Here’s one example. I looked at Rose-Hulman’s financial aid pages. They specifically note that FAFSA isn’t needed for merit scholarships.
You do not need to fill out the FAFSA if you wish to be considered only for merit-based scholarships from Rose-Hulman or outside organizations.
6 years ago, it was required for Eastman (U Rochester).They specifically mentioned it in the on campus info session. I know there were others as well.
Virtually every college will ask you to turn in the FAFSA. They don’t know if your student might qualify for funding but having it turned in will make sure your student is considered.
You never know the random scholarship that your student might qualify for and some may ask for the FAFSA to have been filed. There are scholarships that are not based on financial need or merit. Some scholarships are for kids from a certain part of the state or of a certain demographic background. Some are oddly specific. I think my eldest’s school had a scholarship for a twin who was left handed. These are not university sponsored scholarships but are sponsored by outside donors who dictate their own criteria.
Adding one more, since I just checked. Rochester Institute of Technology doesn’t require FAFSA for most merit scholarships.
You will be automatically considered for most RIT Scholarships
However, they recommend applicants do a FAFSA in case they might qualify for a need-based grant.
As has been noted, this is going to be a school-by-school requirement. Check the sites of the colleges.
I guess it’s time to come back in here. I feel like I kept waiting for it to feel like it was time to really start this college process and now it’s October. Yikes! DS did finish the Common App, requested 3 LOR and 2 have been uploaded to Naviance and he actually hit submit on 6 applications tonight. He is a 3.7 UW student with a mid 1200 SAT score. He wants to go out of state so he will be submitting about 10 applications to try to find merit to keep 1 or 2 out of state schools within our budget. I forgot how nerve wracking it is for your chid to wait for that first acceptance at a school you know you can afford.
We dropped Urbana-Champaign from the list today, after in-person visit. I loved facilities and opportunities for kiddos and really appreciated big campus. However, 1000 kids in intro CS classes plus online intro CS classes for foreseeable future (if I understood correctly) is just not cool. So D22 said a definitive No and we are officially down to only one more application to submit (MIT). We have 6 applications in total (including one with acceptance already received). Feeling relieved and excited for what future holds 
Illinois also has “complete FAFSA” as a graduation requirement.
When do I need to send SAT/Transcript? Same time as I submit the Common App or earlier since it takes time for the college board to send the SAT score? Does SAT need to be requested or received by the college before the deadline?
I wonder how it would be verified. Self reporting?
We already sent the official SAT, even though still working on the common app. Hoping that the application will be complete as soon as we submit it, since the scores should have been there by then.
So, my D22 applied to Purdue a few days ago. I just received an email (well, both of us, somehow) that literally says: “On behalf of everyone in the Department of Computer and Information Technology, thank you for applying to Purdue University! We would consider ourselves fortunate to have you as one of our students”…. So I am now confused. Does everyone receives this? Is it a “likely” letter? Should we start buying swag??? I understand sending promotional emails with invitations to apply, but this is a different level of mean - giving the kid/parent a sense that we are basically in, if we want it. What if she gets her hopes up and then gets heartbroken in January if decision is not in her favor…
Interesting! Maybe post to the Purdue section of CC, see if anyone is aware of that kind of email.
I don’t believe Purdue does likely letters for non recruited athletes.
I wouldn’t read anything into it other than the application has been received.
I am thinking the same - however my irritation is, if this just a “we received your application”, then it should be worded differently… She is not an athlete for sure :))) and already got another email that her application received before this department’s email. Will report back, if I find out anything:) or with final results:)
S22 also just applied to Purdue and got a “Thank you for applying to first year engineering! etc” email. He submitted 8 EA apps and all (except the great, mysteriously silent, University of Michigan) sent these kinds of emails as confirmation of app received.
Call admissions - if it is a likely letter you need that verification from them.
Well, this is why I was confused. She got another one too, when she submitted application. This one is the separate one. And states that “We would consider ourselves fortunate to have you as one of our students”. Do you have the same language as well? Just curious, that’s all I am new to the game of admission to US university, as in my country it is only: here is the list of accepted students, the rest - tough luck and it is based strictly on your scores and tests, not EC’s, essays, recommendations, etc…
I don’t think it is Just sounded a lot like it. Don’t want to be that mom, calling admissions with stupid questions :)))
That’s really interesting. I just checked old emails. S20 applied to Purde for CS but didn’t receive any email similar to what you mentioned. He ended up being admitted to Purdue (but attends elsewhere).
This seems pretty unusual wording. Check her portal. When S20 got a likely letter (from a different college), it showed up in his portal.
Michigan sends confirmation emails. My son applied on 10/9 and received the confirmation email today (10/13).