<p>I would not wait at a state school, especially if you’re eligible for a lot of need-based aid. Some pools of that money (ie, Perkins loans, SEOG, some state aid, campus based grant aid) is very limited and given on a first-come, first-served basis. My D is a sophomore and on this year’s awards she missed a $500 state grant that she’d had freshman year…for freshman year I filed on 1/1, but for sophomore year I filed on 1/20. The school uses the initial filing date for determining who is first in line!</p>
<p>I agree that FAFSA is absolutely nothing YOU can’t file on your own. I know many kids who file their own…give it a try, and post your questions here if you get stuck!</p>