College-bound high school students and current college students are being reminded that now’s a good time to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Roland Carrillo, director of financial aid at the University of Northern Iowa, says most schools request the FAFSA as the first step in applying for any kind of assistance.

"Particularly federal student aid," Carrillo says, "but many schools wrap the FAFSA around all kind of aid, whether it’s a scholarship or institutional help. The FAFSA also measures how much (money) can a family help a son or daughter go to school with…it’s kind of the beginning process of it."

Carrillo says it’s to the student’s advantage to fill out the FAFSA early in the year. He says aid is awarded in many schools on a first come, first serve basis. "Some students who apply late, may not get the best results of the kind of aid package that they’d like," explains Carrillo. "So, my best suggestion would be to do it as soon as possible and ask for help to kind of get that out of the way." You can learn more about the process and on-line at the FAFSA website . http://