The early FAFSA initiative was implemented by the United States Department of Education (US DOE) to simplify and improve the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. Fall 2016 marked the first time the FAFSA and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) were available starting October 1. This early financial aid initiative helped improve college choice and access to financial aid. In our 6th year of Early FAFSA and CADAA submission, the California Student Aid Commission has collaborated with the California Department of Education and K-12 communities to launch the Race to Submit.
