To apply for financial aid, including government and university aid, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. There is no cost to fill out the FAFSA and it can be done online. The FAFSA asks questions about your family's income and the colleges you are applying to. Here's a general timeline for applying for financial assistance:

• Summer Before Senior Year
  Decide on the colleges your child wants to attend and request applications and financial aid information from each one.
• September/October Senior Year
  Meet with your child's counselor to talk about state and local financial aid.
• November/December Senior Year
  Apply for scholarships at the colleges your child wants to attend. Visit Fafsa.ed.gov to request a PIN number and start a FAFSA application, and collect the required financial documents.

• January/February Senior Year
  Complete the FAFSA using income and asset figures from your tax return. Sign and send in the FAFSA to all schools. A Student Aid Report, or SAR, should arrive from two to four weeks after you submit the FAFSA.
• March/April Senior Year
  If your FAFSA is chosen for verification, collect and send in all the information that's requested. Admissions decisions and financial aid award letters arrive these months.

Parent Action Items:

• Keep organized files for each school and build a calendar to keep track of deadlines and materials. If you need assistance filling out the FAFSA, you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID.
• Take the time to let your child know that you are taking the concrete steps necessary to make his college dream a reality.

Visit Fafsa.ed.gov to request a PIN number to start a FAFSA application.