Common App: "Do you intend to pursue need-based financial aid?*"

Our EFC is off the charts high (for a variety of reasons I wont bore you with) so wont receive need based aid and not interested in federal loans. Almost all of D’21’s colleges she’s applying to doesn’t require FAFSA for merit scholarships so we won’t send them FAFSA, for now. But one does require FAFSA. Is it ok to send FAFSA but answer NO to “Do you intend to pursue need-based financial aid?*” Or do I have to say YES? Is it ok to say NO to this question for her other schools but after she’s admitted and merit is determined, send them the FAFSA before the deadline just to have on file. I do not want to send FAFSA now fearful that even though merit is supposed to be based on academics that they could look at our EFC and not offer as much merit. I hope this makes sense and thank you for any guidance!

Yes, it is okay to say no but also submit the FAFSA now. If a FAFSA is required for merit, it is required before merit is awarded …

Are these colleges need aware for admissions? If not, the admissions folks won’t have any idea what your level of need is…or isn’t. Merit aid is usually handled by admissions and need based by the financial aid office.

The financial aid office at a college cannot share your financials with anyone who does it require this information. @kelsmom right?

If you check NO on the common application…be sure to contact the one college and tell them they will be receiving a FAFSA from you.

True merit aid has nothing to do with need based financial aid awards. @BelknapPoint

However, a college that offers full ride scholarships may want the FAFSA filed so that it can deduct the amount of Pell grant from the scholarship awarded to a student who is eligible to receive a Pell grant. I.e. the student gets a full ride, but the government pays for a small part of it.

Of course, it does not matter if the student and family know they are not going to get a Pell grant, but the college wants to be sure of that.

@thumper1 , yes … the financial aid office can only share the FAFSA information with those who have a legitimate educational need to know. Aid directors are very careful about that.

I have a similar question, but from a different perspective. My family will most likely not qualify for anything, at least when I am the only one in college. We are potentially interested in the federal loan that I can take, and a scholarship that requires the FAFSA. If we put that we are applying, does that hurt my chances at a need aware school, even though we most likely don’t qualify?

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If you don’t qualify for need based aid at a need aware school. The admissions folks will simply know that your need based aid will be $0. That’s it.

Admissions can still award you a scholarship…assuming that scholarship doesn’t have a need component.