As college-bound students prepare for a new school year, they should be aware of a new date that’s important for future financial aid: Oct. 1. That’s the new, earlier date after which students can file the Fafsa, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The infamous form is used to calculate how much students and their families must contribute to the cost of college, and how much help they will get in the form of grants, scholarships and loans. Students seeking financial aid must file the form, used by most states and colleges as the gateway to financial aid, each year.

August 10, 2016 ・ From The New York Times