Indiana families are finding it easier this fall to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

The online form, which opened this month, determines eligibility for grants, loans, and scholarships.

Bill Wozniak, vice president and chief marketing officer for the education planning nonprofit INvestEd, said this year’s FAFSA system works far better than last year’s glitch-filled rollout.

“A very different experience in the best of ways,” Wozniak explained. “We are very happy to report that the FAFSA filing process is going infinitely better than a year ago.”

Wozniak stressed students should not wait to apply. Indiana’s state deadline arrives months before the federal one and many schools set their own priority dates. He urged families to complete the form now rather than later and pointed out INvestEd offers free help to anyone struggling with the process.

“It is such a wonderful myth of ‘I’m not going to file because I’m not going to get something,'” Wozniak observed. “INvestEd has helped thousands of families after the fact said, ‘I can’t believe I’m getting financial aid.'”

Wozniak added many families wrongly assume they will not qualify for aid. He underscored completing the FAFSA often leads to unexpected assistance, especially from colleges themselves. The FAFSA deadline for federal aid is April but Indiana students who apply early could unlock more financial options.