<p>...you are still going to file the FAFSA so that your child can take out the un-subsized Stafford, how do you check that little box on applications that ask if you are applying for financial aid?</p>
<p>I'm assuming that the college doesn't fund the Stafford so I would think this still qualifies as "full pay" but really not sure....</p>
<p>Any thoughts on this?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>RtR</p>
<p>Just a thought:</p>
<p>I am not an expert, but if this were my child and he/she were applying to be a freshman, I would think about checking “no” regarding filing for financial aid, and after acceptance I would complete the fafsa. One could change their mind about applying for FA anytime (does not mean money will be available as far as institutional aid, but you are not looking for that). Correct me, if there is any down side to sending in the fafsa in March or April if one just wants the unsub stafford.</p>
<p>We had this problem last year too. I am racking my brains to remember what we did.I will check with my D to see if she remembers.</p>
<p>I would check no for FA application if you do not qualify for any aid. I would also not send your financial information to schools, especially if you are borderline able to afford the tuition. Apply for unsubsidized loans over the summer. It´s very simple. We did it one year, and it was matter of days before it was completed. I don´t think we even gave them our tax returns.</p>
<p>to develop a positive credit rating, we wanted our daughter to take out a loan, to pay it back… But, never would have checked the yes on the finaid stuff. It’s a disadvantage, and if you won’t benefit, I wouldn’t. ymmv</p>
<p>Yes, at some schools, being non-FA gives an admissions advantage. But understand - at some schools, if you do not apply for FA as a freshman, you are barred for applying for FA in subsequent years, even if your situation changes.</p>
<p>So roll the dice … </p>
<p>I think if I were in the situation where I could afford to be full-pay (which I decidedly am not), I would check yes at my virtually-assured-admission schools and think twice about what to do at the matches and reaches.</p>
<p>Concur with all of the above. Check no on the app, then apply. Make sure you contact the FA office to let them know it’s out there for them to put in the flow.</p>
<p>
I have always been puzzled by this statement, which has been made over and over again by number of posters.</p>
<p>I understand each institution wants to be able to budget, and often they don´t have additional money for other students later on if they are not already on FA freshman year. But it baffles me why by applying for FA when one is not qualified would benefit the applicant or the institution.</p>
<p>If my family income was 200k, my kid applied for FA, the FA officer would look at it and toss it aside because we clearly wouldn´t qualify for aid. The school isn´t going to put some money aside in reserve in anticipation of our family economic situation may change 2 years from now. </p>
<p>Some schools with more FA money may set aside some money in case if a certain percentage of studens´family financial situation may change, but they would expect those students to apply for FA when that happen, not before.</p>
<p>Some schools have so little FA money, if a student needs FA later on, he/she could be just out of luck.</p>
<p>If I remember correctly, some schools required FAFSA even if you didn’t qualify, in order to be considered for merit scholarships.</p>
<p>Then it is not a true merit scholarship.</p>
<p>Disclaimer - I am not a FA expert. My post #8 is my own view on FA, looking at both from an instituional and applicant point of view. Logically, it just didn´t make sense to me.</p>
<p>KatCh, that is true and I could see that as the downside to waiting to complete the fafsa on the match schools. For a reach school, I would think that merit aid would be unlikely, so it might not matter (on a personal note, my son got in and got a modest merit scholarship from a reach school. I have no idea as to whether finances were factored in or not).</p>
<p>Oldfort, I agree that that it is not a true merit scholarship, but I would not care about the label, as money is money. I believe that is what is called “tuition discounting” by enrollment management, and a merit scholarship by admissions.</p>
<p>Oldfort, I have also read over and over that one must apply for FA as a freshman to be eligible to receive institutional aid in future years at SOME schools. I have no facts to prove or disprove, but I would inquire for an incoming freshman before deciding not to apply even if I knew we would not qualify.</p>
<p>I don’t see how one is “barred from applying for financial aid”. That has to be incorrect information, but if anyone can show me that one is being barred I would love to see it. Parents lose jobs, and parents die, or become severely disabled. Circumstances can change for anyone at any time.</p>
<p>To receive the Pittsburgh Promise, all eligible students need to file the FAFSA, so we filed even though it was obvious that son would not receive any need based aid. I answered the question “no” because he wasn’t asking to be considered for aid. He received two offers of merit aid and is now attending one of those schools.</p>
<p>Ok, how about if you have a second child entering college…we didn’t file for any FA with D1, paid full freight…now with D2 entering next sept, should we now file for FA, and if so, for whom?..110k per year is going to hurt</p>
<p>I would file it for each daughter, qdogpa. You have a perfect example of how circumstances change.</p>
<p>At what income level would the potential for FA disappear for 2 children in college at 50k+ each per year? …</p>
<p>qdogpa, I think that playing with a financial aid calculator might give you an idea of your EFC for each daughter.</p>
<p>One of the schools we visited told us in their info session that they explicitly require the federal form for merit consideration, as they’re required to check for citizenship / legal status for the scholarships and they use this form to do it. </p>
<p>She also noted that several students in the past few years did not file it and had a change in parental job status during the year. They were not able to help them that year (although they did file for the following year and got aid). In contrast, they had students whose families had a change in financial status during the year and did file (even if they hadn’t qualified previously), the school having the financial aid form on file let them (the school) help these students out.</p>
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<p>This is for INSTITUTIONAL aid only. If your are become eligible for a Pell grant, you would get this whether you previously applied for aid or not.</p>
<p>Oldfort, this is absolutely true at some schools. If you do not apply for institutional aid as an incoming freshman, you cannot apply for it in the future. NOTE…you do not have to TAKE the aid…you just have to apply for it. Schools that have this policy clearly state it on their financial aid websites. I have no idea why this is their policy but it is. My guess is it is to discourage those folks who can cobble together their first year finances but clearly will need to have aid in subsequent years. They want them to apply up front.</p>
<p>To the OP…If you don’t qualify for financial aid…the what difference will it make even to a need aware school to SEE your FAFSA? They will clearly see that you can pay the price of attending.</p>