On January 1, the floodgates to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) open up. Students and parents nationwide will eagerly complete the application (some laboring over it for hours) in hopes of getting the most financial aid possible. The majority of these families have no idea what to expect.
How much financial aid can you get and what influences what you are awarded? This is a question we hear again and again at the College Planning Center and the big answer is, "it depends."