Reyna Gobel, M.B.A. and M.J., is a financial and physical fitness journalist, author, and course instructor who’s published on reuters.com, weightwatchers.com, and theatlantic.com. Her CliffsNotes ...

Applying to college is an exercise in paperwork: recommendations, essays, the application itself, and the FAFSA — the form that determines whether your student is eligible for federal financial aid.