if you already have one, but have misplaced it, select “request a duplicate PIN.” If you are requesting a duplicate, it will ask you to answer a challenge question that you have previously selected and answered. For example, you might have selected “What hospital were you born in?” To get a duplicate PIN, you must answer the challenge question exactly as you answered it the first time, and the answer is case sensitive. So, if the first time, you answered the above question “Maine General,” and to request a duplicate, you answer it “maine general” the duplicate PIN request will reject. Save your PIN number in a secure place because you will use it the whole time you are in school.

• Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov, and have a copy of your latest federal income taxes and W 2’s in front of you. Fill out the FAFSA.

In step 6, put in KVCC’s school code, 009826. If you are not filing taxes, there’s a question on the FAFSA that you will answer, “will not file.” At some point it will ask you for your PIN. If all else fails, and you can’t put in your PIN, you can still fill out the FAFSA. Just enter that you are not going to sign it with a PIN, and select the option to print out a signature page. You can then sign that and mail it to the address that’s on the page. If you have your PIN and filled out a FAFSA last year, there is a spot on the FAFSA where it will ask if you want to “prefill” your FAFSA. If you select “yes” then last year’s data will all be on the form, and you will only need to enter whatever data has changed.

• If you are a dependent student (you will know if you are by answering certain questions on the FAFSA) you may be required to submit parental information and have a parent sign the FAFSA.

If that is the case, your parent should get a PIN number by following the directions in # 1 above, and should use the PIN to sign your FAFSA.

• Beginning in spring 2010, the Department of Education will give you (and/or your parent) the option to have your tax information automatically transferred from your federal tax form (if you have already filed) directly to your FAFSA. We recommend you choose that option if your tax form has already been filed.

• Be sure you have clicked “submit” and please print out and save your submission page.

• When the Financial Aid Office receives the processed FAFSA, we will check to see if you have been accepted into a degree/certificate program, and if so, we will send you a letter with more forms to fill out.

You may be selected for a process called “verification,” in which case we will also ask you for a signed copy of your 2009 federal income tax forms and W 2’s. If you are selected for verification, and you had to include parental information on the FAFSA, then we will need your parent’s signed tax form and W 2’s as well. If you did not file taxes, then on the KVCC supplemental application form, just write in what income you received for the relevant year. For example, there is a space on the form that you can check off if all your income was TANF or SSI. If you filed a tax form but do not have a copy, you can request a tax transcript by calling 1-800-829-1040. After the first message Press 2, then press 2 again, then enter your social security number, then press 3. If you and/or your parent selected “will file” on the question concerning whether you have filed your federal tax form, KVCC will not award you until you have updated the income/assets information on your FAFSA after your have filed your taxes.

• When all documentation is received, we will process the files in the order of completion.

We will compare the data, make corrections if necessary, award you, and send you an award letter. You will receive two copies of your award letter—one is for you to keep, the other is for you to fill out, sign, and return to the Financial Aid Office.

• On question 31 of the FAFSA, if you indicated that you are interested in being considered for student loans, and you are registered for at least 6 credits, we will package in a loan and you will see it on the award letter.*

On page 2 of the award letter there will be directions for completing a loan entrance interview if you are required to do so, and for filling out a Master Promissory Note if you are required to do so (if you are not, then there will be no directions on the award letter). Please read your award letter carefully, follow the instructions, and fill out whatever is required, because your loan will not disburse until you have done so.

* KVCC has a default management program, with recommended borrowing maximums for each of our degree/certificate programs, based on projected future earnings, so students with a high amount of prior student loan debt may be asked to meet with our loan counselor. KVCC reserves the right, as granted by the U.S. Dept. of Education, to refuse to certify a student’s Stafford loan or to certify the loan for an amount less than the established federal limits. In that instance, KVCC must document the reason and provide that written explanation to the student. KVCC’s decision is final and cannot be appealed to the Dept. of Education.