<p>Will, first of all unless a school guarantees to meet 100% of need and uses only FAFSA to define it, the FAFSA EFC is pretty much useless in terms of guessing what a student is going to get from the school. I don’t know a single school that guarantees to meet need using only the FAFSA. All the EFC guarantees is eligibility for financial aid. PELL is based directly on the EFC, but you gotta have a very low number to get that money and the max is about $5k. All freshmen can borrow $5500 regardless of EFC if the school Cost of Attendance justifies it, and the only thing that the need component does is give those kids who have need a deferral of interest and lower interest rate. It’s still Direct Loan monies. Some state programs use the FAFSA and have their income guidelines as well. </p>
<p>But when it comes to a school’s own money, look at the average % of need met for that school. If it’s 50%, then that means if you kid is an average kid in that group, maybe half or less of his need is going to be met. Usually the money goes first to the most highly desired (high test scores usually) kids. You can get zero in financial aid from the school regardless of what your need is. </p>
<p>And, no, the schools do not care what your EFC was the prior year. Skipping FAFSA the fist year makes no sense and for some schools if you don’t apply that first year, there are sit out requirements.</p>
<p>Those schools that tend to meet full need usually want PROFILE or additional info, and they often want BOTH parents financials. There are some exceptions, but that is the usual way it goes. </p>
<p>But, no, there is no precedent that is set, and actually those kids on financial aid the year before, usually get preference over those who are newly asking for aid in consideration.</p>
<p>Most public school use FAFSA only and hardly any of them guarantee to meet full need and do not meet full need for the vast majority of their students. Especially in terms of grants. Also OOS publics do not tend to be generous to any but top candidates since their state kids usually get first go on the money. The most selective private school tend to be the ones that do guarantee to meet full need but they define that need and will look at things that FAFSA does not take into consideration such as primary home equity value, and most importantly, in your case, none custodial parent income. And there are schools that out and out say, if you don’t apply for aid the first year, you are at the end of the line or have to sit out a year to be eligbile. Those tend to be schools that meet need generously but are need aware in admissions and they don’t want people playing games trying to get an edge up in admissions by not asking for aid the first year, and then popping the aid app later. </p>
<p>But for public schools, most of them anywaysj–it can depend on the school–there are exceptions, they won’t care if you sit out a year or not. But be aware that they are not likely to meet full need either. Your student will need to file the FAFSA anyways to be eligible for loans, both student and parent, and for work study if eligible. But, no, they are highly unlikely to make the first year’s number a precedent. These days with job losses, divorce,and so many other issues, this happens a lot. File the danged thing but look at the school’s numbers in meeting need as it may not be one that is likely to meet need anyways.</p>