<p>We did not fill out a FASFA or any other aid forms for DS1 who just finished his freshman year. At several of the small mid-level LAC’s he applied to, he was still offered very generous merit aid (12-15K). Of course the OOS public school he selected gave us none.</p>
<p>If this is the student’s #1 choice, to maximize acceptance chances he should apply ED as well as check the ‘not applying for aid’ box. That’s what we had ours do when he was applying to a competitive program. I knew he qualified for automatic merit though, based on his stats.</p>
<p>Since I was doing FAFSA for older D, I did one for him too, after he was accepted ED. They did offer him a work-study $2000, and a loan, which he turned down. I don’t remember if it was a subs or unsub loan.</p>
<p>Is there such a thing as merit aid without a FAFSA? I think I’ve seen one instance of that mentioned on this thread, and then at least two where the merit would not have materialized without the FAFSA.</p>
<p>I was always under the impression (maybe wrong) that if you want to throw your hat in the ring for any kind of merit aid, you had to file the FAFSA and say that you were requesting aid.</p>
<p>There is something Orwellian about the FAFSA – especially not knowing how far that data will go. Has anybody researched that?</p>
<p>We did not send the FAFSA to any of the schools where my son received merit aid. In fact, we filled it out after he was awarded the aid.</p>
<p>Re #45 – so they assumed that he was applying as a potential full payor (if no FAFSA would mean that) but they offered the merit aid without any aid having been requested, simply to encourage him to enroll? Or was the application filed and evaluated before the FAFSA would have been due, so that the process was silent (at that point) as to your intentions to seek aid?</p>
<p>By the way, the schools you mentioned – I would be jumping for joy and gladly selling my engagement ring . . . .</p>
<p>OP, my understanding is that checking the “no aid” box only applies to need-based, not to merit money. For schools which award merit money based only on the application, your kid will still be in the running for the slight discounting which is designed to make you feel favorably inclined to the school so that your kid will enroll. 
For schools which want you to file the FAFSA to be eligible for merit aid, I agree that it’s better for a reachy applicant to not submit the FAFSA. </p>
<p>If I did a bit of poking around and found that a school really did give everyone that little discount at the cost of filling out the FAFSA with no risk to admissions chances, I’d submit the form. Everyone’s price tag and privacy concerns are different, but if the school offered $3k a year discount that would certainly be good enough for me to plug in the numbers. Your mileage may vary. </p>
<p>D1 was a high stats kid. When initially scouting merit aid possibilities, there wasn’t a single school on her list that asked for FAFSA for merit (e.g. Muhlenberg, Clark). We are full-pay, so I carefully checked with every school to see if they needed the FAFSA for merit aid. None did. I also confirmed that if our circumstances changed, she could apply for need-based aid without applying for it prior to freshman year.</p>
<p>Slithey, good practical advice. I did speak once with a rep of a school in that category who said exactly that – they feel so strongly about the value of everybody filling out the FAFSA (not sure why) that they give everybody a discount of about $3000, just for doing so. He also said that if circumstances change, and there is a FAFSA on file, they might be able to help you better than if there is not. Of course, I guess you could always submit the FAFSA at that time.</p>
<p>As always, I guess it’s a matter of forming a general concept, and then as you develop your personal list of schools, digging into the details for those particular schools.</p>
<p>My two-stepsons were bright enough, but had really crappy grades in high-school ( 33 act-2.7-3.0 GPA) and I’m positive that the fact that we ticked “no aid” on the common app was why they were admitted to Northeastern and BU respectively ( both now graduated). Did the same w S for Tufts and, while he had good stats and grades, I’m sure it helped tip him over the edge. In my opinion,why not use the only hook you’re kid might have?</p>
<p>fieldsports, yes, many schools will tell you that they consider all applications for merit aid regardless of whether you are asking for need-based aid. And then there are some merit awards that have a need-based component. You have to look into each school separately for the details. My S’s school lists on the website - for this test score and class rank, scholarship range is X, so I knew what he qualified for.</p>
<p>I am a bit envious of all who can manage to be full pay. Good for you. In theory, why can’t one not check the FA box and submit the FAFSA anyway.</p>
<p>I know schools say that if circumstances change you can ask for FA, it’s the last money available. First money goes to luring new frosh, then to refunding those who’ve already had FA, and last to aid requests from existing students.</p>
<p>However, I don’t doubt that it is a hook. DD accepted at Barnard and Wellesley, WL at Sarah Lawrence and Smith. I’m pretty sure those would have been acceptances had we not asked for substantial aid. DS accepted at U of Chicago and Williams and rejected at Tufts. I’m pretty sure FA was the issue in that case, too.</p>
<p>I’m not complaining. DD went to Barnard. DS went to Williams. Both their first choices. Generous aid. Already graduated.</p>
<p>Just supporting the idea that asking for aid does influence admissions decisions.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s Orwellian - it’s just no one’s business unless I am in a situation of needing to request FA.</p>
<p>
D1 received full tuition merit aid at Trinity College. She didn’t apply for aid and we didn’t fill out FAFSA.</p>
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<p>mythmom, surely this varies from school to school? I know that yes, some schools do lure in new students with generous need and merit packages the first year, and then subsequent years don’t offer as much. Slimy behavior; other schools are better behaved. :)</p>
<p>If a school offers no merit aid, then there’s absolutely no advantage to full-pay folks putting in a FAFSA and Profile. Those tend to be the most selective schools, and not what the OP is targeting.</p>
<p>Cheekymonkey, I don’t know about Northeastern, but I know BU is need blind in admissions. They have no qualms about accepting someone with an EFC of zero, and giving them nothing in aid other than what the federal government offers. NYU is the same way. I 've known too many kids who were gapped big time at those two schools.</p>
<p>SlitheyTove, those who want Staffords and PLUS loans have to fill out a FAFSA even if they know that financial aid from the college itself is not a possibility. You can NOT check the Financial aid app box on the common app and then fill out FAFSA for those federal programs.</p>
<p>cpt, advice I was given if a full-pay family wanted the admissions tip of being full-pay but also wanted Staffords or Plus loans was to fill out the FAFSA later than the school FA deadlines, or after decisions were in. That avoids any possibility of the school thinking that you’re price-sensitive. I don’t believe there’s any deadline on submitting FAFSA for federal loan qualification.</p>
<p>My son received a significant scholarship (covered about 1/3 of total costs) to a mid-range LAC that lists the criteria (GPA/SAT) for various levels of awards on its website. We never filed FASFA because we knew we were not eligible for need-based aid. I agree with earlier posters - why share that information about your finances if you do not have to? I do understand that some schools require thr FASFA even for merit awards however.</p>
<p>As I said earlier, if you want the Stafford and/or PLUS loans, you do have to file FAFSA. You don’t have to do it during the admissions process if you don’t want to do so; you can do later. Those in states that have some form of tution paid plan, may have deadlines for the FAFSA. You can’t file FAFSA any earlier than the January 1 of the year your child will be going to college, so it’s not something you’ll be doing with the app, and you do need your tax info for the previous year. Just don’t check the box on the common app that says you are applying for fin aid. Do check the website just in case there are merit awards requiring FAFSA for the colleges as well.</p>
<p>CPtofthehouse- my significant other also “supported” the univ w reasonably hefty donations. I have my suspicions that those figured into the acceptance, but maybe not. The oldest w the worst grades was, if I recall accepted to UVM and I was flabbergasted. I refused to be involved in their college aps cause I was so disgusted w their grades. But, everyone had a happy ending</p>
<p>Yes, we requested no FA and son was given significant merit aid from a few schools. We knew we wouldn’t get and shouldn’t get need based aid. We are not Donald Trump but could afford tuition. You might still get merit awards. Or not.</p>