<p>My child will not qualify for financial aid. He does however, have a great shot at receiving merit scholorship money. Is there any requirement that I will have to disclose financial asset/income information, since I already know the outcome ?</p>
<p>Many schools seem to still want you to do the fin aid forms to be considered for merit $, you will have to check with your schools.</p>
<p>shugs, you may want to go ahead and apply for financial aid, even if you don't think you'll qualify for any. Our EFC was more than what most colleges cost, but we did the fin aid paperwork anyway, mostly based on info from other parents on CC. My S did get a small amount of need based aid, which was greatly appreciated. Also, some of the schools for which he was awarded merit aid required the FAFSA anyway.</p>
<p>You should also apply because you never know, life can and does throw curve balls. At some schools if you do not apply freshman year, you will not be eligible for aid subsequent years. The worse that can happen is the school tells you that you are not eligible for aid (you are already operating from that premise so it is no harm. no foul). But as others stated, some schools especially those that give aid that is not necessarily based on need may throw a few $$ your child's way</p>
<p>My D probably won't qualify for need based aid either. If she checks the box on her application that yes, she is applying for financial aid, does that affect her acceptance possibilities?</p>
<p>We did not file for Fin Aid last year, as we knew we would not get any need based aid. I saw/felt no stigma attached to my S marking NO on app query if applying for Fin Aid. S received generous merit awards from all schools, but we also made sure he applied to schools that had reputation of awarding need blind merit. </p>
<p>I think that last statement is the most important. If you don't think you will qualify for need based aid, be sure you and your student understand what you (the PARENT) are willing to pay. Then look for schools that give need blind merit aid if you are not willing to pay full freight. Don't wait until the acceptance letters arrive and you are not willing to pick up the tab to dream school.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies...told my kid I'll pay up to $20,000 per year, rest is on him..Math SAT =800, English = 750 ,Writing = 700....I'll look at whether schools being applied to require the FAFSA. Appreciate everyone's comments.</p>
<p>My experience indicated it's worth it to file the FAFSA because some schools don't tell you, but they will only consider a student for merit aid if the student used the FAFSA. We learned this after U Michigan sent S paperwork for a scholarship that according to their site was merit-based only. S got no merit aid, and when he asked why, was told it was because he did not apply for need-based aid.</p>
<p>If your S is a strong candidate for merit aid, and therefore is a strong candidate for the university, I suggest filing the FAFSA. If the school wants him, they may then give him merit aid, believing that he won't go to the college unless he's given merit aid. If he doesn't file the FAFSA, they may believe that $ is of no object, so they may not offer him merit aid.</p>
<p>Also check the thread in the Parents' Forum on everything you thought you knew about admissions is wrong. You can link to it from the top of the forum.</p>