<p>I have submitted profile today to a few colleges that have deadlines Feb 1st. I waited until now to reflect correct numbers from 2012 W-2. Does it make a difference in allocating aid. Is it true that applicants who submitted profile the first week of Jan will have more funds available than the applicants coming down the line though they hit Feb1 deadline.</p>
<p>I’m not sure it makes a lot of difference for institutional funding. However, the date of your initial submission of the FAFSA might. There are some forms of federally funded need based aid that are limited dollars per university and are
awarded on a first come, first served basis. These include federal work study, Perkins loans and SEOG if your school has it.</p>
<p>I called several private schools that require the Profile, and all said that I just needed to get the form in by their deadline. We did visit one public university that uses the Profile, though, and they said in an info session that aid was first come first served. I later contacted this school by e-mail to confirm and they said to just get it in by the deadline…</p>
<p>Best policy is always to call or e-mail the school, but it looks to me like private schools and universities who use the Profile don’t seem to have a first come first served protocol. I’ve decided to file mine sooner rather than later, though, so that our financial aid offer can be processed earlier, perhaps.</p>
<p>Publics that use only the FAFSA do sometimes warn that they have a strictly first come first served basis for aid. These schools are usually very direct and make notice of this on their website.</p>
<p>It’s possible. How likely, I don’t know. We don’t know how any given financial aid office operates. The sooner you have all of your things in order, the better your chances is really a general adage. I don’t think there is an actual list of the applicants numbered exactly in order of who is first. I imagine that someone does check to see whose folders are complete and if yours isn’t. it’s NEXT, and so it goes, but really it’s supposition. </p>
<p>However, in general for limited funds, when it runs out, those who are not yet processed are out of luck.
That we know. My guess is that you are fine in that most people procrastinate and most schools are not even in session for a part of January. But, could I or anyone not working in a given office say that a line wasn’t drawn sometime in January for absolute certain? I don’t think so.</p>