cofused about FAFSA

<p>Im a senior this year and decided to get started on my FAFSA application but see repeated questions about attending college in the 2008- 2009 year. I searched other posts and still haven't been able to answer my question. Please help me out. Thank you in advance.</p>

<p>FAFSA for 2009-2010 will not be released until Jan. 1, 2009. You can start on this year's form as a draft, though.</p>

<p>thanks that solves the problem</p>

<p>I'm confused. What if I am applying ED? Don't I have to submit the FAFSA by Nov. 1? And if the FAFSA for 2009-2010 will not be released until Jan. 1, 2009, how will I be able to submit it for ED? Please clarify on this, thanks!</p>

<p>You will need to check your school's website to see what the deadlines are and what you need to have filed by what dates. Most schools DO have an early priority deadline for ED applicants for the PROFILE. You cannot fill out a 2009-2010 FAFSA until January 1. That is the first day it is available. But if you look at your ED college website, they will tell you what is due...and when. If you're still not sure, call them.</p>

<p>Here is the info for UPenn:</p>

<p>Penn's code is 2933 </p>

<p>Complete a CSS/PROFILE at ::</a> College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions Requirements
If your parents do not have access to a computer, register for a PROFILE using a computer in your high school or local library. After you register, you will receive online guidance on how to complete the parents' section.
You MUST include your full social security number on the PROFILE application.
Deadline: November 1, 2008 </p>

<p>Complete a Noncustodial PROFILE if your parents are separated or divorced
After you submit a PROFILE, The College Board will email you if a Noncustodial PROFILE is also required. The email will include instructions on how to forward this form to your noncustodial parent. Your noncustodial parent’s information will be password protected and not accessible by you or your custodial parent.
Deadline: November 1, 2008 </p>

<ol>
<li>Submit to Student Financial Services </li>
</ol>

<p>Penn Financial Aid Supplement<br>
Complete and submit this form online - Available Soon
Deadline: November 1, 2008 </p>

<p>Business/Farm Supplement (BFS)
Required if your parents own a business or farm<br>
Deadline: November 1, 2008 </p>

<p>Student's, Parents' (including noncustodial parent's) 2007 federal income tax returns, all schedules, pages and W-2 forms
Attach a Tax I.D. Form to each return
Deadline: November 1, 2008 </p>

<p>Student's, Parents' (including noncustodial parent's) 2008 federal income tax returns, all schedules, pages and W-2 forms
Attach a Tax I.D. Form to each return
Deadline: March 1, 2009 </p>

<p>Cover Sheet/Tax I.D. & Non-Tax Filer Form<br>
Submit a Cover Sheet each time you fax or mail documents
If you or your parents do not file taxes, you must complete the Non-Tax Filer section of this form </p>

<p>Student Financial Services Fax Number and Mailing Address
Fax to: 215-573-5428
Faxing ensures security of your documents and expedites processing
OR
Mail to:
Student Financial Services
University of Pennsylvania
005 Franklin Building
3451 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6270 </p>

<ol>
<li>Submit a FAFSA to the U.S. Department of Education
Penn's Code is 003378 </li>
</ol>

<p>Submit a 2009-2010 FAFSA
Online at FAFSA</a> - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
OR
Request a paper FAFSA from your high school<br>
Deadline: April 15, 2009</p>

<p>I will be applying to Cornell ED.
Early</a> Decision</p>

<p>According to the site, the 2008-2009 CSS PROFILE is due Nov. 1. However, are those the correct years for me if I will be entering college Sept. 2009? If not, I'm guessing the site hasn't been updated for this year's applicants?</p>

<p>Also, it says "Financial Aid notifications to accepted applicants" in mid-December. Does this mean that we will get our financial aid package BEFORE we even file the FAFSA (which is due Apr. 15, according to the site)?</p>

<p>Oh shoot, sorry I didn't see your post. I'm assuming you saw the colleges I will be applying to in my Stats Profile, but I recently decided to apply ED at Cornell instead of Penn. Thank you for the time you spent gathering Penn's info though! :)</p>

<p>Can anyone answer my above questions? Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Below is what I got off of the Cornell website. As you can see...they want all of your 2006 tax information by the ED deadline (which is November 1...but you should check this YOURSELF!!!). It also looks like they want the Profile completed by that date, plus their own financial aid form. I can't speak for Cornell...and perhaps someone else will pipe in...but in most cases your financial aid award for ED will be a based on what you have sent in by that priority deadline (November 1st?). You still have to complete the FAFSA and update information based on your 2007 tax returns. I don't know if this is universal...but it IS possible that your award would change but only if there is a SUBSTANTIAL difference between what is on your Profile and what is submitted later. The Profile you do will be estimates based on the 2007 tax year, I believe, using your pay stubs etc. They should be pretty accurate and therefore not much should change. I don't know what the Cornell financial aid form looks like, but others I've seen ask for income from the previous year and good estimates or projections for the upcoming year(s). The schools do a good job of trying to get complete and accurate information from you.</p>

<p>Hopefully someone else will chime in here.</p>

<p>Early Decision Freshmen Applicants (2008-2009 Academic Year)
The deadlines listed exist in order to provide you with a timely notification of your aid decision. Applications received after the deadline will still be considered for all forms of financial aid, and will be processed as soon as possible.</p>

<p>November 1 2008 Cornell Freshmen Financial Aid Application </p>

<p>Signed copy of parents' 2006 federal income tax returns, including all pages, schedules, and W2 forms </p>

<p>Signed copy of student's 2006 federal income tax returns, including all pages, schedules, and W2 forms </p>

<p>2008-2009 CSS PROFILE completed online </p>

<p>Mid-December Financial Aid notifications to accepted applicants </p>

<p>Early January Deposit due to Admissions </p>

<p>April 15 (or when 2007 tax returns are completed) 2008-2009 FAFSA completed online </p>

<p>May 1 Signed copy of parents' 2007 federal income tax returns, including all pages, schedules, and W2 forms
Signed copy of student's 2007 federal income tax returns, including all pages, schedules, and W2 forms</p>

<p>I have a question...i know you have to fill out a FAFSA to get need-based aid, but what about scholarships?</p>

<p>
[quote]
Below is what I got off of the Cornell website. As you can see...they want all of your 2006 tax information by the ED deadline (which is November 1...but you should check this YOURSELF!!!). It also looks like they want the Profile completed by that date, plus their own financial aid form. I can't speak for Cornell...and perhaps someone else will pipe in...but in most cases your financial aid award for ED will be a based on what you have sent in by that priority deadline (November 1st?). You still have to complete the FAFSA and update information based on your 2007 tax returns. I don't know if this is universal...but it IS possible that your award would change but only if there is a SUBSTANTIAL difference between what is on your Profile and what is submitted later. The Profile you do will be estimates based on the 2007 tax year, I believe, using your pay stubs etc. They should be pretty accurate and therefore not much should change. I don't know what the Cornell financial aid form looks like, but others I've seen ask for income from the previous year and good estimates or projections for the upcoming year(s). The schools do a good job of trying to get complete and accurate information from you.</p>

<p>Hopefully someone else will chime in here.</p>

<p>Early Decision Freshmen Applicants (2008-2009 Academic Year)
The deadlines listed exist in order to provide you with a timely notification of your aid decision. Applications received after the deadline will still be considered for all forms of financial aid, and will be processed as soon as possible.</p>

<p>November 1 2008 Cornell Freshmen Financial Aid Application</p>

<p>Signed copy of parents' 2006 federal income tax returns, including all pages, schedules, and W2 forms</p>

<p>Signed copy of student's 2006 federal income tax returns, including all pages, schedules, and W2 forms</p>

<p>2008-2009 CSS PROFILE completed online</p>

<p>Mid-December Financial Aid notifications to accepted applicants</p>

<p>Early January Deposit due to Admissions</p>

<p>April 15 (or when 2007 tax returns are completed) 2008-2009 FAFSA completed online</p>

<p>May 1 Signed copy of parents' 2007 federal income tax returns, including all pages, schedules, and W2 forms
Signed copy of student's 2007 federal income tax returns, including all pages, schedules, and W2 forms

[/quote]
</p>

<p>The above seems to be the dates for 2008-2009 admissions. I would guess that 2009-2010 admissions would require you to add +1 to the years. i.e. 2007 tax info would be required by Nov 1st, 2009-2010 profile, etc</p>

<p>My son applied ED last year. (He is a freshman at his ED college now.) We had to file the Profile prior to the Nov. 1st ED deadline for financial aid applications. It asked about the previous year's income, as well as estimates for the current year. And a lot of other things related to assets and investments and some expenses, etc. We had to submit copies of our (parents') tax return from the previous year, as well as my son's. We also had to submit copies of all W2s and 1099 forms from the previous year.</p>

<p>Based on all that we were given a tentative financial aid award. It will often come with your acceptance notice, but in the case of my son's school it followed in 3 to 4 days, if I recall.</p>

<p>After the first of the year, we had to file a FAFSA, as well as submit our new tax returns and w2s, 1099s. Also you could send any corrections to the income estimates you previously made on the Profile if needed.</p>

<p>In the spring, about the time the RD students are getting their admissions letters and financial aid awards, we received a "final" award, based on the more definitive figures we provided after the new year and filing our taxes. In our case the final award was actually slightly better than the tentative award, but I'm not sure why, as our estimates were pretty dead-on, as it turned out.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I have a question...i know you have to fill out a FAFSA to get need-based aid, but what about scholarships?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>FAFSA is needed for a need based aid, pell, federal loans, stafford and plus loans and College grants and scholarships and for any outside scholarships that you will be applying for.</p>

<p>Outside scholarships will vary widely in what they require. By no means do they all require a FAFSA.</p>

<br>


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<p>Some schools require this for scholarships. Some outside outfits require this for scholarships. You need to ask the question. I guess I can't figure out why you wouldn't just DO the FAFSA.</p>

<p>DS's college REQUIRED both the FAFSA and PROFILE and two years of tax returns (and supporting documents) for ALL kinds of aid, including merit scholarships. The only exceptions were some very competitive scholarships that had separate application procedures. DD's school was the same.</p>