FAFSA 11
Who is Eligible for Federal and State Aid? 12
FAFSA.Gov Homepage 13
The FSA ID 15
FSA ID Worksheet 20
Tools For the FAFSA 21
Tips For the Online FAFSA Form 22
Federal Student Aid Infographics 23
FAFSA on the Web Worksheet 25
Submitting the FAFSA 28
myStudentAid Mobile App 29
3. Hosting a TN FAFSA Frenzy Event for High School Seniors 30
What Will Your TN FAFSA Frenzy Event Look Like? 31
Tools to Have Available at your TN FAFSA Frenzy Event 32
Volunteer Recruitment 33
Promoting Your Event 35
Parent Outreach 39
FAFSA Event Templates 41
Tracking Your FAFSA Event Success 44
FAFSA Data: Sources and Methodology 45
Using TNFAFSAFrenzy.gov Data 46
TN Promise e*GRandS Report Instructions 47
Planning Your FAFSA Season 48
Finish the Frenzy 49
4. TN FAFSA Frenzy Event for Adult Learners 50
FAFSA For Adult Learners 51
Tennessee Reconnect 52
Local Resources for Adult Learners 53
FAFSA FAQ for Adult Learners 54
TN FAFSA Frenzy Flier for Adult Learners 56
5. After Submitting the FAFSA: Completion and Verification 57
After Submitting the FAFSA 58
FAFSA Submission vs. Completion 59
Making FAFSA Corrections 60
FAFSA Verification 62
Requesting a Tax Transcript 63
Form 4506-T Request for Transcript of Tax Return 64
Sample Verification Worksheets 65
Additional Resources 69
p. 2
Section 1
About TN
FAFSA Frenzy
p. 3
TN FAFSA Frenzy is a
campaign to increase
awareness of the FAFSA and
financial aid opportunities.
About TN FAFSA Frenzy
What is TN FAFSA Frenzy? TN FAFSA Frenzy Partners
TN FAFSA Frenzy is the State of Tennessee’s TN FAFSA Frenzy was developed and organized
FAFSA submission initiative designed to provide through a partnership between state agencies
educators and students with resources to and college access organizations that administer
complete the Free Application for Federal Student financial aid and college access programs across
Aid (FAFSA) and take an important step in the the state.
college-going process.
The following agencies and organizations came
TN FAFSA Frenzy is in response to the updated together to develop resources for TN FAFSA
FAFSA timeline that began last year, which Frenzy and assist with events held across the
moves the FAFSA filing window from opening state:
on January 1 to opening on October 1, 2018.
• Tennessee Department of Education
The new timeline requires students and families
to use tax information from two years ago as • Tennessee Higher Education Commission
determined by the Federal government (what is • Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
referred to as “prior-prior year”).
• Ayers Foundation*
The initiative is also designed to bring together • Regional Economic Development Initiative
professional resources and best practices from (REDI)*
across the state and provide a one-stop-shop for
• tnAchieves*
free resources for your financial aid events.
This toolkit will help you to plan an event that
meets the needs of your students and their *Tennessee Promise partnering organization
families. Your TN FAFSA Frenzy event is unique to
your school and community; we’re here to help
you find the resources that fit your needs.
What resources will TN FAFSA Frenzy
provide?
TN FAFSA Frenzy is designed to provide tools
and resources to Tennessee school counselors
and college access professionals to support
Tennessee students in completing the FAFSA.
The initiative will include:
• A comprehensive set of resources for
counselors and educators
• A statewide FAFSA submission campaign
kicking off on October 1
p. 4
Need More Assistance? How to implement your TN FAFSA
We hope this toolkit will provide you with plenty
Frenzy event?
of resources to hold your TN FAFSA Frenzy event Ask: Mary Nelle Karas, Statewide Services
and guide your students through the FAFSA and Coordinator, Tennessee Higher
financial aid process. Education Commission, 615-253-1155,
marynelle.karas@tn.gov
But we also know that no resource can be
exhaustive. So where do you go if you have more
questions? How does TN FAFSA Frenzy fit into your
school’s counseling and college access
General questions about filing the programs?
FAFSA, Tennessee-specific grants and Ask: Leigh Bagwell, State Coordinator
of School Counseling, Tennessee
scholarships, and financial aid?
Department of Education, 615-244-4033,
Ask: TSAC Outreach Specialists. leigh.bagwell@tn.gov
See the map below to contact your TSAC or
Outreach Specialist.
Jerre Maynor, Director of Student Readiness
& Pathways, Tennessee Department of
How to file the FAFSA and/or Federal Education, 615-253-3780, jerre.maynor@
Student Aid? tn.gov
Ask: Federal Student Aid.
Call their toll-free number at 1-800-4FED- How to include adult learners in
AID (1-800-433-3243) or email/chat online at: TN FAFSA Frenzy events?
https://studentaidhelp.ed.gov/app/ask Ask: Ken Hanson, Assistant Director of Adult
Learner Initiatives, Tennessee Higher
Education Commission, 615-253-7449, ken.
Institution-specific financial aid
hanson@tn.gov
program questions?
Ask: Campus financial aid offices (Pages 9-10).
Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
Outreach Specialist Map
TSAC Outreach Specialists
4 6 8
2 3
5 7
1
1. Felicia Orr 3. Annie Trout 5. Eric Farmer 7. Rita Turchetta
Outreach Specialist Director of College Access Outreach Specialist Outreach Specialist
(615) 390-4461 (615) 604-0119 (423) 326-7198 (615) 478-5584
felicia.orr@tn.gov annie.trout@tn.gov eric.farmer@tn.gov rita.turchetta@tn.gov
2. Lori Mitchum 4. Jason Seay 6. Sam Mullins 8. Erika Adams
Outreach Specialist Assistant Executive Director Outreach Specialist Outreach Specialist
(731) 571-7888 of Outreach & College Access (931) 303-3296 (615) 417-0355
lori.mitchum@tn.gov (615) 319-1740 sam.mullins@tn.gov erika.adams@tn.gov
jason.seay@tn.gov
p. 5
Contact Information for Tennessee's Public Four-Year Universities
Austin Peay State University Tennessee State University University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Clarksville, TN Nashville, TN Knoxville, TN
www.apsu.edu www.tnstate.edu www.utk.edu
Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office:
sfao@apsu.edu finaid@tnstate.edu onestop@utk.edu
(931) 221-7907 (615) 963-5701 (865) 974-1111
East Tennessee State University Tennessee Tech University University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Johnson City, TN Cookeville, TN Chattanooga, TN
www.etsu.edu www.tntech.edu www.utc.edu
Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office:
finaid@etsu.edu. financialaid@tntech.edu finaid@utc.edu
(423) 439-4300 (931) 372-3073 (423) 425-4677
Middle Tennessee State University University of Memphis University of Tennessee at Martin
Murfreesboro, TN Memphis, TN Martin, TN
www.mtsu.edu www.memphis.edu www.utm.edu
Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office:
mtonestop@mtsu.edu financialaid@memphis.edu Amy Mistric
615-898-2111 (901) 678-4825 aistric@utm.edu
(731) 881-7040
Contact Information for Tennessee's Community Colleges
Chattanooga State Community College Motlow State Community College Roane State Community College
Chattanooga, TN Tullahoma, TN Harriman, TN
www.chattanoogastate.edu www.mscc.edu www.roanestate.edu
Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office:
finaid@chattanoogastate.edu fas@mscc.edu onestop@roanestate.edu
(423) 697-4402 (931) 393-1553 (865) 882-4545
Cleveland State Community College Nashville State Community College Southwest Tenn. Community College
Cleveland, TN Nashville, TN Memphis, TN
www.clevelandstatecc.edu www.nscc.edu www.southwest.tn.edu
Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office: Financial Aid Office:
finaid@clevelandstatecc.edu Jennifer Byrd, Director financialaid@southwest.tn.edu
(423) 472-7141 jennifer.byrd@nscc.edu (901) 333-5960
(615) 353-3249
Columbia State Community College Volunteer State Community College
Columbia, TN Northeast State Community College Gallatin, TN
www.columbiastate.edu Blountville, TN www.volstate.edu
Financial Aid Office: www.northeaststate.edu Financial Aid Office:
financialaid@columbiastate.edu Financial Aid Office: financial.aid@volstate.edu
(931) 540-8267 finaidmail@northeaststate.edu (615) 230-3456
(423) 323-0252
Dyersburg State Community College Walters State Community College
Dyersburg, TN Pellissippi State Community College Morristown, TN
www.dscc.edu Knoxville, TN www.ws.edu
Financial Aid Office: www.pstcc.edu Financial Aid Office:
Kaycee Hardy, Director Financial Aid Office: (423) 585-6811
hardy@dscc.edu financialaid@pstcc.edu
(731) 286-3350 (865) 694-6400
Jackson State Community College
Jackson, TN
www.jscc.edu
Financial Aid Office:
John Brandt, Director
jbrandt@jscc.edu
(731) 425-2605
p. 6
Contact Information for Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs)
TCAT - Athens TCAT - Jacksboro TCAT - Newbern
www.tcatathens.edu www.tcatjacksboro.edu www.tcatnewbern.edu
Morgan McWilliams financialaid@tcatjacksboro.edu Erin Newsom
Financial Aid (423) 566-9629 Financial Aid
morgan.mcwilliams@tcatathens.edu enewsom@tcatnewbern.edu
(423) 744-2814 x204 TCAT - Jackson (731) 627-2511
www.tcatjackson.edu
TCAT - Chattanooga financialaid@tcatjackson.edu TCAT - Oneida/Huntsville
www.chattanoogastate.edu/tcat (731) 424-0691 www.tcatoneida.edu
Allison Turnbow financialaid@tcatoneida.edu
arian.turnbow@chattanoogastate.edu TCAT - Knoxville (423) 663-4900
(423) 697-5501 www.tcatknoxville.edu
Keana Gordon TCAT - Paris
TCAT - Covington Financial Aid www.tcatparis.edu
www.tcatcovington.edu keana.gordon@tcatknoxville.edu finaid@tcatparis.edu
financialaid@tcatcovington.edu (865) 766-4328 (731) 644-7365
(901) 475-2526
TCAT - Livingston TCAT - Pulaski
TCAT - Crossville www.tcatlivingston.edu www.tcatpulaski.edu
www.tcatcrossville.edu finaid@tcatlivingston.edu Mattie Bledsoe
Alison Nunley (931) 403-3136 Coordinator of Student Services
Student Services mattie.bledsoe@tcatpulaski.edu
alison.nunley@tcatcrossville.edu TCAT - McKenzie (931) 424-2404
(931) 484-7502 www.tcatmckenzie.edu
financialaid@tcatmckenzie.edu TCAT - Ripley
TCAT - Crump (731) 352-5364 www.tcatripley.edu
www.tcatcrump.edu financialaid@tcatripley.edu
financialaid@tcatcrump.edu TCAT - McMinnville (731) 635-3368
(731) 632-3393 www.tcatmcminnville.edu
finaid@tcatmcminnville.edu TCAT - Shelbyville
TCAT - Dickson (931) 473-5587 www.tcatshelbyville.edu
www.tcatdickson.edu finaid@tcatshelbyville.edu
Emily Wilson TCAT - Memphis (931) 685-5013 x127
Financial Aid www.tcatmemphis.edu
emily.wilson@tcatdickson.edu finaid@tcatmemphis.edu TCAT - Whiteville
(625) 441-6220 (901) 543-6100 www.tcatwhiteville.edu
Owetha Hunter
TCAT - Elizabethton TCAT - Morristown Financial Aid
www.tcatelizabethton.edu www.tcatmorristown.edu owetha.hunter@tcatwhiteville.edu
financialaid@tcatelizabethton.edu Financial Aid (731) 254-8521 x115
(423) 543-0070 financialaid@tcatmorristown.edu
(423) 586-5771
TCAT - Harriman
www.tcatharriman.edu TCAT - Murfreesboro
finaid@tcatharriman.edu www.tcatmurfreesboro.edu
865-882-6703 Teresa Colbert
Financial Aid
TCAT - Hartsville tcolbert@tcatmurfreesboro.edu
www.tcathartsville.edu (615) 898-8010 x162
finaid@tcathartsville.edu
(615) 374-2147 TCAT - Nashville
www.tcatnashville.edu
TCAT - Hohenwald financialaid@tcatnashville.edu
www.tcathohenwald.edu (615) 425-5500
admissions@tcathohenwald.edu
(931) 796-5351 x122
p. 7
What is Financial Aid?
Financial aid is money that the Federal Government or other organizations either award or loan you to
help pay for college. In order to receive financial aid, you must apply. Financial aid comes from a variety
of sources, including state and federal governments, colleges, organizations, companies, and banks.
Types of financial aid
Grants Grants are free money — they don’t have to be repaid. Grants come from
the State and Federal Government as well as from colleges. Generally,
grants are based on financial need, which means that they are awarded
based on your family’s size and financial circumstances.
Scholarships Scholarships are also free money and don’t need to be repaid.
Scholarships can come from a variety of places, from state and federal
governments, to colleges, to private companies. Scholarships may
be awarded based on your financial need, academic achievement,
community service, athletic talent, and many other factors.
Loans Loans are money that you borrow from a bank, government, or private
lending company. A loan must be repaid with interest. Loans offered
by the government often have lower interest rates and can be repaid
over an extended period of time. Visit www.studentloans.gov for more
information.
Work study programs Work study allows you to receive funds through part-time employment
while you are enrolled in college and can help you pay part of your
college costs. Unlike other campus jobs, students apply for work study by
submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
How Financial Aid Works
Finding Sources of Financial Aid
Very few students get all of their financial aid for college from one source. When you are searching for
financial aid, consider a wide variety of options and apply to as many programs as possible. Here are some
common types of organizations that offer financial aid:
• The government: The Federal Government offers over $150 billion in aid each year. Likewise,
Tennessee offers millions of dollars to its students. Visit studentaid.ed.gov to learn about federal
programs and visit www.tn.gov/CollegePays and www.CollegeforTN.org for Tennessee opportunities.
• Your college: Colleges and universities offer financial aid programs for their students. Visit the
financial aid webpages of every college you are considering, and apply for all of the scholarships you
think you might be eligible to receive.
• The community: Non-profit organizations, foundations, and businesses often provide scholarships
as a community service. To find these programs, talk to your counselor or check out the scholarship
finder on www.CollegeforTN.org.
Content adapted from Financial Aid 101 by College Foundation of West Virginia
p. 8
Sticker Price vs. Net Price
Know the difference between “sticker price” and “net price.” A college’s sticker price is the full published
cost of attendance. The net price of a college, however, is the cost of attending minus grants and
scholarships that you receive. This difference is key, as most students don’t pay the sticker price of a
college.
Don’t shy away from applying to a college because the “sticker price” seems too expensive. A college that
may have high tuition might just offer you a generous financial aid package. It might end up being even
more affordable than colleges that have a lower sticker price!
Want to know how much you might have to pay if you attend a particular college before you even apply?
Colleges are required to have “net price calculators” on their websites. So when you’re doing online
research, make sure that you fill out the information on these calculators to see an estimate of what your
costs would be at that college.
Example Financial Aid Breakdown
Tennessee College Tuition $10,000 per year (Sticker Price)
Federal Pell Grant $6,095 per year
HOPE Scholarship $3,500 per year ($1,750 per semester)
Total Net Price $405 per year
When to apply
The FAFSA becomes available online on October 1st of the year before you plan to go to college. For
example, if you are entering college as a freshman in the fall of 2019, the 2019-20 FAFSA is available
October 1, 2018. It is important to note that college, state, and private financial aid deadlines vary — so
make sure you check with your particular college to find out their FAFSA submission deadline. Regardless
of the deadline, you should aim to complete the FAFSA as close to October 1st as possible because
financial aid dollars are limited and often are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Additional forms that may be required
The FAFSA may not be the only form required to receive an award letter from a school. Some schools
require the College Board CSS Profile form or an institution-specific form. You must also complete the
college admissions process. Check with each of the colleges and universities you listed on your FAFSA to
determine their requirements. Additionally, individual financial aid programs — particularly scholarship
programs — often require you to submit an application in addition to the FAFSA.
Content adapted from Financial Aid 101 by College Foundation of West Virginia
p. 9
Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Programs
Information for 2019 High School Graduates
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TENNESSEE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP
All Tennessee Education Lottery Award amount is up to $1,750 per semester for 4-year institutions and
Scholarship Program recipients 2-year institutions that offer on-campus housing; up to $1,500 per
must: semester for 2-year institutions
Be a Tennessee resident one Minimum 21 ACT Composite (or concordant equivalent on the SAT) on a nation-
al or state test date OR
year prior to application dead-
line; Sept.1 for Fall or Feb. 1 Final cumulative 3.0 GPA* for entering freshmen graduating from eligible public
for Spring and Summer or category 1, 2, or 3 private high schools
(Dependent children of full- GED/HiSET students must have minimum ACT/SAT test scores stated above
time religious workers, U.S. AND minimum average scores on the GED of 170 and HiSET of 15.
military or Tennessee National TN homeschool and non-category 1, 2, or 3 private high school graduates must
Guard members on active duty have ACT/SAT test scores stated above AND must have been enrolled in a
who maintain Tennessee resi- homeschool program for 1 year immediately preceding graduation and be regis-
dency while stationed out of tered with a TN local school district
state may be eligible)
ASPIRE AWARD WILDER-NAIFEH TECHNICAL
Complete the Free Application SKILLS GRANT
for Federal Student Aid Award amount is up to $2,000 per
(FAFSA) online at Up to $750 per semester SUPPLE- academic year
www.fafsa.gov (Applications MENT to TN HOPE Scholarship; up to
must be received by Sept. 1 for $250/semester for 2-year institutions Available to anyone who enrolls in a
certificate or diploma program at a
Fall or Feb. 1 for Spring and Meet Tennessee HOPE Scholarship
TN College of Applied Technology
Summer) requirements AND
and meets residency requirements
Parents’ or independent student’s
Enroll in an eligible postsec- May be eligible for Tennessee HOPE
(and spouse’s) adjusted gross income
ondary institution within 16 Scholarship if student is initially
must be $36,000 or less on tax form
months following graduation HOPE eligible and enrolls at an eligi-
Students may receive ASPIRE or ble postsecondary institution within
from a Tennessee high school
GAMS, but not both 3 years of completing a diploma pro-
or completion of a Tennessee
gram @ a TN College of Applied Tech.
homeschool or GED program
(Students graduating from GENERAL ASSEMBLY MERIT TENNESSEE HOPE ACCESS GRANT
some out-of-state schools may SCHOLARSHIP (GAMS)
be eligible. For more infor- Up to $500 per semester SUPPLE- Award amount is up to $1,250 per
mation, call TSAC.) MENT to Tennessee HOPE scholarship semester for 4-year institutions; up to
Entering freshmen graduating from $875 per semester for 2-year institu-
Be enrolled in at least 6 hours eligible public or category 1, 2, or 3 tions
private high schools must have at Entering freshmen graduating from
Never drop a course without
least a final cumulative 3.75 GPA* eligible public or category 1, 2, or 3
talking to your financial aid AND 29 ACT Composite (or concord- private high schools must have at
office about how it may im- ant equivalent on the SAT) on a na- least a final cumulative 2.75-2.99
pact your lottery scholarship tional test date or state test date GPA* AND 18, 19, or 20 ACT Compo-
eligibility Homeschool and non-category 1, 2, site (or concordant equivalent on the
or 3 private high school graduates SAT) on a national test date or state
Award amounts for part-time must have ACT/SAT test scores stat- test date AND
enrollment will be prorated ed above AND enroll in one of the
programs outlined on the TSAC web-
Parents’ or independent student’s
based on attempted hours
site here: https://www.tn.gov/ (and spouse’s) adjusted gross income
FOR QUESTIONS AND ADDITIONAL must be $36,000 or less on tax form
collegepays/important-links/tennessee-
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE
hope-scholarship-for-home-school-and- Award is non-renewable after 24
CONTACT THE TENNESSEE STUDENT attempted hours, however stu-
category-iv--v---vi-non-public-
ASSISTANCE CORPORATION dents may become HOPE eligible;
schools.html
615.741.1346 * 800.342.1663 contact financial aid office for de-
Students may receive ASPIRE or tails
WWW.TN.GOV/COLLEGEPAYS GAMS, but not both
*GPA is based on a 4.0 scale according to the Uniform Grading Policy adopted by the TN State Board of Education.
p. 10Section 2
Filling Out the
FAFSA
p. 11Who is Eligible to Receive Federal and State Aid?
The following infographic from www.studentaid.ed.gov indicates what a student needs in order to receive
federal and state aid when filling out the FAFSA.
For students who do not meet these requirements, it is recommended that they contact the specific
institutions where they plan to apply.
To Receive Federal Aid Or
State Aid, A Student Must…
AND
p. 12The FAFSA Homepage and Getting Started
Over the summer, the www.fafsa.gov page was redesigned in an effort to create a more user-friendly
experience for students, parents, and financial aid professionals.
Now, visiting www.fafsa.gov allows visitors to choose from two options: New To FAFSA.GOV? or
RETURNING USER?
New users will be most high school seniors and adult learners who are planning to enroll in higher
education for the 2019-2020 school year. Returning users will be currently enrolled higher education
students who are looking to correct their current academic year’s FAFSA or send their completed FAFSA
to a new school.
New users are given two options for beginning the FAFSA. They can select “I am the student” or “I am a
parent, preparer, or a student from a Freely Associated State.”
p. 13Selecting “I am the student,” reveals a screen that asks the student to log in with their FSA ID. Students
who do not have an FSA ID can click “Create one” and follow the steps on page 15.
TN FAFSA Frenzy recommends that both the student and one parent create an FSA ID before
beginning the FAFSA. This will save students and families time when it is time to sign and submit
the FAFSA.
Selecting the “I am a parent, preparer, or a student from a Freely Associated State,” is another option for
beginning the FAFSA. It reveals a screen that asks for a student’s name, social security number, and date
of birth.
It’s possible to fill in the required student, parent and financial information for the FAFSA by
selecting this option, BUT the student will still need to create an FSA ID in order to electronically
sign and submit the FAFSA.
p. 14The FSA ID Username and Password:
The FSA ID is a username and password students Username
and parents use to access their federal student Your username must be between 6-30 characters
aid information and electronically sign the FAFSA. long. It must include uppercase or lowercase
letters, numbers (for example: newuser13). We
Before getting started on the FAFSA, it is recommend choosing a username that is not
recommended that students and (when difficult for you to remember and that you write
applicable) parents create an FSA ID. If students down your FSA ID username in a safe place.
and parents do not create an FSA ID and choose Password
to print and mail the FAFSA signature page, their
FAFSA will take much longer to process. Your password must be between 8-30 characters
long and must include 3 out of 4 of the following:
uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers,
Knowing Where to Go: and special characters. As with the username,
To create an FSA ID, students and parents will we recommend choosing a password that is not
need to visit fsaid.ed.gov. This is the only site difficult for you to remember and that you write
that should be used to create an FSA ID. down your FSA ID password in a safe place.
Inactive Session Warning:
Email Addresses: If a user begins creating the FSA ID and is inactive
It is helpful for both the parent and the student and leaves the window open but does not type
to each have a working email account to create or edit fields on the FSA ID page for 15 minutes,
their FSA IDs. We recommend that students use a an Inactive Session box will appear. The student
personal email address rather than a high school or parent will need to close the browser and start
account. Often, high school email addresses are again with the email, username and password.
deactived after a student graduates, and this
email address will be linked to the student’s FSA
ID and FAFSA for their college career.
p. 15The FSA ID: Name and Social Security Number
The second step to create the FSA ID is to provide your name, date of birth, and Social Security Number.
This information is used to confirm your identity and will be verified through the Social Security
Administration (SSA).
With this in mind, it is critical that students and parents enter this information exactly as it appears on
their social security card.
If you have any questions about how to input a piece of information, please click on the gray circle with
the question mark for more details. If you are concerned about inputting the correct social security
number, you can click the box labeled Show Text that will allow you to see what you are typing.
If the student’s parent does not have a valid social security number, he or she will not be able to
create an FSA ID. In this case, the signature page of the FAFSA will need to be mailed in.
p. 16The FSA ID: Confirming Your Information
Next, the FSA ID will ask the student or parent to confirm their information. Their email address,
username and password will be automatically inputted from page 1. They will need to provide a mailing
address with their city, state, and zip code.
FSA ID will also ask at this point if the student would like to register their mobile phone number to reset
their password and username. They can select yes or no, and even if you select no, they will be able to do
this later if they choose. Message and data rates may apply, but the ability to reset their password and
username via text can be a helpful feature for anyone who may forget this information.
The last question on this page is language preference. Students and parents can select English or
Spanish as their preferred language.
p. 17The FSA ID: Challenge Questions
This step of the FSA ID is intended to ensure that student and parent information remains secure, but can
be a source of frustration for those filling out the form. We have several suggestions to help students and
parents navigate the challenge questions with ease.
Challenge questions 1 and 2 are questions that the student or parent will select from a list. These include
options such as “What was the name of your first pet?” or “What is your high school mascot?” Challenge
questions 3 and 4 are questions that the student or parent must write themselves. We recommend
posting sample questions around the room and using our FSA ID worksheet that includes sample
questions.
It is important to note that the answers to the challenge questions are not case sensitive, but that
students need to be mindful of if they include a space in their answer. For example, if a student writes in
a question as “What is your favorite color?” it matters whether they responded navy blue vs navyblue.
p. 18The FSA ID: Verifying Your Phone Number and Email
At this point, the student or parent will be asked to verify their phone number (if they chose to provide it)
and verify their email address.
First,you will verify the phon number. you will receive a text message that will read: “FSA: Your FSA ID
temporary secure code is ________. Enter this online to verify your mobile phone number.” The temporary
secure code will be 6 digits long.
Next, you will verify the email address. To do this, you will receive an email with the subject line,
“Important: Your FSA ID E-mail Validation - Action Required” from FSA-ID@ed.gov. This email will also
have a 6 digit code.
p. 19Completing the FSA ID
Students and parents should see the following screen to indicate that their FSA ID has been successfully
created. They are now able to use this FSA ID to sign the FAFSA electronically.
FSA ID Worksheet
We recommend printing out copies of this worksheet for your TN FAFSA Frenzy events.
Student Parent
Username Username
Password Password
Email Address Email Address
Phone Number Phone Number
Challenge Question 1 Challenge Question 1
Challenge Answer 1 Challenge Answer 1
Challenge Question 2 Challenge Question 2
Challenge Answer 2 Challenge Answer 2
Challenge Question 3 Challenge Question 3
Challenge Answer 3 Challenge Answer 3
Challenge Question 4 Challenge Question 4
Challenge Answer 4 Challenge Answer 4
Suggested challenge questions: • What is your favorite food?
• What is your favorite animal? • What is your favorite color?
• What city were your born in? • What is your favorite school subject?
• What middle school did you attend? • Who was your childhood hero?
• What is your favorite sports team? • What is your favorite TV show?
p. 20Tools for the FAFSA For more assistance:
The FAFSA often has a reputation for being If you or one of your students need additional
complicated or difficult, but for many students assistance with the FAFSA, including questions
and families, it can be completed in just 15 to 20 about a specific student’s situation, you can reach
minutes. out to one of the following resources:
Federal Student Aid
Resources: Main website:
https://studentaid.ed.gov
Federal Student Aid (FSA), the Federal
Federal Student Aid Toolkit:
government agency that oversees the FAFSA,
http://www.financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/tk/
offers many resources to assist students and
families in filing the FAFSA. They have a number Toll-free number:
of tools, many designed especially for counselors 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)
and college access professionals, to assist you in
helping your students to file the FAFSA. Email/online chat:
https://studentaidhelp.ed.gov/app/ask
In the following pages, you’ll find worksheets,
infographics explaining different parts of the TSAC Outreach Specialists
FAFSA, the FAFSA on the Web worksheet that Your TSAC outreach specialists can help you
details the questions asked on the FAFSA, and navigate Tennessee-specific financial aid
checklists- and many of them can be printed off resources and tools, plus answer any questions
for your TN FAFSA Frenzy event. you have about filing the FAFSA. See the map
below for information to contact your TSAC
Additional worksheets and handouts can also be outreach specialist.
found on www.tnfafsafrenzy.gov.
Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
Outreach Specialist Map
4 6 8
2 3
5 7
1
1. Felicia Orr 3. Annie Trout 5. Eric Farmer 7. Rita Turchetta
Outreach Specialist Director of College Access Outreach Specialist Outreach Specialist
(615) 390-4461 (615) 604-0119 (423) 326-7198 (615) 478-5584
felicia.orr@tn.gov annie.trout@tn.gov eric.farmer@tn.gov rita.turchetta@tn.gov
2. Lori Mitchum 4. Jason Seay 6. Sam Mullins 8. Erika Adams
Outreach Specialist Assistant Executive Director Outreach Specialist Outreach Specialist
(731) 571-7888 of Outreach & College Access (931) 303-3296 (615) 417-0355
lori.mitchum@tn.gov (615) 319-1740 sam.mullins@tn.gov erika.adams@tn.gov
jason.seay@tn.gov
p. 21Tips for the Online FAFSA Form
The online FAFSA form has a “timeline” that runs across the top of the screen that indicates your
progress along seven defined steps for completing the FAFSA, beginning with Student Demographics.
All students, from high school seniors to adult learners and Tennessee Reconnect scholars, will need
to fill out the Student Demographics, School Selection, and Dependency Status sections. Based on the
dependency status section, the student may be asked to provide parent demographics and financial
information if the student is deemed to be “Dependent” as opposed to “Independent.”
Look at the infographic on the following page for more information about what makes someone an
Independent or Dependent Student.
The FAFSA “timeline” shows
which section of the FAFSA you
are currently filling out.
This label will indicate whether
to fill in student or parent
information in each section.
Confused about what a certain
line of the FAFSA is asking for?
Click the question mark button to
learn for help and clarification.
Click NEXT when you’re ready
to move to the next page. If you
need to go back to a page, click
PREVIOUS.
p. 22Do I Have To Provide My
Parents’ Info On The FAFSA?
p. 23Who Is My Parent When I Fill Out My FAFSA? p. 24
FAFSA on the Web Worksheet
The FAFSA on the web worksheet previews all of the possible questions that could be asked of a student
filling out the FAFSA. Not every student will need to fill out every question, particularly adult learners and
students who are deemed Independent, as they will not need to provide parent information.
Use this worksheet as a tool to help familiarize students and families with the FAFSA and the kinds of
information the form asks them to provide in order to determine financial aid eligibility.
SECTION 1 - STUDENT INFORMATION
After you are online, you can add up to ten colleges on your FAFSA. The colleges will receive the information from your processed
FAFSA.
Student’s Last Name First Name Social Security Number
Student Citizenship Status (check one of the following)
❑ U.S. citizen (U.S. national) ❑ Neither citizen nor eligible noncitizen
❑ Eligible noncitizen (Enter your Alien Registration Number in the box to the right.) Your Alien Registration Number
Generally, you are an eligible noncitizen if you are:
• A permanent U.S. resident with a Permanent Resident Card (I-551);
A
• A conditional permanent resident with a Conditional Green Card (I-551C);
• The holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum
Granted,” “Parolee” (I-94 confirms paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired), T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.) or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant;” or
• The holder of a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking.”
Student Marital Status (check one of the following)
❑ Single ❑ Married or remarried ❑ Separated ❑ Divorced or widowed
You will be asked to provide information about your spouse if you are married or remarried.
Selective Service Registration
If you are male and 25 or younger, you can use the FAFSA to register with the Selective Service System.
What is the highest school parent 1 completed? ❑ Middle school/Jr. high ❑ College or beyond
❑ High school ❑ Other/unknown
What is the highest school parent 2 completed? ❑ Middle school/Jr. high ❑ College or beyond
❑ High school ❑ Other/unknown
SECTION 2 - STUDENT DEPENDENCY STATUS
If you can check ANY of the following boxes, you will not have to provide parental information. Skip to page 4.
If you check NONE of the following boxes, you will be asked to provide parental information. Go to the next page.
❑ I was born before ❑ I am married ❑ I will be working on a master’s or doctorate program (e.g., MA, MBA,
January 1, 1996 MD, JD, PhD, EdD, graduate certificate)
❑ I am serving on active duty in ❑ I am a veteran of the U.S. Armed ❑ I now have or will have children for whom I will provide more than
the U.S. Armed Forces Forces half of their support between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.
❑ Since I turned age 13, both of ❑ I was in foster care since turning ❑ I have dependents (other than children or my spouse) who live with
my parents were deceased age 13 me and I provide more than half of their support
❑ I was a dependent or ward of ❑ I am currently or I was an ❑ I am currently or I was in legal ❑ I am homeless or I am at risk of
the court since turning age 13 emancipated minor guardianship being homeless
NOTES:
p. 25Remember, only students who are deemed Dependent will need to provide parent information. As the
worksheet states, grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, older siblings, and uncles or aunts are
not considered parents on the FAFSA unless they have legally adopted you.
Look at the infographic on page 24 for more information about parent information for the FAFSA.
SECTION 3 - PARENT INFORMATION
Who is considered a parent?
“Parent” refers to a biological or adoptive parent or a person determined by the state to be a parent (for example, if the parent is listed on the birth
certificate). Grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, older siblings, and uncles or aunts are not considered parents on this form unless they
have legally adopted you. If your legal parents are living and married to each other, answer the questions about both of them. If your legal parents
are not married and live together, answer the questions about both of them. In case of divorce or separation, give information about the parent
you lived with most in the last 12 months. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give information about the parent who provided
you the most financial support during the last 12 months or during the most recent year you received support. If your divorced or widowed parent
has remarried, also provide information about your stepparent.
Providing parent 1 information? You will need: Providing parent 2 information? You will need:
Parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent) Social Security Number Parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent) Social Security Number
Parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent) name Parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent) name
Parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent) date of birth Parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent) date of birth
❑ Check here if parent 1 is a dislocated worker ❑ Check here if parent 2 is a dislocated worker
Did you know? Did your parents file or will they file a 2017 income tax return?
If your parents file a federal tax return, they may be able to use
the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. This tool enables your parents to ❑ My parents have already completed a tax return
easily, accurately and securely transfer their tax return ❑ My parents will file, but have not yet completed a tax return
information into the FAFSA form.
❑ My parents are not going to file an income tax return
What was your parents’ adjusted gross income for 2017?
Skip this question if your parents did not file taxes. Adjusted gross income is on IRS Form 1040—line 37; $
1040A—line 21; or 1040EZ—line 4.
The following questions ask about earnings (wages, salaries, tips, etc.) in 2017. Answer the questions whether or not a tax return
was filed. This information may be on the W-2 forms or on the IRS Form 1040—lines 7 + 12 + 18 + Box 14 (Code A) of IRS Schedule
K-1 (Form 1065); 1040A—line 7; or 1040EZ—line 1.
How much did parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent) earn from working in 2017? $
How much did parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent) earn from working in 2017? $
In 2017 or 2018, did anyone in your parents’ household receive: (Check all that apply.)
❑ Medicaid ❑ Free or Reduced Price School Lunch
❑ Supplemental Security Income (SSI) ❑ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
❑ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ❑ Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Note: TANF may have a different name in your parents’ state. Call 1-800-433-3243 to find out the name of the state’s program.
Did your parents have any of the following items in 2017?
Check all that apply. Once online, you may be asked to report amounts paid or received by your parents.
Additional Financial Information Untaxed Income
❑ American Opportunity Tax Credit or Lifetime ❑ Payments to tax-deferred pension and ❑ Housing, food and other living allowances
Learning Tax Credit retirement savings plans paid to members of the military, clergy
❑ Child support paid ❑ Child support received and others
❑ Taxable earnings from work-study, assistantships ❑ IRA deductions and payments to self- ❑ Veterans noneducation benefits
or fellowships employed SEP, SIMPLE and Keogh ❑ Other untaxed income not reported, such
❑ Taxable college grant and scholarship aid ❑ Tax exempt interest income as workers’ compensation or disability
reported to the IRS as income ❑ Untaxed portions of IRA distributions benefits
❑ Combat pay or special combat pay ❑ Untaxed portions of pension distributions
❑ Cooperative education program earnings
Your parents may be asked to provide more information about their assets.
Your parents may need to report the net worth of their current businesses and/or investment farms.
NOTES:
p. 26
FAFSA.GOV 2019-2020 FAFSA ON THE WEB WORKSHEET PAGE 3Every student, regardless of age, will need to provide information about their income on the FAFSA.
SECTION 4 - STUDENT INFORMATION
Did you know? Did you file or will you file a 2017 income tax return?
If you file a federal tax return, you may be able to use the IRS Data ❑ I have already completed my tax return
Retrieval Tool. This tool enables you to easily, accurately and securely
transfer your tax information into the FAFSA form. ❑ I will file, but I have not completed my tax return
❑ I’m not going to file an income tax return
What was your (and spouse’s) adjusted gross income for 2017?
Skip this question if you or your spouse did not file taxes. Adjusted gross income is on IRS Form 1040—line 37; $
1040A—line 21; or 1040EZ—line 4.
The following questions ask about earnings (wages, salaries, tips, etc.) in 2017. Answer the questions whether or not a tax return was filed. This
information may be on the W-2 forms or on the IRS Form 1040—lines 7 + 12 +18 + Box 14 (Code A) of IRS Schedule K-1 (Form 1065); 1040A—line 7;
or 1040EZ—line 1.
How much did you earn from working in 2017? $
❑ Check here if you are a dislocated worker
How much did your spouse earn from working in 2017?
$
❑ Check here if your spouse is a dislocated worker
In 2017 or 2018, did anyone in your household receive: (Check all that apply.)
❑ Medicaid ❑ Free or Reduced Price School Lunch
❑ Supplemental Security Income (SSI) ❑ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
❑ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ❑ Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Note: TANF may have a different name in your state. Call 1-800-433-3243 to find out the name of the state’s program.
Did you or your spouse have any of the following items in 2017?
Check all that apply. Once online, you may be asked to report amounts paid or received.
Additional Financial Information Untaxed Income
❑ American Opportunity Tax Credit or Lifetime ❑ Payments to tax-deferred pension and ❑ Housing, food and other living allowances
Learning Tax Credit retirement savings plans paid to members of the military, clergy
❑ Child support paid ❑ Child support received and others
❑ Taxable earnings from work-study, assistantships
❑ IRA deductions and payments to self- ❑ Veterans noneducation benefits
or fellowships
employed SEP, SIMPLE and Keogh ❑ Other untaxed income not reported, such
❑ Taxable college grant and scholarship aid
as workers’ compensation or disability
reported to the IRS as income ❑ Tax exempt interest income
benefits
❑ Combat pay or special combat pay ❑ Untaxed portions of IRA distributions ❑ Money received or paid on your behalf
❑ Cooperative education program earnings ❑ Untaxed portions of pension distributions
You may be asked to provide more information about your (and your spouse’s) assets.
You may need to report the net worth of current businesses and/or investment farms.
NOTES:
Do not mail this Worksheet. Go to fafsa.gov to complete and submit your application.
For more information on federal student aid, visit StudentAid.gov.
You can also talk with your college’s financial aid office about other types of student aid that may bep.available.
27
2019-2020 FAFSA ON THE WEB WORKSHEET PAGE 4Submitting the FAFSA
How do I know the student has submitted the FAFSA?
When a student has completed all of the necessary fields of the FAFSA, it will come time for student (and
parent, if the student is a dependent) to sign the FAFSA using their FSA ID. After the FSA IDs are used
successfully, the following screen will appear:
This page provides students a confirmation number and a data release number (DRN) at the top.
The DRN can be provided to a customer service representative to make certain changes to your Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information. These changes include: permanent mailing
address, e-mail address, phone number, school code, and housing plan.
You should not give your DRN to anyone unless that person is a financial aid administrator or customer
service representative and you are either adding colleges or changing data on your FAFSA.
At the bottom of the screen, students can view their estimated expected family contribution or EFC. After
your application is fully processed, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) with your official EFC. The
SAR will be sent to a student’s email within 3-5 days if the FAFSA is electronically signed with a student’s
FSA ID and if the student provided an email address. If a student mails in the signature page for the
FAFSA rather than signing electronically with the FSA ID, it can take 2 weeks to receive the SAR.
Note: Neither your estimated EFC (on the Confirmation Page) nor your official EFC (on the SAR) is the
amount of money your family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid
you will receive. It is a number used by your college to calculate the amount of federal student aid
you are eligible to receive.
p. 28myStudentAid Mobile App
Coming Fall 2018
In addition to a newly re-designed website, FAFSA and myStudentAid have developed a new Mobile
Application for Apple and Android that will be released Fall 2018. Details about the mobile app are still
being released at the time of this publication, but a few details have been shared as of Summer 2018. The
myStudentAid app is a promising development that many college access professional hope will provide
more students and families the opportunity to complete the FAFSA. At this time, the TN FAFSA Frenzy
team recommends using the www.fafsa.gov website rather than the app when possible. Unfortunately,
the app does not link to the IRS data retrieval tool. Without using the data retrieval tool, it will likely take
longer to submit the FAFSA and will increase the likelihood of making an error on the form.
Once the app is released, be sure to check out www.tnfafsafrenzy.gov for updated resources from the
TSAC Outreach team about how to use the app for FAFSA.
p. 29Section 3
Hosting a TN
FAFSA Frenzy
Event for High
School Seniors
p. 30What Will Your TN FAFSA started: https://fsaid.ed.gov/ for the FSA ID and
https://fafsa.ed.gov/ for the FAFSA. You can
Frenzy Event Look Like? also use chart paper to write down any additional
instructions or tips for students and parents.
At your TN FAFSA Frenzy event, you’ll want to Before the event starts, open the FSA ID and
maximize students’, parents’ and community FAFSA web pages on the available computers.
partners’ time and ensure that as many students
as possible complete the FAFSA. In order to do Know Your Technology
this, we suggest you reserve a computer lab or a Schools have different policies and permissions
room and a set of laptops for your event. Since when it comes to the internet and email. Students
technology is necessary to complete the FAFSA, and parents may have their email on sites like
we recommend that you double check that all Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo, and they will need
computers being used for your event are in good, to access their email address in order to verify
working order and able to connect to the internet. it for the FSA ID and FAFSA. Talk to your school’s
It is also a good idea to get the name of your IT leader to understand if these email sites are
school’s IT or computer specialist and write down blocked on school computers, and devise a plan
their directions for what to do in case the internet for how students and parents can access their
malfunctions. email. It is also a good idea to encourage students
to consider creating an email address separate
Please note- this year, the fafsa.gov website from their school email address for FAFSA, as the
has been updated to be mobile responsive, student may lose access to their school account
meaning that students should be able to access, after graduation in the Spring.
view, and file the FAFSA on a variety of devices
including smartphones and tablets. However,
the IRS data retrieval tool has not been updated, It’s a good idea to have students print their
and therefore, viewing the IRS data retrieval tool confirmation page after submitting the FAFSA, so
screens on mobile devices is not optimal. work with your school to devise a plan for printing
during your FAFSA event.
This fall, a myStudentAid mobile app will be
released for the FAFSA. See page 29 for a preview. Implementation Idea
Post-it Signals
In terms of scheduling, it is great to have parents
attend a TN FAFSA Frenzy event to continually
build partnership with families and help parents Prepare your sign in table volunteer to
better understand their student’s path to college. greet students and families and ask them
We recommend hosting your event after school
about where they are in the FAFSA process.
and work hours so that parents are more able to
attend. Has the student already created an FSA ID
at school? Does the parent have an FSA ID
Sign In/Sign Out For Success
A sign in table manned by a volunteer or school that they have used for an older child who
staff member is a great way to help your event is in college? The volunteer or the student
stay organized. Collecting student and parent can write on a Post-it a quick note, “Dad
names will help you track your event’s success.
has an FSA ID, Maya needs to create hers.”
We recommend that your sign in table volunteer
have copies of any handouts you’d like students
Post-it notes are also great as a help signal
to use (for example, the FSA ID worksheet). Your
sign in and sign out information will also help you when you’ve got a computer lab full of
complete the Path to College post event survey. students and parents. Students can stick
Work the Room a post it on the corner of their computer
Often, the computer lab will be the best place screen as a sign that they need help, or
to host your TN FAFSA Frenzy event. If your that they are done and ready to print their
computer lab has whiteboards or chalkboards,
use this space to write down the websites that confirmation page.
students and parents should be accessing to get
p. 31Tools to Have Available at Media release
Want to post pictures from your event? Consider
Your TN FAFSA Frenzy Event having a media release to ensure that parents
What should you consider having at and students (especially students under the age
of 18) are okay that you are posting pictures.
your TN FAFSA Frenzy event? You can also check with your school or district
□□ Computers with internet access. administrator to see if students are covered
under your school or district media release.
□□ FAFSA expert. Invite your regional TSAC
Outreach Specialist or a financial aid
You can use the sample media release language
representative from your local postsecondary
below.
institution. These folks can often answer the
more complicated FAFSA questions.
□□ Volunteers. In addition to volunteers who will
help families complete the FAFSA, you can
invite the Student Council or other student
groups to provide activities for younger
siblings while your seniors and their parents
complete the FAFSA.
□□ Printers. You’ll want to have printers
available for your students to print out their
confirmation pages once they have submitted
the FAFSA.
□□ Print out handouts from www.tnfafsafrenzy.
gov and the Federal Student Aid toolkit
handbook at http://www.financialaidtoolkit.
ed.gov/tk/search#YourSearchResult to have
on hand to answer questions.
Sample Media Release
I hereby give irrevocable permission for photographs and/or videos of my child,
, to be used by his/her school or the Tennessee
Higher Education Commission/Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation now and in
the future.
I further authorize his/her school or the Tennessee Higher Education Commission or
Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation to use my child’s likeness, name, and person-
al information (limited to age, school and city of residence) in publications and reproduc-
tions (including the program’s official website) as well as for editorial, trade, and advertis-
ing purposes. I understand that I will not receive any fee, now or in the future, for the use
of my child’s likeness.
Parent/guardian signature and date
Printed parent name
p. 32Volunteer Recruitment You may also want to contact organizations like
H&R Block, which provides free tax assistance to
Community partners can greatly enhance a TN community members, or volunteers associated
FAFSA Frenzy event by providing additional support with a local church. You can use the sample letter
to students and families, bringing new perspectives on the following page to help recruit volunteers for
on financial aid, and also helping families feel more your TN FAFSA Frenzy event.
comfortable with the FAFSA process. It is important
to remember that the FAFSA filing process involves How can I prepare volunteers?
sensitive information and parents often need to
share personal details including their income and Volunteers will need some training before your
tax information. This discomfort can be a barrier event to ensure that they feel prepared to help
to completing the FAFSA, particularly in small students and families, and so that they can provide
communities. the right information to attendees.
By bringing in community partners as volunteers, If you have many volunteers coming from one
your school could put parents and students at organization or business, consider hosting a “lunch
ease knowing that they can receive help but not and learn” at their office to talk about FAFSA and
necessarily from someone in their town and share resources like this handbook and the Federal
community with whom they’re not comfortable Student Aid Toolkit. You can also encourage
sharing earnings information. volunteers to watch recorded webinars, such as
the FSA’s “Create an FSA ID” recording at https://
Who could make a great volunteer for TN studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/create-
FAFSA Frenzy? fsaid.wmv, to familiarize themselves with the
FAFSA process. Volunteers can preview the FAFSA
We recommend contacting a TSAC Outreach questions and different sections of the form by
Specialist and/or a financial aid representative using the FAFSA on the Web worksheet at https://
from a nearby college who knows the financial studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/2018-19-
aid process well and can explain to parents how fafsa-worksheet.pdf.
filling out this form benefits their student. When
reaching out to representatives from your local Perhaps most importantly, let volunteers know that
college, make sure to emphasize that your students it’s ok to not know the answer and to ask for help.
are their future students. Consider including a If the volunteer encounters a question or situation
note about how many students from last year’s that they are not familiar with, have a point person
graduating class now attend their institution at your event (your TSAC outreach specialist, for
when you reach out to local colleges for volunteer example) who can provide assistance.
assistance.
Best Practice John Overton High School
Highlight: invited Deloitte to partner
Volunteer Partners with them on their FAFSA
night. Not only was it a
High School: great way to encourage
families to attend and get
John Overton High School tax help, but a wonderful
way to engage businesses
School District: working in the community.
Metro Nashville Public
Schools
p. 33You can also read
