My son is applying to University of Michigan. Their application asks 'Do you intend to apply for need-based financial aid?" With our income level and EFC, we would be expected to cover the full cost of attendance to U-M. So, should we answer NO in the hopes of improving his chances of getting in, and/or not holding up his application?
But, I don’t want to jeopardize his chances of getting merit aid, or if he would somehow qualify for work-study.
Bottom line, is there any harm in answering YES?
Like the rest of the application, your son should answer the question honestly. If you are submitting the FAFSA, the answer is yes. If you are not, the answer is ‘no’. FWIW, I don’t think it really matters.
University of Michigan practices need-blind admissions. Applying for FA does not affect admissions decisions. Nor does it “hold anything up.”
Are you in-state or out? Merit awards are not that common, and even less so if you are out of state. As for work-study, why does it matter who funds your kid’s part-time job? Work-study just means that the federal government is paying part of his wages. There are many jobs on campus. He can just get one, work-study or not.
To get work study you must have need. You’ve indicated that you dont have need.
Putting that you’re not applying for aid won’t affect merit unless their merit opportunities say that FAFSA and CSS must be filed for consideration. That said, OOS merit isn’t common as UMich is mostly a needs based school.
It doesn’t matter.
We checked yes and it did not affect admission.
Update: we checked ‘yes’ and my son was accepted early (woo hoo!) and received a small ‘regents scholarship’ (merit-based) for in-state students.
Awesome! I wish the regents was x4.
University of Michigan is “need blind” when considering applications. Ticking “yes” merely alerts the financial aid office to expect a FAFSA.