Does anyone know of schools that do the CCS but only in the Freshman year? Drexel gives you a package as a Freshman that does not change, unless you request a review due to financial changes. Would be interested in other colleges that give a package out as a Freshman for the entire 4 years.
My kid went to Boston University…and at the time, he only had to complete the Profile his first year.
BUT he had to complete the FAFSA every year.
I don’t know any college that gives financial aid the first year without some financial aid application form required in subsequent years…if not the Profile, then the FAFSA.
Drexel gives a package that is good for four years. You might have to fill out the FAFSA each year (not sure) but your merit and grants will not decrease. Was hoping to find other colleges that do not adjust each year.
No school can give out the loans and Pell grants/SEOG without having a FAFSA filed for THAT year. I think Drexel’s FA package includes federal money.
University of Michigan requires the CSS only in advance of freshman year. However, that does not mean that the package remains the same all four years. Fafsa, of course, is required all four years. In addition to being required for the federal money, the university wants to know if your household income has changed in either direction, if you got a big inheritance, if you got a big bonus, etc. If there’s no change, the package does not change.
Without even checking, I can tell you Fafsa is required every year at Drexel as well. As @twoinanddone said, it’s required for federal money. They can’t give Pell grants and federal loans without an annual Fafsa. At most colleges, merit aid is guaranteed for four years. Some colleges have a GPA requirement for the student to maintain the merit aid.
So are you saying that if Drexel awards a student a need-based grant of $20k, and then that family inherits $1M the following year and the money is now an asset, the student will still get the $20k need-based grant?
http://drexel.edu/drexelcentral/finaid/eligibility/how-to-apply/fafsa-process/
This is for continuing students at Drexel. For financial aid renewal, a FAFSA is required. The school certainly can do whatever it chooses to do in terms of Drexel grants…but SEOP, Pell, and the PA grants require an annual FAFSA to be completed, as do the Direct Loans, and Federal Work Study.
So…the school does not require the CSS Profile for years Beyond freshman year… it that doesn’t mean your aid will remain exactly the same…because they DO require the Profile.
I should add…my kid attended Boston University…and while he was a student there, they also stopped using the Profile in subsequent years…BUT the also required the FAFSA for aid renewal…so it’s not like they didn’t have a look see at your income and assets at all after that first year.
I should add…Drexel does not meet full need…so you may actually be disappointed with the aid you DO get from the school. We know more than a couple of handful of students who didn’t attend because the aid provided was insufficient to make a dent in the costs to attend.
Northeastern has a 4 year financial aid guarantee. Not sure if CSS is required after first year or not.
https://studentfinance.northeastern.edu/applying-for-aid/undergraduate/the-northeastern-promise/
https://studentfinance.northeastern.edu/applying-for-aid/undergraduate/the-northeastern-promise/
Northeastern does not require the Profile for returning students…but the schools does require the FAFSA.
^ makes sense @thumper1 . I confirmed that guarantee when D was considering their offer, they really do let you keep your package if you win the lottery or whatever. They also “meet full need” (unlike Drexel) but in our experience, not as generously as the tippy tops.