<p>ok…let me throw some college names out there…we are thinking about Northeastern, Uconn, Fairfield, Holy Cross, Villanova</p>
<p>geeps…you have to check each school’s policies. BOTH of my kids went to colleges where if you didn’t APPLY for need based aid as an incoming freshman, they did NOT award a nickel of institutional need based aid in subsequent years. It was the policy at both schools. </p>
<p>If your child becomes Pell eligible in subsequent years, I believe that the school is required to give this FEDERALLY funded money. BUT that is a drop in the bucket compared to college costs.</p>
<p>Look…you do NOT ever have to apply for financial aid. BUT know your kids’ schools rules before you decide NOT to. If they require an application as an incoming freshman, they will NOT bend the rules for you if you need aid in subsequent years and you didn’t do so.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Thumper…in the OP’s case, can they just fill out a FAFSA now for Stafford loans? Would that count as applying for aid freshman year? Or do you have to do the CSS if that is also req’d for aid. (I’m thinking that you have to still do the CSS if that’s part of the FA process.)</p>
<p>I wish that there was an option for schools like the ones that thumper’s kids attended that would in essence say “yes, we know, our EFC is larger than the COA and we fully intend to cover that, but in the event that our child wants to take out a Stafford loan because they can’t find a summer job that pays, or in the event that there’s some emergency like (heaven forbid) a seriously ill parent or some such, and we need to ask for aid because of radically changed circumstances, we’re filling out the FAFSA because otherwise we won’t be able to appeal the special circumstance to you later on. Please do not laugh at our applying for FA when we know we’re not going to get any, because don’t expect any but just want to insure for the worst possible case. You can check off that we put in the form, and then skip ahead to the next FA application without wasting time looking at this one. Thanks! :)”</p>
<p>:D</p>
<p>The EFC dropping dramatically typically works only when both kids attend schools that have generous need based aid and meet 100% of need.</p>
<p>The Northeastern’s of the college world often won’t drop your contribution a cent when a second enters college. And it will probably indeed help a great deal not to apply for aid.</p>
<p>If your second child is competitive at the generous schools, they will take your son into account.</p>
<p>can anyone answer my question from post #9:
assuming there is an advantage to not applying for FA for some schools…is the advantage just in not checking the box for FA…or would there be the same advantage for checking the box and completing the profile showing an EFC over 50K?..</p>
<p>Slithey…</p>
<p>LOL…</p>
<p>Submit that idea to the Common App people. ;)</p>
<p>I would check no and not send FAFSA to any school that will consider you without penalty in future years. Let’s not forget, they’re not just looking for full pay students, but also those with the ability to donate in addition.</p>