So, my mother is also in college (online), has a fafsa profile, and is receiving financial aid. Today, I filled out my portion of MY fafsa for schools I am applying to as a senior. Because she already has a fafsa of her own, she is refusing to fill out the parent portion of my fafsa because she feels it is unnecessary and that it will mess up her financial aid. I thought I had to have my own fafsa profile, but she thinks because hers has my information on it (as her dependent) that it will suffice. Am I crazy for thinking I should have my own??
Each college student must complete,their own FAFSA. The info on your FAFSA will have nothing to do,woth what is on your mom’s in terms of providing info to the colleges for need based aid eligibility.
If YOU don’t complete a FAFSA, you will not receive a dime of financial aid…none…including Direct Loans.
Does your mom plan to pay for your full cost of attending college?
Also…your income would not be listed on your mom’s FAFSA. Her FAFSA would not ask for your income and assets at all. The only thing on her FAFSA about you is that you are her dependent.
Your mom is wrong.
And submitting yours will NOT hurt her aid…in fact it could INCREASE her aid because HER EFC will split. (yours won’t because you can’t count your mom in college…BUT SHE CAN…so she will NOT be hurt.)
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but she thinks because hers has my information on it (as her dependent) that it will suffice.
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that is soooo wrong on soooo many levels.
How will YOUR schools know that you want aid when the “student” is listed as your mom…and your schools aren’t getting your FAFSA results.
PLUS…each student can only get aid from ONE school at a time. So, it could look like your mom is trying to get aid at two schools.
Where did your mom get this crazy idea???
@mom2collegekids I have no idea why she thinks what she thinks. I think because she is in college she fancies herself an expert on financial aid. I don’t know how to explain to her that the fafsa isn’t just some entity each family fills out for government aid. It is specific to ME, but she is stubborn and wants to email the “fafsa people”
Since your mom is in college…why doesn’t she just call,the financial aid folks at her school,and ask “does my daughter need to do her own FAFSA?” Simple question that they certainly can answer. When she calls, she doesn’t need to give them her name.
@thumper1 I will pass on the suggestion. That makes sense that her school would be able to answer that. Also prevents me from having to argue with her about it.