How does FAFSA4caster make it easier to apply for aid?

If you submit your FAFSA4caster before early December 2007 and the Social Security Administration verifies your identity, a pre-populated Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available to complete for the 2008-2009 school year.

Many of the answers you provide on your FAFSA4caster are automatically entered into your FAFSA, reducing the number of questions that you must complete. However, you must answer income, asset, and tax questions; provide answers to any FAFSA questions that were not asked on the FAFSA4caster; and update any answers that may have changed since you submitted your FAFSA4caster.

In January or February 2008, you'll receive a notice reminding you to apply for the 2008-2009 award year (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009). You'll access your pre-populated FAFSA using FAFSA on the Web from the www.fafsa.ed.gov Web site using your Federal Student Aid PIN.

You can use your Federal Student Aid PIN to electronically sign your FAFSA. If you are a dependent student, your parent must sign the FAFSA as well. Your parent can apply for a PIN at any time from the ww.pin.ed.gov Web site. With a PIN, your parent can sign the FAFSA electronically. Or, he or she can print, sign, and mail a signature page instead.