We were selected for verification EVERY year my first kid was in college…all four years. The only reason we completed the fafsa and Profile forms was because, at the time, his university required them for disbursal of merit aid as well. Plus, we wanted our kid to take the Direct Loan.
Our EFC was above the cost of attendance.
We sent in every single item the school requested. Every year.
I’ve never heard anyone describe free money as punishment - interesting attitude @MissSuzyQ .
Well. MsSuzy,
Some schools verify every single student for financial aid. If you feel that this process is so egregious, happens by happenstance and is a punishment, then don’t complete the process. Many financial aid officers will be happy because it will be less work on their end, it will free up financial aid for another student, whose admissions depend on them needing aid and the bursar’s office will be happy to take your check.
I don’t know where the sass came from but I was referring to reading about others who have posted on this forum saying they were selected for verification and they were worried that the time that it took for them to get all their forms in order and wait to be verified denied them of as much of the aid they would have immediately received had they not been selected for verification. Not exactly a punishment, but definitely not equal or easy compared to the majority who don’t get selected.
Please don’t assume that this process is easy for everyone. My parents are screaming at me because I was selected to be verified and seem to expect me to handle all of this, so YES, to me, it is annoying and it seems like a slap in the face. Obviously I need aid or I wouldn’t have asked any question in a financial aid forum.
But thank you to everyone that has been helpful. I’m sure I will manage to get it all done.
Separate question, just looked at my W2 that my dad finally sent me. It says I earned 502.22 and on the FAFSA I reported 464 (I was going by all of the direct deposit emails I received). Do I need to change this or is it such a minimal difference it doesn’t matter?
You should change it to reflect what you actually earned. It shouldn’t matter very much…but your FAFSA should be accurate.
^that would indicate that your net pay was $38 less than your gross pay, which would line up with a 7.65% social security/medicare tax deduction.
The good news is that FAFSA used to be available in January, and often students didn’t have taxes done until April, so then the verification process pushed back things until after May, when decisions are due.
But now FAFSA is available earlier and so there should be more time to get the required verification forms sent to colleges in a timely manner.
^forgot to add that FAFSA now also uses prior, prior year tax information, which is already completed, which simplifies things.
Just realized my CSS Profile also has the $464 value instead of $502 and those corrections can’t be made online. With that tiny difference, do I need to also mail a copy of my CSS Profile with the change written in to the schools that require it?
You need to check with your schools on how to correct that profile. Some don’t require any change from you if you are linked with the IRS Data Retrieval Tool…but you didn’t file taxes…so you can not use that.
Ask at the school level…they will tell you what to do. If the schools are asking for all of your w-2 forms as part of the verification process…that may be enough…but WE can’t tell you…the schools need to give you that info.
Many Profile schools will verify all students, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you were selected for verification on the FAFSA. If you are selected for verification by the FAFSA federal processor (that is, if there is an asterisk next to your EFC on your Student Aid Report), you are required to submit a federal nonfiler statement from the IRS (this is a new requirement for ALL nonfilers selected for verification - you used to be able to complete a nonfiler statement from the school, instead). No need to worry about the difference on your Profile - the schools will change it when they see your W2. If you were selected for verification by the FAFSA federal processor, you don’t need to change your FAFSA income - the schools will do it when they verify you.
Any school you THINK you might attend should be sent all verification info as soon as they ask you for it. Request your nonfiler statement from the IRS (https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-return-transcript-types-and-ways-to-order-them), and make copies of it & your W-2.
Anyone who has misplaced a W-2 can get this info at the link above by ordering a Wage & Income Transcript.
Consider filing a tax return for 2016 in 2017 if you receive a 2016 W-2 but are below the filing limit. Then you won’t have to bother with the nonfiler statement for next year’s FAFSA.
Sorry for Thread Crapping…but…
what does “verification process of the FAFSA” mean? Is the step where you are asked to submit 1099’s, W-2 and most recent tax returns? What does this step signify in the overall admission process esp when the DRT was used to link into the FAFSA during initial submission?
So I guess 1/3 of all FAFSA submitters are selected for verification (some for reasons, some ‘random’). On my FAFSA, when I look at the Student Aid Report, it says I was selected for verification. However, the schools are the ones who have sent me emails or letters about the additional forms I need to give them. For me, this has included verification worksheet (saying who lives with you), parent’s tax return OR changing FAFSA to DRT (if you originally used DRT, I’d assume you wouldn’t need to send a tax transcript), parent W-2, student W-2 and since I didn’t file taxes, a non filer statement and then proof from the IRS that I didn’t file taxes (which I will get after sending them this for form 4506-T in the mail). Financial aid should not affect college admission but if you don’t get all this stuff in on time, no financial aid. 
I realize that all of the info that is required can be a burden … but do NOT let it deter you. It does not affect college admission, but it certainly may affect whether or not you can afford to attend. It is very important to stay on top of the verification thing & be sure to complete whatever is requested from EACH school. The change to October 1 for FAFSA submission should be very helpful for students in terms of being able to comply.
If the DRT was used in the initial submission, there is less likelihood a student will be selected for verification … and if selected, there is less likelihood that verification will have a significant impact on aid. DRT is the way to go! 
I would think that most schools want the same documents so it’s mostly a situation of assembling W-2, tax returns, non filer statement, etc., then scanning them or copying them & submitting to various schools.
Maybe it takes some hours of work. Maybe you get FinAid offers worth $100,000. Is it worth it?
Additional note: I accidentally submitted my post before reading all pages. I’m sorry your parents are not being helpful. Definitely the verification process should not be viewed as profiling or suspicion.
I agree with posters that say to make corrections even though the errors are small. We had to do that with the Profile and it seemed each school had a different procedure.
It will be easier after this year when you only have to deal with one school. But for now, do everything possible to maximize your chances of good FinAid. Remember you may be earning $10,000 an hour.