CJ Madison

Agree with Thumper1 - My D's college requires the FAFSA no matter what your EFC if you plan to take out any loans, e.g. Parent PLUS loans.

Check with your school's FA office/website - all the info is there!

Most schools use the FAFSA to determine any Federal aid (Pell grants, Stafford loans etc)using the "federal methodology". The CSS Profile is usually for college level aid, grants, scholarships. The profile uses the "institutional methodology".

Check-out the :: College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions Requirements website and you can also use their financial calculators to check your EFC and compare the 2 different methods.

Our EFC was 23K and we recieved a significant "need" with grants and merit scholarships. My D goes to an expensive LAC - so for us it was worth it!

LasMa

Exactly. Look at it this way: If you fill it out and it gets you nothing, what have you lost? Maybe a half hour of your time. But the possible upside.... There is no reason not to do it.

thumper1

OHKID. you will need to check EACH of the schools to see their requirements for merit aid awards. I know that both of my kids had to complete the financial aid application forms to receive their MERIT aid. We didn't qualify for need based aid. So...check. And don't miss the deadline if you have to do these forms.

OHKID

Thanks. I will check up on these forms for each school.

Are they due after April 1st?

vballmom

For merit aid at many schools, the Profile must be filed in October or November of your senior year of high school. Those that require FAFSA to be filed when awarding merit aid typically have a deadline of February 1 (remember, FAFSA isn't available online until January 1).