<p>I just finished the application part of the admissions process, and am now ready for the financial aid part. I really have no idea where to start or what I'm suppose to do. If anyone would be kind of enough to point me in the right direction, that would be really really appreciated :) </p>
<p>So...heres my situation
On all the applications I checked that I wouldn't be a candidate for financial aid because my parents will pay for whatever school I choose, but I would love to help them at least a little by making sure I get any kind of aid if its possible for me. My parents have real estate assets worth a couple million, my dad makes in the low six figures, and we don't have a whole lot of extenuating circumstances. Because I didn't check that I need aid, am I suppose to send in FAFSA? Do I apply for sophmore year? Do I just pay sticker? </p>
<p>YOu can send in FAFSA anyway-
and probably should because some scholarships will require that information even if merit based ( don't ask me why)
Also
you can never predict what your families circumstances will be in 6 mo</p>
<p><a href="http://www.finaid.org%5B/url%5D">www.finaid.org</a>
has info on what loans etc are available
you can also take out unsubsidized loans and contribute your summer earnings to your tuition as many kids do
While you might not eligible for workstudy, you can also get a job during the school year to pay for your books and personal expenses.
Working on campus also is a great way to meet other students, and helps you budget your time.
Im sure your parents will appreciate your efforts to show that you can assume some of the burden of paying for college :D</p>
<p>Oracle, the FAFSA can be a real pain to fill out, so I will disagree with EK4 and counsel you to determine if there really is a need before you ask your parents to do it. We waste enough time filling out forms as it is. </p>
<p>So, ask your parents, is there any reasonable likelihood that your family finances will crater so badly in the coming year that all of a sudden you will require government assistance to attend college? Are you in the running for any of the rare merit scholarships that require FAFSA filings? Have you run the EFC calculators to verify that your EFC greatly exceeds your maximum COA?</p>
<p>It does not matter what you checked on the application. You can file a FAFSA anyway if that is what you need to do. You would call the admissions offices and ask them to make a notation that you are applying for financial aid after all.</p>
<p>If they make in the low six figures say $110,000 and Stanfords expenses are over $43,000 , that leaves them only $67,000 for their living expenses, before taxes of course.</p>
<p>Unless their real estate is available to be mortgaged for tuition money, I still think it makes sense to file the FAFSA, it really isn't that tough.
If you want to get a Stafford loan so rather than having your parents pay for the whole thing, you will need to file.</p>