CSS Profile and FAFSA applications - necessary for subsequent years?

So my son is a current freshman at Tulane University, and while we were not awarded any “need-based” aid (presumably based on our income profile), he was awarded merit and institutional scholarships, which were guaranteed for 4 years assuming he maintains the required standards (ie. minimum GPA, no conduct violations, etc.).

Can anyone explain if/why the CSS and FAFSA would need to be filed for subsequent years? My understanding is that these are to qualify your student for any need-based aid. There have been no significant changes in our income/tax profile.

Am I to infer that Tulane told you they want you to file the FAFSA and CSS each year? It’s up to the college. At my oldest D’s school I had to file for the first year but not subsequently. However, if they say you have to then you should do it. It’s the price you have to pay to get their funding.

Ask Tulane’s scholarship office.

Ask Tulane’s Financial Aid office

This can vary from school to school and no telling what Tulane’s policies are.

There are schools that require financial aid Applications be filed that first year if the student wants to have the possibility of getting aids in subsequent years. That can happen with change of family and finances circumstances

You need to check with Tulane about their policy. I know a number of Tulane grads who got merit awards only and never completed a Profile at all. But that might have changed more recently.

I asked a friend about this requirement (see below) who worked in financial aid at a university. She said the schools wanted to be sure the student didn’t qualify for need based aid, especially federally funded.

True story. In 2005 when my oldest child enrolled at Boston University, he receive a merit award…and NO there was not a need component. It was a music performance award and was based on his audition.

BU required that the FAFSA and Profile be submitted that year before the merit award would be disbursed. Of course we did it, the merit award was substantial.

He was also required to submit these same forms the second year, but after that, they did discontinue these for merit only awards.

We did the FAFSA annually so the kid could get the Direct Loan.

Here is the funny part. He never received a nickel of need based aid. He was selected for verification all four years, and BU wanted tons of info for verification…which we sent even though the kid wasn’t getting need based aid.

If Tulane is telling you that you have to do the forms for years after freshman year…to maintain receipt of that merit award, just do it. Yes! It’s a PITA, but it’s a lot cheaper to submit one Profile than to have to pay the amount your kid is getting in merit aid.