Fill out FAFSA even if can meet EFC?

<p>Hi
Just ran the numbers and based on the EFC, my D is unlikely to get financial aid. My D is looking at mostly selective private schools (Tufts, George Washington, Reed, etc.) Depending on her final list, she may also try for some merit aid.</p>

<p>Is there any reason why we should do the FASFA paper work? There's some threads here that suggest you "should do it anyhow", but I wasn't quite sure why?</p>

<p>Thanks for the help.</p>

<p>Many colleges want parents to complete FA forms even if applying for merit awards and who don't expect to receive financial aid. Check the schools' websites.</p>

<p>I asked our college counselor at school and didn't get a straight answer, but heard the same thing as Counting Down on here. I haven't seen (and haven't looked for) specific examples of colleges as CountingDown cites, so I would be happy to see some references, lists, if anyone has something handy, but isn't a big deal for us at this point in time.</p>

<p>This is a complex question. Some colleges practice "enrollment management", including some highly selective ones. These schools give an edge in admissions to full pay applicants. A few merit aid programs are only available to students who also demonstrate financial need e.g. Colby and Northwestern. You have to make this decison after you have carefully read the financial aid and admissions policies of the schools. You also have to read between the lines. Another factor to consider is that some schools restrict future financial aid if you don't apply for aid at the time of admission. It is very hard to get information on this aspect, but it is worth considering if your financial circumstances might change significantly.</p>

<p>Just a caveat--schools can't restrict future federal or state money if a student applies in future years--it's not their prerogative. They can, of course, restrict their own aid. My S's school, though we applied after not applying the first two years, awarded him a substantial grant this year. All schools might not be that accomodating, though.</p>

<p>Reed and Tufts do not offer merit aid -- they are need-only. CMU has some scholarships which are given specifically to kids who would not qualify for need-based aid -- and submitting FAFSA (and I think PROFILE) is required.</p>

<p>I always recommend folks complete the FAFSA and if needed the Profile at some point. You never know when an unforeseen circumstance (loss of parent income, illness, etc) will put a strain on your finances and ability to pay for college. If that happens, it is better to already have the finaid forms on file so that the school can reevaluate your situation. The last thing you will want to do if there is an issue is complete the FAFSA and Profile. You can wait to do this until AFTER you accept admittance.</p>

<p>how common is the example CountingDown gives of CMU's merit program? Can anyone mention other examples (not that I don't believe they exist, just looking for results of research people have already done.) I assume if you were hoping to be considered for this merit scholarship, you would want to submit the forms early, not after acceptance as in thumper's example.</p>

<p>thanks</p>

<p>Jackief,
Are you looking for a list of schools that offer merit money without having to submit FA forms, or simply schools that offer merit money? There are definitely CC threads on merit money, and I would guess that how one applies is also discussed. The Financial Aid thread has several conversations stickied (they are permanently at the top of the list) that may be helpful.</p>

<p>We know from other friends who have been through the process that some kids applied for scholarships separately from the admission app, some schools automatically consider you for merit $$, some will contact you after a preliminary look at your app and ask you to apply for a scholarship, etc. The best resources would be the schools' websites -- stuff changes too much from year to year for anyone to authoritatively state one way or another.</p>

<p>Useful input. It looks like it varies quite a bit by school, circumstance, etc.</p>

<p>Would it be too weird to ask the admissions staff at a given college for their recommendation? (After careful reading of all the available info on their site?)</p>