Hi! My DS did the first step of the Georgetown app today, and the question was something like “Applying for Financial Aid? Y/N” or “Do you plan to apply for financial aid?”
Honestly, as someone with savings who will NOT qualify for need based aid, I was unsure how to answer. Sure, we would love merit aid (but he won’t get at at Georgetown). So, I answered no. But will we run across this question again? Is it on the Common App? How does one answer if one sure, one would love Merit Aid (sometimes it is applied for, as in a Fellows program, sometimes it is just offered, right? Does filling out a FAFSA mean that you are applying for Financial Aid? My DD got merit at a few schools without a separate app, but we did do a FAFSA. Does filling out a FAFSA mean you are “applying for financial aid?”)
Thanks, I hope this makes sense. I find this question too broad to know how to answer! Just wondering how to answer it in the future! I suppose I could also have DS ask this question of the Georgetown admission reps.
Applying for FAFSA/CSS usually means you are applying for financial aid. Most schools suggest filling it out because you never know if you could qualify (especially if you already have another child in college) or if your financial situation chances.
On the other hand, if you are 100% sure you aren’t going to qualify for any need based aid, then it could potentially be an advantage to be full pay at schools that aren’t need blind.
In general FAFSA/CSS is for need base financial aid and that’s what the question on the Common App is asking - are you going to apply via FAFSA/CSS for financial aid. Merit is strictly based on academics. (I honestly can’t remember if that’s a general common app question or school specific. I know U Michigan asked specifically though).
FWIW, my daughter didn’t fill out anything for her merit scholarships.
Thanks @momofsenior1 . I have a DD in college, they required a FAFSA for Merit Aid consideration, so we did one, and she did get Merit Aid. I can’t imagine we will qualify for any need based aid, kids have fully funded 529s. Maybe if this question comes up on another app I will just ask the school. I don’t want to “give away” an advantage if full pay gives us that, but don’t want to turn down any chance for Merit either.
There are others with more expertise on this, but I will tell you what we did.
First, it sounds like you’ve already looked at the Georgetown website:
“Financial aid at Georgetown is based on demonstrated need; we do not offer academic or merit based scholarships. To receive consideration for financial aid, students must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service).”
You will need to check the requirements for merit aid at each college you are applying to; occasionally the FAFSA must be completed and sent to the college before they will award your student merit aid. I think we only had 1 college with that requirement. We filled out the FAFSA before freshman year but not after that.
Thanks @chercheur. Maybe Georgetown was unique in asking if we planned to apply for Fin Aid, DS hasn’t done any other apps yet. Glad I answered correctly. Good to know that the Merit Aid process is not standard among schools, so I will look into them individually.
Also, if you are only waiting for merit aid at a school, and do not plan on filing the FAFSA, make sure the school knows that. Our schools waited for the FAFSA before processing any aid, even automatic merit aid from outside sources. Just had to let them know if you weren’t filling out the FAFSA.
A few schools give a bonus just for filing the FAFSA by a certain date. Even if you don’t get any FA, you might still get the bonus.
Would there be a problem just filling out the FAFSA knowing full well we won’t qualify, say “no” to financial aid, and then that covers us for all merit awards?
@3mamagirls , we filled out a FAFSA for my DD who is now a sophomore in college, knowing that we didn’t qualify for any need based aid. Somehow, I found out that at her school, FAFSA was required to get Merit Aid, so we did one and submitted it, and she did get a great merit aid package. @twoinanddone thanks; we will plan on doing a FAFSA too, based on our experience with our first college bound!