FAFSA College List Order

Paying for College
1

So on the FAFSA some states require you to list your schools in a specific order to qualify for state aid. I live in the wonderful state of Connecticut, for which it states:

“You must list a college located in Connecticut within the first 2 positions to be considered for state aid. You may update your choices at a later date.”

Here’s my issue: I’m applying to schools in Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York. None in CT. I live right on the Mass line and my parents are moving as soon as I graduate anyway so I’d much rather go to UMass than UConn and no other schools in this dreaded state interest me (I’m not Yale material). Will this affect how much aid I will get? Or will I only get state aid to the schools in CT anyway and it won’t transfer elsewhere?

Thanks.

2

Are you eligible to receive CT grant aid? Our kids were not.

If you are not applying to a CT school, then don’t put a CT school on your FAFSA

3

I’m not sure if I’m qualified, but I come from a relatively low income family and both my parents and I are CT residents of 17+ years so I would think I would be.

4

But if your parents are moving, you could lose that residency status in CT.

I don’t think CT grant money is available for non-residents no matter how long you lived here before moving.

5

Okay, thanks.

6

If your parents are moving to Massachusetts, then it may be better to wait to attend college threre until you are considered an instate student there.

7

Also, you can list schools on the FAFSA and then not attend there (you only attend one school anyway).

So you could list a CT school, just in case you need to attend instate (your parents change their mind about moving), and that way be considered for CT state aid.

8

^^ what @mommdc said

9

I think those are old rules. Schools can no longer see the order you list them in.

10

Schools,can no longer see other schools you have listed on your FAFSA.

11

It used to matter which order you put schools in (and then the recommendation was to put them alphabetically). Now the schools don’t see the list. You put up to 10, then if you have more you wait until those are processed, delete them and add additional schools.

If your state has specific rules you should follow them. I’m not sure how they know if they are in the top spot.

12

(Wild guess on my part) It could be that the schools don’t know but the state agency that gives out state financial aid does.

13

But to the OP, it won’t matter because you’ll get no state aid from CT because you aren’t applying for any CT schools. Usually state money has to be used in that state, and sometimes even at public schools only.

You should consider whether you want to give up any state aid from CT.

14

If you are not expecting to get any aid via FASFA do you still need to list all the schools you are applying to?

15

If you don’t list all of the schools that you are applying to, they will not receive your information and you will not receive any financial aid from these schools as they will assume that you are full pay.

Some schools require the FAFSA for merit consideration. If you need financial aid, check each school’s financial aid website to see what they require.

16

quote It could be that the schools don’t know but the state agency that gives out state financial aid does.

[/quote]

I believe that this is correct. Good wild guess.