CRC Connection: FAFSA Edition

Date: Monday, November 3

Time: 6:00 PM or 7:00 PM

Where: VHHS Library

Representatives from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be on hand to assist families with submitting their FAFSAs online. Sign up here for either the 6:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. session if you feel it would be beneficial. There will be a Spanish-speaking ISAC representative at this event.

U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens can complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for financial aid from the federal government, state governments and many colleges.

The Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act allows eligible undocumented students who are disqualified from federal financial aid to apply for all forms of state financial aid using the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid.

We highly recommend that Class of 2026 families complete the FAFSA or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (for undocumented students). Even if families think they won’t qualify for aid, completing the FAFSA may result in financial options such as loans or on-campus jobs. Some colleges also need families to complete the FAFSA in order for students to receive merit aid. Families with current college students should complete the FAFSA at this time, as well.

The State of Illinois has made completing the FAFSA a graduation requirement, but families who choose not to complete a FAFSA can fill out this FAFSA Opt-Out Form, which will meet the graduation requirement.

We recommend families complete the FAFSA by the end of November, especially those whose senior is considering colleges located in Illinois. The Illinois MAP (Monetary Assistance Program) Grant is awarded to families with financial need on a first-come, first-served basis, and we want our families to be in the running.

All users/contributors must have a StudentAid.gov accounts to fill out the FAFSA®, even those without a Social Security Number (SSN). If a student's contributor does not have an SSN, please read over these instructions for completing the FAFSA.

To create your StudentAid.gov account, please go to https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch.

This article shares key facts related to StudentAid.gov accounts.

DATE: October 21

TIME: All Lunch Periods

Our ISAC Rep, Carlos Morales, will be in the CRC during all lunch periods on October 21 to help you create your Studentaid.gov account, also known as your FSA ID. Once you create your StudentAid.gov account, you will be able to start the FAFSA. This workshop focuses solely on creating accounts, but see above for information on our FAFSA Completion Workshop.

We aren’t sure if we will qualify for financial aid. Should we still complete the FAFSA?

• There is no income cutoff that would indicate whether a family should complete the FAFSA or not, but if you’re unsure, we recommend you complete the Net Price Calculators found on every college’s website to see if you are eligible for need-based financial aid (some colleges also use MyinTuition to provide cost estimates). At a minimum, families that submit a FAFSA will be offered the option to take a federal student loan, and many colleges require the FAFSA from students who are offered a merit-based scholarship.

Is there a deadline to complete the FAFSA?

• Check the financial aid pages for each of your colleges to determine if they have a preferred FAFSA completion date. We recommend that our families do so by the end of November to ensure you are in the best position for financial awards.

How many colleges can I send my FAFSA results to?

• You can list up to 20 colleges on the FAFSA at one time.

Who completes the FAFSA when parents are divorced or separated?

• If your parents are divorced or separated, the contributing parent(s) is the parent (and their spouse, if remarried) who provided the greater portion of your financial support during the 12 months immediately prior to filing the FAFSA®.
• Use the interactive Who’s My FAFSA Parent wizard to learn how to identify which parent needs an account

Explore more information on the Federal Student Aid YouTube Channel

Register for the VHHS FAFSA completion workshop here.

Don't hesitate to call the Office of Financial Aid at any college you applied to--they are prepared to answer questions related to FAFSA completion.

Carlos Morales is the ISACorps Member (financial aid "expert") assigned to aid VHHS families with the financial aid process. He can be reached via email at carlos.morales@illinois.gov and by phone at (847)309-8820.

Look over the 2025-2026 Financial Aid Guide (for the 2026-2027 FAFSA) and this FAFSA Application Quick Guide.

In addition to the FAFSA, some schools also require families to complete the CSS Profile. The CSS Profile is an online application used by colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid. Be aware that this form asks for more information than the FAFSA and includes a fee to submit to each college. Families whose adjusted gross income is $100,000 or less can qualify for a fee waiver on the form. Students who qualify for the SAT fee waiver are also eligible for the CSS Profile fee waiver.

The list of schools requiring the CSS Profile can be found here. Deadlines vary, so check with each school you are applying to.

Review College Board's CSS Profile Frequently Asked Questions here.