<p>Must I fill out the FAFSA in order to receive any scholarships whatsoever? Also, does the income level matter for FAFSA (like if my parents income is over a certain amount, I won’t qualify, and will be simply wasting my time?) Thanks!</p>
<p>You only have to fill a fafsa if the scholarship companies consider it an eligibility requirement</p>
<p>You never know what your EFC will come out to be. Some people translate not being eligible for a Pell Grant the same as not being eligible for other aid. That is not true.</p>
<p>A Pell Grant is for someone whose EFC is very low - under $4,000 or so. </p>
<p>A lot of schools require you to file FAFSA to be eligible for any scholarships at all - including academic. You may still be able to get an academic scholarship, based on your grades, regardless of your EFC. </p>
<p>Also, I know at my D’s school, a lot of local scholarships are given out at the end of the year. To be eligible for these scholarships, the students fill out a form - with a copy of their SAR showing their EFC. They also need to show the financial aid offer from the school(s) they plan to attend. If there is a big gap that the parents have to pay, those students are given priority for scholarships that don’t have specific requirements (i.e., some scholarships specifically state the student has to be going towards a degree in nursing). The high school scholarship committee is aware that the academically/athletically gifted and needy will be given preference at schools for scholarships/aid, so they look to consider the students for the local scholarships whose parents will be shelling out tons of money for college.</p>
<p>It won’t hurt to file FAFSA and can only help.</p>