Trying to navigate the system.
I have old child in college (will stay there for another 2 years). Oldest one is in OOS public school. We never filed FAFSA for that school. We do not expect any financial aid there.
Child number 2 is currently in CC but will be in non-traditional expensive school that does not work with FAFSA. However that school is certified and fully acredited.
Child 3 is going to college next year. This is the reason we are filling FAFSA. Child 3 is applying to mostly private schools. We are going after merit scholarships and maybe some institutional aid.
Some of the private schools child 3 applies require FAFSA and CSS for all students even to get merit scholarship.
Can someone explain to me, given the above how should we file FAFSA?
Can student 3 just file FAFSA without parents and children 1 and 2?
Should we file for student 1? (Again it is pointless in public OOS on year 3 in school.)
As far as I know from FAFSA legislation starting this year they do not care if 3 students are in college simultaneously. So this is more like for school records to demonstrate that indeed 3 students are in school at the same time. However, I do not believe school for 3rd student will see did we file FAFSA for student 1 and 2. I can’t even file FAFSA for student 2 since they do not have ID for FAFSA… Need to figure out ASAP. Plan to be done with all these forms for child 3 in next 2 days due to deadlines.
Thanks.
For your info, I tried to call FAFSA directly and got disconnected…
An agent could not even comprehend my questions… He was only as a recordings was repeating that 3 students should have 3 FAFSA forms.
Child 1 - Sounds like you have been full pay, so no FAFSA required, unless you want student to take out direct student loans. Are you sure you don’t qualify for need based aid at this school? Run the Net price calculator to make sure.
Child 2 - school doesn’t accept FAFSA, so that’s easy, nothing to do.
Child 3 - unless they qualify as an independent student, parents must also be on FAFSA and Profile (assuming they are married). Have you run the NPCs at the schools on this kid’s list? If not do that, so you can see if you qualify for need based aid and to get cost estimates. If you don’t qualify for need based aid, may not have to file FAFSA and CSS profile, unless school requires those for merit aid, which is uncommon. Would need to file FAFSA (but not profile) if you want kid to take out direct student loans.
That change to the formula is schedule to happen next year.
When you file FAFSA for Child #3 you will say you will have three kids in college next year. Here are the current FAFSA directions: Federal Student Aid
We do not expect any FAFSA anyway. This is purely for merit and institutional aid and let school know that there are 3 students in college not one.
Again, are you sure you don’t qualify for aid at any of the schools? Have you run the NPCs?
There is no need to file FAFSA at most schools for merit aid, check their websites.
Correct. We are full pay for student 1. We will be full pay for student 2 (no options there) and trying to not be full pay for child 3 (with merit money and institutional not federal help.) We are not interested in loans.
Run the NPCs at child 3’s schools and also check if they need FAFSA for merit money…if they don’t, no need to do FAFSA and CSS Profile.
Frankly NPC are terribly inaccurate for our case. I would not even bother. Basically if Child 3 will not get affordable merit or institutional aid, she will not attend. Most private schools ask either FAFSA with CSS, or just FAFSA. The ones with only FAFSA kind of use FAFSA info as CSS to know family income. This is the only way to notify school that there are 3 not one children in college even if we do not qualify for FAFSA for next year. So we decided to file FAFSA purely for that reason in all schools that child 3 applies.
If you don’t qualify for need based aid this doesn’t matter. It’s not a reason to file FAFSA and CSS Profile if the school doesn’t require them to award merit aid.
if you have 3 kids in college next year; and a school gives institutional aid - perhaps you would get institutional aid for a year or two. Why not fill it out? but i wouldnt count on that aid for all 4 years . . . again, perhaps try the npcs with 3 kids in college. if it still doesnt move the meter, than i dont see the point!
Not according to FA counselors that I called in school. They told me that I am correct and school will look at FAFSA profile to determine institutional aid. How can they determine it other way if CSS is not required?
But you have said you don’t qualify for need based aid. Schools use FAFSA (and CSS) to distribute need based aid)…most schools do not use FAFSA and CSS to distribute merit aid. Does the school you are talking about require FAFSA and CSS to give out merit aid? That is the key question. Each school’s website will say whether they require CSS Profile or not.
ETA: Why are the NPCs not accurate for you?
And we are applying for next year…
It seems your question is if you need to fill out FAFSA for your older kids in order for your youngest student to qualify for merit aid.
I’m sure the answer to that is no. Just fill out FAFSA for student 3 and indicate that they have two siblings in college.
However, as others have said, it probably doesn’t hurt to fill it out for student 1.
The FAFSA change that will stop taking into account the number of family members in college doesn’t go into effect until next year.
No, my question was not about it. Merit aid has nothing to do with FAFSA or CSS. What I do want all school for child 3 to know that there are 3 kids in college. So they will look potentially into institutional aid for child 3 in addition to merit when possible.
All I was trying to figure out is should I file FAFSA for first 2 kids for it. It does not look to be the case.
Sorry it was reply not to your post.
I agree. I think you only need to file FAFSA for child 3, if that is your goal.
Since FAFSA will not care about number of kids from next year how would it help student 1 (oldest one)? By pure income (without taking number of kids in college at the same time) we 100% do not qualify.
Exactly, it won’t help any of your kids. Only file FAFSA/CSS Profile at any of Child #3’s schools that require them for merit aid. Again, not many schools require that, but you need to make sure.
ETA: institutional aid definition = need based aid, merit aid, work study, and loans.
Anything to add @thumper1?