<p>If a family has pretty high income and assets, is there any point in still filling out all the financial aid material ? Do colleges need to see it before deciding on any MERIT schol. funds ? Thanks.</p>
<p>Some colleges require finaid forms to be completed for all kinds of aid including merit aid. You will need to check the schools to which your child is applying to see. DS's college required the completion of ALL finaid forms (Profile and FAFSA...and two years of signed tax returns) to process any kind of aid for incoming freshmen (need based AND merit aid). The only exception was some very competitive scholarships that required a completely different application. That was their policy. The good news was that none of these forms needed to be completed to renew merit aid...unless your financial situation changed (e.g. we filed his senior year because little sis was in college and that DID dramatically change our finaid situation...although you never would have known it from the increased aid we received).</p>
<p>Thanks, thumper. The college application process appears to be a science unto itself. MBJ</p>
<p>Actually there is no mystery to the college application process if you take the time to read each college website and learn THEIR requirements for both admission and finaid....and the DEADLINES. The only thing that is complicated is that there is really no set way of doing things with variations from school to school. But folks here were a great help to me...and continue to be a wealth of information...although I do remind folks that they should still look on the college websites to find out specifics. Or...you can always make a phone call.</p>
<p>the other consideration is that your family's future is unknown. One finaid officer at a state Uni tells everyone to apply by the due date. That way if something untoward happens to your family's financial situation by the time fall rolls around, they can make allowances.</p>