Apps In, FAFSA Done, Now What?

<p>Guys</p>

<p>My daughter has applies to 13 schools in Cal. (UC's, CSU's, Private ((Chapman USC, Stanford)</p>

<p>She has been accepted to a few already SDSU, Davis, East Bay.</p>

<p>4.0 GPA, 1900 SAT, Honors, AP, etc.</p>

<p>Our EFC from the calculator is around 8K.</p>

<p>She knows that where she goes will be dependent on us getting plenty of help.</p>

<p>We don't want to tour schools until we get finacial aid packages from the schools.</p>

<p>When will that start happening? I have my own small service business and won't have 2008 tax return for a while (Used 2007 on FAFSA)</p>

<p>I feel like we are in Limbo (again :)</p>

<p>thx</p>

<p>bob</p>

<p>Make sure your GPA Verification form was sent to Cal Grant (either by your HS, or do it yourself).</p>

<p>Double check each school's website to see whether they also have their own finaid application, or perhaps require Profile in addition to FAFSA. While you're on the websites, see if any of the schools have merit scholarships that require a separate application (many just require FAFSA).</p>

<p>The FinAid packages generally go out Mid March to early April, sometimes earlier particularly if the student applied under one of the early acceptance programs. Each school's website will give you some idea of when to expect the award letter.</p>

<p>The award letters will be estimates, since your FAFSA numbers were estimates. Best to get your taxes done sooner, rather than later, and get the FAFSA correction in with the final numbers as soon as practicable.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>Will the lack of a 2008 tax return hold things up from the schools? We usually file an extension, etc.</p>

<p>thx</p>

<p>bob</p>

<p>There's no problem right now-- they're happy with the estimated numbers on the FAFSA submitted by the priority date. But most will want the corrected FAFSA done by mid April, so they can send you a firm offer. Remember that deadline for deciding on a school is generally May 1.</p>

<p>So best to skip the extension this year, and get them done by late March or early April, IMO.</p>

<p>(Yes, lack of a corrected FAFSA will hold things up)</p>

<p>Scholarship applications!</p>

<p>Have your daughter check with her high school counselor or college & career center (if there is one at her high school) for a list of local scholarships. Have her Google "scholarship" + "your city" to see if there are any others that she might have missed. Have her create an account on fastweb and search for scholarships that might be relevant.</p>

<p>Most of the local scholarships in my area are need-based. If this is the same in your area, then your $8K EFC would put your daughter in the running for a lot of local money.</p>

<p>Congrats to your daughter on her acceptances, and good luck.</p>

<p>Thanks, guys</p>

<p>:)</p>

<p>You don't mention having done CSS. You do know some of your schools may require that as well as profile right? For instance I am pretty sure Stanford requires it.</p>

<p>As sblake said - this is not the year to file your taxes late.</p>

<p>swim,</p>

<p>What is CSS?</p>

<p>sblake: When you say they are happy, will we get an idea of how much they are offering based on 2007 info?</p>

<p>thx</p>

<p>bob</p>

<p>Applying</a> for Aid : Stanford University</p>

<p>you can link to the profile from here, it's part of the collegeboard website</p>

<p>Stanford also wants your 2008 taxes by April 15</p>

<p>I suggest you go to each schools website to see if there are any other forms and deadlines and information.</p>

<p>You may get FA awards based on 2007 info, but you still have to give them the 2008 info and your FA can change if there are differences in income that warrant it.</p>

<p>sblake: When you say they are happy, will we get an idea of how much they are offering based on 2007 info?</p>

<p>Yes- they'll make an estimated financial aid offer based on your estimated FAFSA numbers. Good enough to help make college decisions, probably, but not the precise award. The actual award will likely be a bit different, when you give them your precise numbers via the corrected FAFSA.</p>

<p>(CSS = College Scholarship Service = Profile)</p>

<p>USC also requires the CSS/Profile.</p>

<p>Where is the CSS app?</p>

<p>thx</p>

<p>bob</p>

<p>The College Board (the same people who bring you the SATs!!!): <a href="https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Bob-</p>

<p>Many of the fields in the Profile app get filled in with the same numbers you used in the FAFSA. So if you have a printout of that handy, it will speed things along greatly.</p>