<p>But if you’re negotiating merit aid, the college doesn’t necessarily have any idea of your family’s income. It certainly won’t have any idea about ours because we have no intention of filing a FAFSA<<<</p>
<p>The schools my kids are going to seem to (at least how I read it) require the FAFSA so that they can award the school merit aid and any other scholarships that come in to the school. Neither of my kids will get need based aid, and we don’t need the loans for freshman year, but I certainly want all the merit aid. I know Florida until this year required you to fill out a FAFSA to get Bright Futures (a merit only scholarship) but that requirement has been dropped, so maybe the schools are just behind in also dropping the requirement for the FAFSA. </p>
<p>I know a few schools we looked at gave a ‘bonus’ merit aid for filing FAFSA early, like $500 or $1000.</p>
<p>That’s interesting twoinanddone. I didn’t realize merit aid colleges did that and I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the possible reasoning behind it. I don’t know if we’ll be required to file a FAFSA, but it still wouldn’t change our business approach to negotiating the price. I know from online calculators that FAFSA says we can afford the full freight for two simultaneous students, but whatever FAFSA thinks we can afford won’t change what we’re actually willing and able to pay.</p>
<p>Yes. You can negotiate tuition. It is just like buying a car from a dealership, except they can take many other factors into consideration that a car dealer can’t because it would be illegal. Also, don’t call it “tuition” call it “financial aid” that way the folks in the “Office of Variable Tuition Price” don’t feel like car salesmen. Best of luck!</p>