<p>Did anybody else receive a packet/file from Collegeboard via mail? It includes 8 fee waivers etc.</p>
<p>I did, and I’m not in the income bracket that usually merits fee waivers. I have never applied for one before. I am a National Merit semifinalist, though, and my parents believe that that was why I recieved this packet, even though I don’t qualify for typical fee waivers. Is that true for anyone else?</p>
<p>@quarterpast, I am in the same exact boat as you. I am far from qualifying for such a fee waiver, but am a National Merit Semifinalist. I would really like to use them, though, because my parents are making me pay for all things before college, including standardized testing and college application fees. Does ANYONE know if we can use these if we got them but do not qualify for such aid?</p>
<p>@DukeHopeful2014 Collegeboard sent them, and as for me, my name was on a letter inside. It doesn’t look to be an accident. I’ve never told Collegeboard my family’s income, but I guess that they just decided I need assistance. This looks to be a program that aids NMS semifinalists as well as the low-income students that it is ostensibly for. I can only assume that they meant these waivers for us, and unless they retract their offer, I will certainly use them.</p>
<p>I received one as well, and from what I know and researched, you are allowed to send the 8 fee waivers to any of the participating colleges.</p>
<p>I received one today. I, too, have never requested a fee waiver or been in the income bracket that would receive one. I am, however, not a National Merit Semifinalist.</p>
<p>Has anyone determined if the waivers can help students with reach schools?</p>
<p>Update: To use these waivers in my current financial situation would require me to 1) lie on the Common App about my circumstances, and 2) have my school counselor lie as well. I’m not using doing that.
What I don’t understand is why I received them in the first place, when I obviously don’t qualify (and never gave them my financial info in the first place).</p>
<p>I recieved this packet too, and when I researched it, I learned that it’s given to people in the lowest tax bracket AND to people who scored in the top 15% on their SAT (and some sites included the PSAT). I talked it over with my counselor, and we decided that they do want us to use them via answering yes to the Fee Waiver Question on the CommonApp. It seems that the question is written for students who qualify for finacial need, but the 28,000 seniors who recieved this packet can also use this question, AS LONG AS they send the fee waivers to the colleges they applied to. I would recommend bringing the booklets in, and talking it over with your counselor though, because they still need to approve your request.</p>
<p>The instructions in this packet tell you to select the “Yes, I feel that I qualify for a fee waiver” box on the common app. But then you have to lie about the criteria and ask your counselor to lie too. I just called the College Board to ask about this, and was condescendingly told to be “honest” on the common app. </p>
<p>What a joke. They send out these unsolicited fee waivers that get families’ hopes up and then say we are dishonest if we follow THEIR instructions on how to use them. This is yet another example of how the College Board is evil, incompetent, or both.</p>
<p>Hmm, I got an email saying that they’re intended for use by low income students who also qualify for SAT fee waivers. I had already turned one in to MIT, but I thought I couldn’t use it so I called them and paid anyway. Kind of bummed. Would have been nice to save the $500.</p>
<p>What is the preferred method of sending the waiver (mail, fax…)?
Thankyou</p>