VALPARAISO | Students, here's the chance to turn the tables on your parents.

If they're the ones procrastinating on getting you info for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, it's time for you to light a fire under them.

The FAFSA, as it's called, is the required open sesame to many local, state and federal grants and loans for college, and the primary responsibility for getting it in by Indiana's March 10 deadline rests with the student, Valparaiso University Director of Financial Aid Robert Helgeson said.

Even if parents have not completed their tax returns, estimates of financial information are acceptable for the time being, and the FAFSA takes less time to complete than many fear, Helgeson said.

With relevant information together, an online filing can take under half an hour, he said.

If parents have completed their tax returns, most of the financial information for the FAFSA comes directly from a line item on the 1040.

The alternative to filing the form is leaving lots of "free" money on the table, Helgeson said.

"You're throwing that money away by simply not filing that free form," he said.

For that reason, VU and many colleges urge families to complete the FAFSA by March 1. If a computer system were to go down close to the 10th, it could leave some out of luck.

Helgeson noted other points to keep in mind:

* Students should file by March 10 even if they won't attend college until spring 2011. There is no mid-year filing date.

* Even parents who didn't qualify for grants with a previous child or who think they earn too much to qualify should file. Low-interest federal loans also require the FAFSA.

* Financial aid search sites such as finaid.org are helpful, but students should not neglect local sources such as unions, churches and fraternal organizations. With local groups, students will compete against fewer applicants.

* An average financial aid package at VU this year was worth $26,000. Much of that would be inaccessible without filing a FAFSA.

* Families with special circumstances, such as job loss, should communicate with each college the student is interested in after filing the FAFSA.

Making college affordable

For information and to file a FAFSA, visit fafsa.ed.gov.

For Indiana financial aid information, visit in.gov/ssaci.

For Illinois financial aid information, visit collegezone.com.