After you fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (the FAFSA), you will receive a Student Aid Report, or SAR. This happens about four to six weeks after you submit it (2-3 weeks if done on the Web).
This report summarizes the information you provided on the FAFSA, and indicates the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). It is also sent to the schools you listed for their review as part of their financial aid packages.
Once you receive the report, you should:
- Review it for accuracy. There might be mistakes in what you submitted or in how that information was transposed into the Department of Education's database.
- Update the information, if needed.
- Review the summary of current loans outstanding to help you keep track of your borrowing.
Get more info on the SAR here.
If you would like more information about student loans, you can dowload my free book, I Graduated; Now What? A Guide to Dealing with Your Student Loans.
