2 November 2023
MANHATTAN (KSNT) – Most people think you only need to fill out a FAFSA application if you need financial aid. However, after sitting down with Holly Gerke from Kansas State University, people will find that this isn’t the case.
Typically, the FAFSA application is available for students to fill out in October, but this year things are different because the Department of Education is making adjustments to the application. Before, the FAFSA application had more than 100 questions. Now, they brought that number down to just 46 questions.
“They’re really condensing it to make it easier for people to complete,” Gerke said. “We’re hoping to have availability to see that and do that sometime in December.”
Gerke explained that the FAFSA can give you scholarships, potential grants and work-study opportunities at the University.
“So, if you haven’t filled out the FAFSA in the past, or maybe you have, fill it out,” she said. “We always suggest to fill it out. It can give you great opportunities at the University, and at K-State, our priority application deadline is December 1st.”
Typically, most universities work off of a November 1st deadline, but at K-State, they offer a month of extra time to make sure the application is filled out and submitted. To learn more about the changes to the FAFSA application and the release date, click here.
Gerke also detailed different resources students can use to find scholarships outside of the University. Those are fastweb.com and Big Future by College Board.
“Those are essentially like scholarship search engines,” Gerke said.
She explained that on those websites, you put in certain information about yourself and the search engines find scholarships that match you.
To learn more about what Gerke had to say, watch the full interview above.
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