How do schools receive your FAFSA and Profile?

Paying for College
1

<p>I was wondering how exactly the FAFSA is sent to your schools. Do you submit it online, and then schools retrieve it using your social security number (some schools like BostonC block out the SS from the commonapp so I’m not sure how they do it)? What about the CSS profile? Do you complete it and then submit it to your schools through the collegeboard? </p>

<p>Sorry if these are obvious questions, I’m still starting the fin aid process.</p>

2

<p>Schools periodically download data from FAFSA - all the FAFSA reports (forget what they are called - the school’s version of your SAR) where that school has been listed by the student will be downloaded. </p>

<p>Only if a student has listed that school on their FAFSA will the school receive the data. So if you ended up never applying to a school, but listed them on your FAFSA, they will get your data. And if you are accepted at a school but did not list them on your FAFSA, they will not get your data.</p>

3

<p>Yes…you complete the FAFSA and Profile online. Each school has a number code that you must put on the forms. You do that and those schools will be “get” your forms. </p>

<p>It is best to do both online. I’m not sure if a paper form even still exists (there used to be that option)…but if you are reading this here…then you use a computer and should submit online.</p>

<p>The FAFSA can actually be submitted with estimates beginning Jan 1 of your senior year in high school. You can then update this online (if you’ve submitted this online).</p>

<p>The Profile is administered by the College Board so when you submit that one you are sending it to them for distribution to the colleges. The FAFSA is a government form. (thus the fafsa.gov site)</p>

4

<p>can you check no financial aid on the Application but still submit a FAFSA in January?</p>

5

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<p>Sure you can. BUT all you will likely get is a Stafford loan and the Pell grant (if you are eligible for it). If you apply and check NO to financial aid, you are telling the school clearly that you will NOT be asking for institutional financial aid. </p>

<p>Let me guess…you are applying ED or EA to a need aware school and don’t WANT them to know you need financial aid. If they accept you without institutional financial aid (which is the BIG need based money) because YOU said you don’t need it…then I’m not sure they would award you institutional aid AFTER you get accepted saying you don’t need the aid.</p>

6

<p>Thank you for the help! I found this list of FAFSA codes which I’m assuming is what you were talking about.
<a href=“http://www.ifap.ed.gov/fedschcodelist/attachments/1112FedSchoolCodeList.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ifap.ed.gov/fedschcodelist/attachments/1112FedSchoolCodeList.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>HI Thumper - NO S is not applying ED to any school. Likely EA to UVA, but that EA is non commital We likely won’t receive aid “high income” ($250K). Housing costs and taxes are high where we live and we pay private school tuition for younger daughter ($22K year). We have been paying the same tuition for son on a yearly basis. We only have $40K in his 529 account. That being said we will likely need loans if he does not receive financial aid or merit (at the LACs tht do give merit). H did the estimator on Williams site and we would get $0. Counselor at S school advised to check “no financial aid” on applications but still file in January. S is at top of class at very competitve prep school, 1500 (2260) SATs, high SAT subject tests and 239 PSAT so will likely be in NMF competition. Lots of leadership and athlete… S applying to two IVYs , Williams, and other LACs (as well as our state university). Any advice? thanks so much.</p>

8

<p>I’m not sure why the counselor would advise that you check "no financial aid’ on the application. If you don’t qualify for institutional aid and want loans, you still need to apply for aid to get the $5500 unsubsidized Stafford loan that the school will package for non-needy students. The schools your S is considering are need-blind, so there should be no concern about marking FA on your application. Schools simply use that check box to make sure they can inform the FA office and can track your FA application and inform you about documents received.</p>

<p>If you are positive that you won’t receive institutional aid from the school, then all you need to do for the Stafford loan is to complete the FAFSA in January - no need to do the CSS if you don’t want to apply for institutional financial aid.</p>