Having Siblings (in the Same Grade) Going to College

<p>The other good news is that after they leave their rooms stay relatively neat - and so does the bathroom! ;)</p>

<p>My son just graduated from college, so the FAFSA and I are old friends. And they are going to schools with rather humane forms, so should be a piece of cake. Relatively. </p>

<p>This spring I broke out in hives, and in an attempt at humor, blamed it on the financial aid process while recounting my story. The allergist said he had given up on the Fafsa after loosing a PIN, and just figured he'd do without financial aid for his kid. I felt a little less disabled by the process after hearing his take on it.</p>

<p>My children are not twins, but did go to college the same year--they're fourteen months apart and my son skipped his senior year of HS. They weren't even slightly interested in the same schools. Fortunately, my son narrowed his list early--two schools--and said he'd visit only if they both accepted him. D visited about twenty schools, about ten of them very casually as we tried to figure out what kind of school she wanted.</p>

<p>Various sets of twins that I know all went to different schools, BUT I also know a few sets of twins and other close-in-age siblings who all went to the University of Washington, simply because it's the big state college around here. That didn't seem to cause any problems, either. It's a big school; there was room for everyone to develop their own lives. A few of them rented apartments together, just because it was easy to find a roommate that way.</p>

<p>Room together and try to pitch it as a reality TV show for big money.</p>

<p>Well my twin and I are going to colleges on opposite coasts (he's heading to Hopkins this Fall), so I suppose I'll post on this thread again much later to give my impression as to how things turn out. We're actually pretty similar in terms of our interests, applied to the same colleges and received identical offers from colleges. (go figure :))</p>

<p>Should be a very different/exciting time ahead...</p>

<p>I have a twin sister and we both went to the same school. If I had it to do over again I would have gone to a different school. At some point it is time to have your own identity. I didn't do anything all by myself until I went off to law school. It was the first time I experienced something new and met new people all by myself. Most people experience that when they go off to kindergarten. I didn't experience it until I was 22!</p>

<p>I have several sets of twins among my cousins. One pair attended the same college, but did very different things and had different friends there. One joined a sorority, the other didn't. One was an athlete, the other not. One was pre-med, the other studied economics and did a lot of art, too. They didn't spend that much time together, but they didn't shun each other either. Twenty years later, they are still very close (although living about 1,000 miles apart), and their college friend sets have sort of merged. They even shared the same wedding dress!</p>

<p>I think you should apply to the schools that are right for each of you. If that turns out to be the same college that's okay too. Both my brothers went to the same college I did and I only saw them occasionally. They lived in different dorms and had different majors. In a medium to large school it's fairly easy not to be on top of each other - though since you are all in the same grade there is more likely to be some overlap. If you do end up attending some of the same institutions I suggest you make a point of not rooming together and giving each other some space to make friends by yourselves.</p>

<p>I definitely wouldn't room with my sibs, but my dad always jokes around that he will save money that way. (i dont think we will though)</p>

<p>but do parents with children going to the same college receive some sort of financial compensation? i also heard just having two or more siblings in any college at the same time will guarantee some financial aid.</p>

<p>My twin and I applied to one college in common. I remember deliberately choosing a different school. (I'd always been somewhat dependent on my twin, and I knew I had to make the break). We have another sister one year older and I went to HER college--a large state u. We rarely saw each other, but I guess it was nice to know she was there.</p>

<p>
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i also heard just having two or more siblings in any college at the same time will guarantee some financial aid.

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This is not true. Financial aid is determined by many factors, and having a sibling in college will usually be taken into account. I don't think W. Bush got financial aid just because he had two daughters in college at the same time, though.</p>

<p>"I don't think W. Bush got financial aid just because he had two daughters in college at the same time, though."</p>

<p>lol, i hope my parents get something :/</p>

<p>One school did offer a sibling discount, but just one in a number of schools both applied to. Luckily replaced by something else in the package when our final decision was made.</p>