<p>Because of our high EFC (73K) the only chance we’ll have for any financial help is through merit scholarships. Two of the schools (private LACs) my daughter is applying to do not require us to submit the FAFSA to be considered for merit aid. Our in-state public school (public ivy league) DOES require the FAFSA and CSS Profile to be submitted to be considered for merit aid. </p>
<p>Does it make sense for us to NOT submit the FAFSA at the schools that do not require it? It would seem to me that it might be an advantage, at these otherwise competitive schools, to show that we can afford their tuition (gulp!) by not submitting for need-based aid. But what impact will this have on merit considerations? Most of the merit will be determined by her music audition. Her grades are great, SAT scores medium.</p>
<p>*Does it make sense for us to NOT submit the FAFSA at the schools that do not require it? It would seem to me that it might be an advantage, at these otherwise competitive schools, to show that we can afford their tuition (gulp!) by not submitting for need-based aid. But what impact will this have on merit considerations? Most of the merit will be determined by her music audition. Her grades are great, SAT scores medium. *</p>
<p>Do those schools have deadlines for submitting FAFSA? Are the deadlines before scholarships are awarded?</p>
<p>We’ve never submitted a FAFSA since we, too, have a high EFC, so I’m learning from others here how it all works.</p>
<p>Why would you submit one to a school that doesn’t require it? Will your D be taking out a Stafford?</p>
<p>Maybe others could answer this…if a person is ONLY submitting a FAFSA to get a Stafford loan, do they have to meet a school’s FAFSA deadline?</p>
<p>If the answer to the above question is that it’s ok to submit a FAFSA after the deadline if you only want a Stafford loan, then why not submit after scholarship awards are awarded?</p>
<p>mom2collegekids question: Do those schools have deadlines for submitting FAFSA? Are the deadlines before scholarships are awarded?</p>
<p>At all the schools my D is applying to, the deadlines for FAFSA are before scholarships are awarded. She has to audition (violin) at all the schools before she is accepted and only then do they consider the scholarship (mid March at the earliest). So they would have our FAFSA (if we submitted) when they consider merit aid. Better that consider merit aid knowing we hadn’t applied for need-based aid (that is, not submitted a FAFSA). </p>
<p>We will not be applying for a Stafford loan.</p>
<p>You can submit a FAFSA after the school’s priority deadline. The only stipulation is that the FASFA has to have been on file while the student is in an eligible term in the current award year … that is, if you file in January expecting aid to cover Sept-Dec, it won’t work unless you also attend a subsequent term in that aid year. The priority deadline assures that you will be in the pool for any need based aid & that your aid will be processed in a timely manner. For those with an EFC too high for any grants or work study, the timing issue is not such a big deal (unless you want a Stafford loan to be ready to pay out on time against a balance owed).</p>
<p>Violinparent has no need to submit a FAFSA to the school(s) that don’t require one for merit consideration. </p>
<p>IF the student only wants a Stafford (which it sounds like she doesn’t ), then she could submit a FAFSA - say in May (after merit awards given) - for Fall 2010?</p>
<p>Yes, I’m really just trying to find out if there is any reason to submit a FAFSA at schools that don’t require it for merit consideration. Or said differently, is there any advantage to submitting a FAFSA? We don’t want a Stafford Loan and have a high EFC ($73,000K). </p>