@curiositycat333 Schools have priority deadlines for the “best” chances at need-based aid. Check the schools your S is applying to – S’s first priority deadline for the FAFSA is Dec. 1. But you can always file later.
https://fafsa.ed.gov/deadlines.htm
We haven’t done one yet either – it’s on the list “hope to do” list for this weekend.
ETA: I didn’t word that the best way. One of S’s schools lists completion of the FAFSA by Dec. 1 as a requirement for a merit scholarship.
D '17 has her first acceptance letter in hand today, from Pitt. She refused to look at the linked video till she had the paper in her hand. It’s a nicely done video, especially since we recognize many of the places in the acceptance video from S’14. It’s just cheezy enough.
No word on the guaranteed admission program for OT or merit aid yet, but hey one acceptance in hand.
Onward and upward…
@Dave_N - Congrats! It is a great feeling for the student… AND the parent!
Yay @Dave_N <:-P
D17 got an official looking skinny letter in the mail from WPI today, and she opened it when she got home after asking me if it could be a rejection letter. I said probably not because it was too early for the announcements to come out (only 4 days after the ea deadline, not likely!).
It just said, yep, we got your EA 1 application. Ack! Stress for nothing :). I get that a lot of kids do not do the online portal thing and go by snail mail (or maybe the parents do), but I dunno, maybe a postcard instead?
Oh, almost forgot-I passed my senior review! I am a go for my topic for my senior show (“Empty Nest”, natch!), and I can start working on it. One step closer to graduation!
Congrats to your DD on UPitt!! Awesome news.
@Dave_N Congrats!
@Dave_N Yaaay, congratulations!
@MotherOfDragons A skinny letter from any college is scary from here on…
@Dave_N - Congrats for PITT. Didn’t acceptance letter mention about GAP referral?
@Dave_N hooray for PITT!!! Congrats
@hadmeathello Case does not need FAFSA nor CSS if you want ONLY merit scholarship. I thought that was nice.
@DavdN Congratulations on D’s first acceptance! <:-P <:-P
Welcome to College Accepted Slacker Parents group - CASPer :))
DS is still a slacker because he has grades, C’s needing to be pulled up to B’s, by the end of the year. :!! XX
@MotherOfDragons Congratulations on the senior review outcome! <:-P :D/
Congratulations to all the large fat envelops with acceptances and scholarships !!! <:-P <:-P <:-P
We will be quiet for at least a month and a half :-S
Same as @hadmeathello, I have not spent time learning aobut the FAFSA yet. I do recall attending info sessions and an AO saying you need to apply even if you don’t need assistance this year but for loans for parents with more favorable rates you’d want to apply. Well, I heard her but I haven’t educated myself on the process yet. I didn’t realize some 11/1 EA schools had an 11/15 FAFSA deadline. I guess I will have to reach S17s EA schools. I was hoping to have this weekend off from having to actually do any college work. I’m exhausted. =)) Now I think I have parent-itis. I told S17 I am not reviewing any essays for two weeks. Geez, I need a break.
@hadmeathello I assumed work study was available for everyone. S17 has been talking about having a job on campus for years. He thinks it’s a great way to make friends on campus from other programs. Well, I won’t be sharing this tidbit.
@motherofdragons All letters and packages are scary at this point. Particularly those skinny ones as @HiToWaMom said.
For those of you with access to your child’s email accounts, search for “waiver” and see what pops up. I did this yesterday and was startled to see that about 15 emails hit on the term. Might be some app waivers hiding in there that you don’t notice easily.
Just checked the mail & there is a letter from the school S17’s has applied to EA. He hit submit a bit more than a week ago. He won’t be home for HOURS… (Last game) The suspense is going to kill me.
Could it be just a letter about thanks for the application here is your portal #. Or could it already be an acceptance or rejection?? It’s just a regular letter.
@curiositycat333 —oh that would be killing me! This is going to be a long season. D had one from her fave school and it was a letter from the chancellor! I was hoping it was a nice $$$ letter!
You can kind of see what it says through the envelope but not quite. I think it may just be a portal information.
@CA1543 https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/school-list
I think receiving federal work study is possible if the school has enough positions, and you apply early enough, and have unmet need (also need to indicate in FAFSA that you are interested in work study).
Need= COA - aid - EFC
I don’t know if some schools will only give FWS to students with the lowest EFC.
If you don’t anticipate to qualify for anything but loans you can wait to file FAFSA, but not sure how that works with schools requiring it for merit.
@CaucAsianDad, my D was interested in a work study position, but she didn’t have work study in her aid package. But the dept had funding to be able to employ several students that did not qualify for ws so she was able to get the job.
FWS is federally subsidized I think and need based.
But usually there are other student on-campus jobs available as well.
What’s up with the letters?? They should send it via email so you can read it online. =))
@curiositycat333 It’s too soon for an EA school decision. It may be portal info or it may be “missing app info”.
@paveyourpath That’s not exactly right. D has already heard from 2 EA schools.