<p>MiamiDAP, a frequent poster here on cc, is encouraging everyone to fill out FAFSA even though they know they don't qualify. I've heard various reasons for doing this, but not her reasoning. She says that if you don't qualify for need-based aid, many schools will give you an additional merit increase. Has this happened to anyone else?</p>
<p>It was a requirement for us to file FAFSA and Profile to get the merit award at DD’s school. Generally the school will tell you if it is necessary or not. Most of the ones she applied to did not require it. Rice did.</p>
<p>It was required for BOTH of our kids to complete the financial aid application forms for the awarding of Merit aid. No forms. NO merit aid at all. </p>
<p>For DS, renewal of merit aid did NOT require filing the forms…but he did the FAFSA for the Stafford loan.</p>
<p>For DD, the forms were required ALL FOUR YEARS to continue her merit award.</p>
<p>So…I guess we did get “more” by completing the forms because if we hadn’t…the kids would have gotten the big GOOSE EGG.</p>
<p>I’ve heard the same thing on my daughter’s college forum and filed FAFSA late(April/June) but we did not get anything extra other than the NMS. But other parents claim they received an extra merit aid($4K extra) for filing FAFSA. Note, I did not file FAFSA Jan/Feb timeline.
So for me, no.</p>
<p>singersmom and thumper…Did you schools tell you the amount you were getting in advance? That’s what my son’s school did. We had to file FAFSA to officially receive the money, but we were told the amount in advance. We never got any additonal money after filing FAFSA unless we wanted the Stafford loan.</p>
<p>Like Thumper we had to file FAFSA to get the merit aid at DD1’s school. We didn’t have to file after that. We are filing at DD2’s school to get the Stafford. Aid never went up in either case from filing.</p>
<p>Both of my kids received their merit awards AFTER we filed the FAFSA/Profile.</p>
<p>Neither knew their award as freshmen before that time.</p>
<p>HOWEVER for the renewals…the amounts didn’t change IF they filed the forms. If they didn’t…zippo.</p>
<p>My son is admitted to several schools. 2 of them I believe are waiting for FAFSA information before offering MORE merit aid. Both have offered merit scholarships that are not at all based upon income. One school said that additional merit aid will be awarded later based upon ECs. The first round was based upon academic merit. I do NOT know it a fact, but feel that since they are waiting until later to award those additional funds, they are waiting for my fafsa, even though they have not stated that this is the case. I am GUESSING that if we look like we have little additional need based upon our EFC, or we do not file, they have a small amount in mind. If we look like we need more substantial aid after they review our EFC they will increase that award. </p>
<p>Another school has an additional scholarship that my son is eligible to be CONSIDERED for (maybe he will get it, and maybe not). That award REQUIRES that the fafsa be filed. The school was open enough to tell me that the amount of that award will be based upon financial need. If he we not file a fafsa, then he will not be considered for this additional award.</p>
<p>In addition to the FAFSA-needed-for-merit schools, one school I’m applying to automatically gives a $1,000 grant to those who complete the FAFSA by the priority deadline, regardless of need. Not a bad deal.</p>
<p>^^^^excellent point!</p>