<p>Hi -</p>
<p>All of my schools are demanding I fill out a FAFSA or some other form for financial aid. Does one's ability (or lack of) to pay affect their chances of getting in? Or is the FAFSA/financial information merely a way to figure out how much money to award someone once they are accepted? Thanks!</p>
<p>Most of the time, those are independent decisions. Relatively few schools would let the financial aid decision influence an admission decision. It does happen, but more at professional schools where aid is limited and it is not likely in academic programs where there is a standard aid package. It sounds like an administrative requirement to have it at this stage, but if admitted it would be necessary information. If the FAFSA is not done until later, it can cause delays at the school level.</p>