f a f s a . c o m

Paying for College
1

<p>Beware: The above site was just “reviewed” in our local paper’s Action Line column:</p>

<p><a href=“Action Line: Web site charges to help process free application for student aid – The Mercury News”>Action Line: Web site charges to help process free application for student aid – The Mercury News;

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2

<p>Wow.</p>

<p>That sucks.</p>

<p>D:</p>

3

<p>Posters here on CC, including myself, post warnings every year on CC not to make the mistake of using them and a couple of financial aid officers that post here have said that they often see problems with or don’t receive the FAFSAs of people that use this ‘service’. But despite the warnings people still continue to use them because they think they need help filling out FAFSA. </p>

<p>While I certainly would not recommend people use them, it would help if people took the time to read the information posted on websites (any websites) before they started using them. FAFSA.com has existed for years and the govt is aware of it. As long as they are clear that it is a service they are not breaking the law so reporting them will do nothing. It is not illegal to offer the service any more than it is illegal for people to ask you to pay for help in preparing your taxes. They do make it quite clear on the first page of the site that they are an advisory service, are not affiliated with the department of ed, and that they charge $79.99. Can people not read?</p>

4

<p>“Can people not read?”</p>

<p>Yes, I think that’s the problem. People know that FAFSA is a federal form, see the bright yellow “File A FASFA Online Click Here” and do so, overlooking the pale pastel disclosure below. People are not careful, and marketers know what works.</p>

5

<p>People should be more careful next time.</p>