ORONO — People thinking about going to college in September 1999 need to act now. In preparation for filing for federal financial aid, tax information for 1998 must be gathered. Taxes are not due until April, but those who wait until then to gather information would have missed out on most opportunities for financial aid.

Jan. 1, 1999, was the first day to apply for federal financial aid. A free application for federal financial aid is available at high school guidance offices, colleges applied to, or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

An estimate of taxes may be used to complete this form. If filing an estimated form, corrections to income must be submitted in four to six weeks of receiving a student aid report back from the federal processor.

Many forms of aid are available. To become eligible one must apply for aid — the sooner the better. Questions can be answered by calling 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). Trained professionals are prepared to answer questions regarding completion of the forms.

The Maine Educational Opportunity Center assists adults 19 years and over in getting ready to go to college. To discover eligibility for these free services, call 1-800-281-3703.