Colleges that do the CCS only as a Freshman

brantly
Wed, 12 Sep 2018 19:28:54 +0000

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?