Our colleagues at the Center for New York City Affairs have published the fall 2020 edition of our popular guide for high school students who are applying to college and beginning their all-important quest for financial aid: FAFSA: The How-To Guide for High School Students (And the Adults Who Help Them).

The guide will be particularly useful for first-generation, immigrant and low-income students. Many are filling out the U.S. Department of Education’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the first time. The How-To Guide was written in partnership with New York City college guidance and financial aid professionals. It addresses the most common questions of local students and families.

The guide explains how the form works and confronts the often-confusing issues around citizenship and how the FAFSA defines parents and households. The guide also explains the FAFSA verification process and includes a large section on how to compare college financial aid offers. New this year: How to work with colleges to get the aid you deserve if your family has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The guide is currently available in English and will be available in nine other languages later this month. We encourage you to download the PDFs and distribute the materials in any way that makes sense.