The academic year is over and summer is here! For some, college is on the horizon. For others, it’s the very thing you’re taking a break from. Whether you’re preparing to start college for the first time or returning for another year, one essential task looms on the horizon: filing your FAFSA.
Each year, as you dig through tax forms and answer what feels like a million questions, you might find yourself wondering, “Why is FAFSA important?”
With the exception of the past two years, the FAFSA typically opens in October—so enjoy your summer, stress-free. Once it does become available, however, we recommend filing as soon as possible—whether it’s your first time or your final year. If you need a reason to get moving, we’ve boiled it down to three benefits.
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You'll Be as Informed as Possible
An Informed Decision is Your Best Decision
When you complete your FAFSA as early as possible, both the government and your colleges can send you your financial aid information sooner. Why does this matter—especially as early as October—if you’re not planning to make any final decision until March or April? Or, why does it matter if this is your fourth time filing?
If you’re a first-time student comparing schools or a returning student reassessing financial aid, early FAFSA filing gives you more time to evaluate your offers. Tuition costs, scholarship amounts, and government loan amounts can change from year to year. Seeing your full financial picture early helps you compare colleges, negotiate offers, and determine what’s truly affordable.
Additionally, college counselors often encourage students to review and compare multiple financial aid packages. Early filing gives you the tools you need to do that with confidence. For returning students, it allows you to adjust plans if funding changes or new options arise.
You Can Plan for Your Financial Future
Don’t Just Plan for College. Plan for Post-Graduation
Filing your FAFSA early doesn’t just help with your immediate college plans. It’s also key to long-term financial success—especially if your aid package includes loans.
If you know early on that you’ll need to borrow money, you’ll have more time to explore repayment options, plan budgets, and avoid surprises. First-year students can start thinking long-term right away, and returning students can re-evaluate how much they’re borrowing year over year.
In short, FAFSA is important because understanding your financial outlook now helps you prepare for life after graduation.
You’ll Meet Scholarship Requirements—and Receive Maximum Aid
You Know What They Say About the Early Bird
Here’s perhaps the biggest reason of all: filing your FAFSA early can help you maximize your aid. The sooner you apply, the more funding is available—from both the government and your current or prospective college(s).
University scholarships aren’t unlimited, and some are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Filing early shows initiative and can unlock awards before funds run out.
Additionally, many external scholarships require a completed FAFSA. Filing as soon as it opens means you’ll already have one major requirement checked off your list.
Why is FAFSA Important? | Conclusion
Sooner or later, it comes around.
Filing the FAFSA is a yearly reality for most college students. For first-year students, it can feel especially overwhelming, coinciding with the excitement and stress of choosing a college. For returning students, it’s a key opportunity to reassess your financial standing.
The good news? Submitting your FAFSA early doesn’t lock you into anything. You can send it to multiple schools without committing to any one. It simply gives you time, options, and negotiating power; in other words, the keys to making smart financial decisions for college and beyond.
If it’s your first time filing the FAFSA or you need a refresher, check out our up-to-date 2026–2027 FAFSA Guide.
Your 2026–2027 FAFSA Guide
The 2026–2027 FAFSA Guide last updated: May 22, 2025 Everything You Need to Know About the 2026–2027 FAFSA In the past two years, the process for filing your FAFSA has been chaotic, to say the least. Changing deadlines, website restructuring, beta-testing, and more caused delays, confusion, and frustration for institutions
