When should my son who is just starting his sophmore year start to apply for financial aid? Answer: Jan. 1 is the first day that your family could submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It's the form that must be submitted to get federal and state aid and also financial aid from many colleges. Hurry to submit it, as the early bird often gets more aid. You can submit a paper copy obtained from your children's high school or an online version available at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The electronic version will help you be more accurate, as it has checks for errors built in. If you are curious about the amount of aid that is likely to be offered to your family, go online to the government Web site at www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov or the FinAid Web site at www.finaid.com. Be sure to visit the FinAid site, because it has a wealth of financial-aid material. It is a good starting point for a family's quest for money for college.