So she will be applying for instate UC’s but also OOS privates (still working on list) and yes I said FAFSA but also want to include the CSS, and yes 2017 is her base year. I am not sure I understand why it doesn’t matter. California also has a middle income grant that she might qualify for and from what we were told we should fill out the FAFSA to include other merit, if there are possibilities. No we aren’t counting on merit, just want to make sure we are setting ourselves up for the best possible outcome. Don’t want to say “I should have” Daughter got 1500 on SAT, may take it again. Had a bad day for PSAT and because she is in CA won’t make the NMSF cutoff. She has exceptional EC as well. I know the UC’s will probably be our best bet for cost (she is also a math science girl) but I want to at least be prepared for any college she chooses to apply to. I really don’t want to get into what colleges she can or can not get into, I have been studying that one, I just had huge questions on whether buying down my mortgage was a good idea or not since it is not something I can change once I do it.
Anyone know the best way to address an unusual base year? Is it possible to do this with the application?