<p>Help! My daughter is submitting Early Action college applications this week, and we don't know if we need to check off the box for Financial Aid in order to be considered for Merit Aid scholarships?</p>
<p>Basically, do you have to check YES to Applying for Financial Aid question in order to be awarded a merit scholarship at schools?</p>
<p>Thanx!</p>
<p>It depends on the colleges. Usually you do not need to, but a few schools require it. Check the financial aid page at each college and see what it says about merit scholarships. If you aren’t sure after that, call admissions and ask them.</p>
<p>Most schools and most merit awards do not need to have FAFSA completed. And, no, you don’t have to check “Yes” to the question asking if you are applying for financial aid, unless the school has mert awards that require that the person has need. You don’t have to check yes, even if you fill out the FAFSA. </p>
<p>A number of states do have money for graduating seniors with certain academic qualifications, and there is no need component to those awards, that I know of, but they do require FAFSA in order to be eligible. It’s used as a screening method, for citizens and other issues.</p>
<p>Be aware though that if you do have financial need the scholarship gets applied first. </p>
<p>So if your need is 30K and the scholarship is 25K they will apply the scholarship first, leaving you with a 5K need. </p>
<p>If you dont have finacial need I dont think it matters if you check the box or not. If you do (or are in doubt), check it.</p>
<p>Some schools do require FAFSA to be considered for merit aid. My DS’s school did.</p>
<p>The school my daughter just applied required that she check the yes box to the financial aid question. None of the other schools did, so we didn’t even think about checking yes. Had to send an email to admissions. Hopefully, we will be able to change that check mark.</p>
<p>DS AND DD attended colleges that requires the FAFSA and Profile for incoming freshmen for merit aid. DS received a music performance scholarship…our EFC far exceeded the cost of attending the school. We had to complete the FAFSA and Profile for him to receive this award.</p>
<p>Policies vary by college. Check yours.</p>