We’ve filled out the FASFA because we were advised to do this now, but I still have a question about it: There is only space for 10 schools, and D has applied to a few more than that. There is a way to add additional schools, but doing so replaces some schools on the current list with the added ones. Am I misunderstanding this? How have others handled this?
https://fafsa.ed.gov/help/fotwfaq14.htm
see above
We have like 20 schools also. I figure by the time we receive the SAR, our number will hopefully have dwindled.
Yes, I read that before, but we were hoping to get this to all possible schools since we have heard so much about how “the early bird gets the worm.”
According to below you can get the SAR in as little as a week. Once you get it, replace all 10 schools with the new ones.
https://studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa/next-steps/student-aid-report
Reading the link again, I think the line below explains how to do it. Am I correct in thinking that the additional colleges would then have access to the information and that the original colleges would stay on the list? This is, of course, assuming the SAR comes out before most/many audition decisions are given.
“Give the additional colleges your Social Security Number, name, and the Data Release Number (DRN) from your SAR so that they can add their school code to your FAFSA and receive an electronic copy of your SAR.”
Yeah, i think once it gets sent the first time, those 10 schools have it. Replacing them doesn’t change the fact the got it already.
Thanks. That makes sense and is simple; I just got anxious!
Is anyone else very concerned that the schools will see everywhere else you have applied and that the list is supposed to be in “priority order”? I am very uncomfortable having D put schools in ANY order that might affect how a school might perceive her level of interest. With the whole process being so ultra-competitive, I worry that it might affect her chances in certain places if they see her list another school higher. I am probably over-thinking it, but it does give me pause.
I don’t know. That would require some serious coordination and communication between the admissions office and the schools of theatre/music office. From what I’ve seen, its exactly the opposite; they don’t talk at all.
I share your trepidation; I don’t want to share our ‘list of preference’ either, but I doubt it gets into the adjudicators hands.
I was worried about that, too, especially with the schools that go over the 10 provided, but we alphabetized the schools and will probably say something like, “Since she has more than 10 schools, and yours is at the bottom of her alphabetized list…”
And, I agree that the adjucators probably don’t ever know anything about the order on the FASFA, so I’m less concerned now.
That was my thought too…that the admissions office and the auditors probably don’t communicate THAT much (and based on what we have seen with some schools, not at all) …I have been known to worry over nothing, and there are plenty of other things to be concerned over! It was just something that irked me in a “why should they share where else we have applied” sort of way.
I’ve done this four times now and as far as I can tell, the order in the FAFSA bears no correlation at all with acceptances. It never occurred to me that my list would be in order of my kids’ preferences. I simply listed it based on convenience. I doubt very much there is that level of coordination between the school admissions and FAFSA. No worries.
I wouldn’t worry about it with the fafsa- I would worry about what to say when they ask that question during the audition!
It never occurred to me that the FAFSA school list may be viewed as done in order of preference. I’m pretty sure the list for son was done alphabetically for organizational purposes.
From FASFA’s website:
“For federal student aid purposes, it does not matter in what order you list your selected schools. However, placing a school that participates in your state’s student grant programs first, may help you obtain state grant aid.”
Ooops! Only one school in our state offered MT, and it was alphabetically at the end of the list. They ended up offering son very substantial merit and talent scholarships. I’m not sure if they had any connection to grant aid.
I know that’s what the FASFA says, @pghmusician, but if you search for tips, secrets, etc., people say schools sometimes do look at the order. As stated earlier, though, I doubt they look at ours since the auditions factor most strongly.
Very interesting about the list order. I think I just did it in the order that I remembered them! LOL
I was about to post something skeptical about using the FASFA list order to assess school importance and then I came across this: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/10/28/colleges-use-fafsa-information-reject-students-and-potentially-lower-financial-aid
Now I have no idea how credible Inside Higher Ed reporting is but from this article and the comments below it seems like people do feel the FASFA gets used that way. Personally, I think any college that thinks list order has anything to do with preference is shooting themselves in the foot. I just looked over the FASFA I filed for both of my kids their first year and the list is assembled geographically west to east for my son and in order of audition date for my daughter. Why? because that’s how I remembered the schools when I had to write them down. It had absolutely nothing to do with preference and in fact, the school my son attends (which was a top choice for him) is second from the bottom. The notion that list order means anything is hilarious.
^ And that is exactly why the colleges should not have access to the list.