<p>
</p>
<p>Go to the finaid webpage for EACH college to which you are applying. The information about which forms and other “stuff” to send will be posted there (right now you will probably not see updated info for next year, but the forms will be listed…just make sure you check again as things DO change from year to year sometimes)…AND check the DEADLINES…and write the DEADLINES down someplace…and be prepared to MEET THE DEADLINES.</p>
<p>Whoa! </p>
<p>There are plenty of Private colleges that are FAFSA only. This is actually pretty common. They probably won’t meet 100% of your need.</p>
<p>I don’t think any of the colleges that are listed above guarantee to meet full need.
Some do - IF they offer Merit scholarships and your need is small. You can then get all of more of your “need” met. It isn’t a guarantee, however.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Only about 300 schools USE the PROFILE so there are plenty that use the FAFSA only…and others that use the FAFSA plus their OWN financial aid form (which usually is more similar to the info gathered on the Profile).</p>
<p>And yes…schools that are FAFSA ONLY (no Profile and/or NO school finaid form) do not guarantee to meet full need…at least no one on THIS forum has been able to come up with a school that uses the FAFSA info ONLY and also guarantees to meet full need.</p>
<p>A few in our area that we see full need met quite often…</p>
<p>Knox College
Beloit College
Grinnell
Lake Forest
Luther
Wartburg
Coe
Cornell College
Elmhurst
Millikin
Monmouth
Olivet Nazarene
Simpson</p>
<p>That’s true- the FAFSA-only schools don’t guarantee to meet full need. But sometimes they do meet full need- and not only for students with minimal need. And often they meet nearly full need.</p>
<p>I’ve mentioned before that UCLA met full need for our son for three of his four years. Willamette, a FAFSA-only private, met full need (I just re-checked the offer, thinking previously that they nearly met full need) for our daughter this year, although she decided to go elsewhere. There are a good number of FAFSA-only privates that meet around 90% of need, on average. University of Portland, where she’ll be attending, met 88% of need.</p>
<p>So, for many families, it would be a mistake to only focus on the Profile schools that guarantee to meet full need, and forgo the FAFSA schools that are generous with aid, but don’t guarantee to meet full need. College Board has the average % need met for each school, and that can be very helpful for students who are making their college selections.</p>
<p>(I’d add that for a family of modest income, but with lots of home equity, a FAFSA-only private with a record of meeting a high % of need would probably be a better bet than a Profile school that meets full need, other things being equal.)</p>
<p>
Through a process of Merit Scholarships (which are non-need) and Need based grants.
Not everyone who is accepted will get their need met.
Your scenario is probably right but I would add - if they also had a child with a high GPA and high SAT scores so that child would qualify for a good Merit scholarship. </p>
<p>Three of my kids went private, FAFSA only schools. Two had their needs met by a combination of Merit scholarships and need based grants. One had hers met by need based grant and it was much less than the others.</p>
<p>MomOf4-</p>
<p>I agree.</p>