<p>When the Common App asks "Do you intend to pursue need-based financial aid?", is the answer binding? I selected "no" for a few schools that I applied to, but after a change in financial situations, it is likely that I will be applying for aid. Am I bound to my "no" answer, can I apply/fill out the FAFSA anyway, or should I contact each school and request to update my status? Thank you in advance for any info!</p>
<p>No need to have to contact the school to fill out FAFSA. However, the school might have asked to make sure they consider you for their own institutional aid. In this case, i would contact them at some point soon (before or after you do the FAFSA) JUST TO let them know that you will be seeking aid in case they are need-blind or need-aware.</p>
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<p>Uhhh . . . that pretty much covers all schools. They either are: (1) need aware or (2) need blind. What other category are you imagining, Axand238?</p>
<p>As noted, Elerange, you can always fill out FAFSA in order to be eligible for the Pell grant and/or federal direct loans. But if you’re expecting any other type of financial assistance, you need to let the schools know ASAP. Don’t wait until after you’ve submitted FAFSA. Your statement that you aren’t seeking financial assistance could well bar you from receiving institutional aid for your entire four-year tenure at college . . . so it’s an error you’ll want to correctly promptly!</p>
<p>Exactly my point, dodgers, she wants to send the mesage out to all of the schools immediately. It has nothing to do with FAFSA AS indicated but if she needs institutional aid that’s why should be sending it out in case the schools are needblind or needaware. Which part of that is inaccurate??</p>
<p>The way it works for a lot of schools is that once a student is accepted, if the fin aid square is checked off, the Financial AId department gets the student’s name, so that they can get rolling in putting together a package. Usually, the sooner that is processed, the better for the student, as some aid is limited and once it’s gone, that’s it. The FInancial AId department may not find out that you are accepted if that sequence of events does not occur. Many schools have totally different departments for Admissions and FInancial AId, not even located in the same buildings. THere is no way that the Financial AId department can put together packages for everyone all at once, so they do it as the accepted student names are given to them, but usually the whole shebang gets sent out together to the accepted students. </p>
<p>Even if your FAFSA is received, unless you are PELL eligible, the Financial Aid department is not going to be processing anything unless they are told to do so. They get the FAFSA for most all students who apply and want aid or loans, many of them not necessarily accepted, so even if all the pieces are at the school in various departments, does not mean your app will be processed. So do let Admissions know.</p>
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It’s not a matter of accuracy. it’s matter of that sentence making no sense. Yes, OP needs to correct her application in order to be considered for institutional aid. No, it has nothing whatsoever to do with whether the school is need aware or need blind, and using those terms where they aren’t relevant just adds confusion. Financial aid is complicated enough!</p>
<p>In any case, a school’s being need-aware or need-blind should be irrelevant to applicants. It doesn’t affect how much you like a school, but rather only the chance of admittance, and even that affects few applicants.</p>
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<p>Okay, let’s take this slowly. As MommaJ stated, the sentence makes no sense. Your use of the phrase “in case” suggests that schools could be something other than either need blind or need aware. Since those are the only two possibilities, and all schools are either one or the other (or a muddled combination of the two), your use of the phrase “in case” makes no sense.</p>
<p>It is also, as vonlost pointed out, utterly irrelevant to the question raised by the OP.</p>
<p>Perhaps better would have been “… sending it out whether the schools are needblind or needaware.” Then we all would have gotten what you meant. :)</p>
<p>Ah i can see where the confusion is originalizing from! I guess i should have done as vonlost recommended or failing such simply omitted the clause! My apologies for the confusion!!</p>
<p>Oh for heavens sake Axand. Where are you getting your information? </p>
<p>Anyone can complete a FAFSA at ANY time. It is primarily used for determination of federally funded need based aid. If a student wants a Direct Loan, they can get it by completing the fafsa. If a student is Pell eligible, they WILL get the Pell if the FAFSA is completed. </p>
<p>The school cannot deny anyone these things…period. </p>
<p>The FAFSA for the following academic year is available on January 1. In other words, the FAFSA for the 2014-2015 school year will be available on January 1, 2014.</p>
<p>And you can complete this regardless of what you check on the applications.</p>
<p>Now…if the student wants institutional aid, they MUST submit all required materials and this could very well be much more than a FAFSA.</p>
<p>Elerange, bottom line is if you want to be considered for anything in addition to the federal loan you are entitled to you need to contact the colleges and change your application.</p>