Getting in to college is only the first step to actually making it through the next four years. Unless you have a full-ride scholarship, you’ll need to start thinking about where you are going to get money to pay for tuition and books. If you’re really on the ball, you probably will have already been seeking out grants from public and private organizations to help with your expense, but if you haven’t, you can always get more financial aid from the federal government. To apply for grants and student loans from the government, you need to fill out an application, commonly called a FAFSA. If this is your first time having to pay for college or having to apply for financial aid, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1) Fill Out Your FAFSA Early
FAFSA applications can be turned in any time after the start of a new calendar year if you are trying to apply for aid for the fall semester. Although the government hands out millions of dollars in scholarships each year, the amount of money available in grants is limited and runs out quickly. Federal financial aid is handed out on a first-come-first-served basis, so the quicker you get your FAFSA in, the better chance you will have at getting a grant for the upcoming school year.

2) Apply Online
To ensure that your FAFSA is submitted quickly and easily, fill out your FAFSA online at fafsa.ed.gov. When you fill it out online, you can submit with the click of a button and not worry about it getting lost in the mail. Also, when you fill it out online, your FAFSA is saved for future years. So if you apply next year, all you have to do is log in, make a few changes to last year’s FAFSA, and resubmit, instead of filling out a whole new form every year.

3) Be Prepared
In order to make sure you can fill out your FAFSA quickly and easily, make sure you have all the documents you need before you get started. Mainly, you’ll want to make sure that you have all your tax information together (or your parent’s tax info if you are still a dependant). This will ensure that you fill out the FAFSA thoroughly the first time and don’t have to resubmit later, which can delay your approval process. Be as accurate as you can and don’t leave any blanks, and you’ll be sure to get your FAFSA evaluated quickly.

If you have any questions about your FAFSA, talk to a counselor at your High School or at your college’s financial aid department. They have lots of experience with all kinds of circumstances and can best help you fill out your FAFSA effectively.

About the author: Diane Johnson graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in political science. When she’s not traveling she enjoys writing articles about pell grants, reading books, and shopping.