FAFSA deadlines vs GI Bill benefits timing - Planning for HS junior with unhelpful counselor

The FAFSA for the 2026-2027 school year (when your junior will be a freshman) should open October 1, 2025. Most colleges have FAFSA priority deadlines ranging from December 1 to March 1, but you should ALWAYS check each specific school. For GI Bill benefits, that's a completely separate process from FAFSA - you'll need to apply through the VA using form 22-1990E (if you're transferring benefits to your child) or your child will use form 22-5490 (if they're using Dependent's Educational Assistance). That can be done anytime, but I'd start that process at least 6 months before college begins.

that counselor sounds AWFUL!! our school does the same thing, pushing their stupid "college bootcamp" program that costs $350!!! its ridiculous. have you tried emailing the counselor anyway? sometimes they'll cave if you cc the principal lol

To answer your question about meeting with financial aid offices: YES, you absolutely can and SHOULD meet with them before acceptance. Many schools offer pre-application financial aid counseling. Call the financial aid office directly to schedule these meetings. They can give you estimates based on your financial situation and explain how GI Bill benefits might impact other aid. Don't wait for acceptance letters - being proactive now can save you thousands later.

my daughter just started college this fall & i WISH someone had told me that GI Bill benefits & FAFSA are completely separate!!! they don't talk to each other at all. we had to apply for both separately and then let the school know we had both. big headache. start the GI stuff NOW, it took us forever to get approved.

Financial aid professional here. For your timeline planning: • College Applications: Usually due Nov-Jan of senior year • FAFSA: Opens Oct 1 of senior year (2025 for your student) • GI Bill: Start that process by June before senior year (it's slow) And yes, absolutely meet with financial aid offices beforehand! Ask for a "pre-application consultation" - most schools offer these. Your veteran status might qualify your student for additional institutional scholarships beyond just the GI Bill. One tip: Some schools have earlier "priority deadlines" for maximum aid consideration that fall BEFORE their regular admission deadlines. I always recommend submitting the FAFSA within 2 weeks of it opening on October 1st, especially for competitive schools.

My nephew got GI Bill last yr! His dad did the transfer thing with the military YEARS before. Start that process now cuz there's a service commitment when u transfer! Like 4 more years or something crazy. If you already did the transfer ur good. But ya its completely separate from fafsa.

I had a similar issue trying to reach Federal Student Aid representatives about GI Bill/FAFSA interaction. After hours on hold and multiple disconnected calls, I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a real person in minutes. They have a demo video (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) and website at claimyr.com. Was actually really helpful when I was trying to figure out how my daughter's VA benefits would affect her aid package. The FSA rep explained everything clearly once I actually got through to them.

Quick correction to my earlier post - the FAFSA for 2026-2027 will actually open December 1, 2025 (not October 1). They permanently changed the opening date last year. Sorry for any confusion!

also that counselor is totally out of line not helping parents!!!! you should complain to the principal. i bet other parents are having the same problem.

Here's one more crucial deadline most parents miss: CSS Profile. Many private colleges require BOTH the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. The CSS Profile typically opens October 1 of senior year, and some schools have deadlines as early as November for early decision applicants. The CSS Profile costs money ($25 for first school, $16 for each additional), but fee waivers are available. GI Bill benefits generally don't affect CSS calculations differently than FAFSA, but it's something to research for each specific school.