Thank you @mozika @Almondjoy1 I don’t know how kids can do it by themselves. This is extremely difficult process.
Speaking of financial aid, as some of you may know, I have had issues with D11 getting done with college. I (bank of dad) recently paid for D community college classes. The bill was around $600, but D said the college had overcharged me. When I went to pay for S DE class I asked if I had overpaid for D. As it turns out, she signed up for three classes, dropped 2 after the “no refunds” date, and then had me pay for them. I still have a full head of hair, but I wonder for how much longer.
@Kat2013 I do believe that what you say is true…and a student’s FAFSA very well may (in some schools) affect a students chances (for admission or for aid). I feel that more than ever because before my D received her deferral from Northeastern she received an “SOS” email saying that we did not complete that yet and that we should get it in before the deadline…I like a good doobie completed it and submitted it right away (and is shows that we definitely qualify for financial aid especially since we will have 2 kids in college next year) and needless to say she was deferred…I bet (and wish I could have tested it out) that if we did not qualify for financial aid she would have been accepted…just my gut feeling! But I would personally still err on the side of caution by filling it out initially just not to have to go through the drama of documenting the circumstances that have changed to fill it out subsequently. I did not realize that FAFSA gives money to school in lump some and the school decides who gets what, etc. Thanks for helping me to understand that process better. I love that I learn so much from this forum.
FAFSA is usually submitted after acceptance, in January or later. CSS profile has to be done earlier I think, depending on school and how student applied (ED, EA, RD).
@lvmjac1 had you submitted the CSS Profile to Northeastern before Dec 1?
@ohiovalley16 My D received an email dated 11/23 but only told me about it over that weekend…so I did a 3 1/2 hour cram session to be a good doobie to get it in…for a deferral to the regular admission pool…UGH! Which is why I feel that schools accept and or defer and or deny based upon financial aid (whether they claim to be need blind or not). No proof just a lot of supposition…
Another acceptance with substantial merit. Wofford College. Now waiting to hear from Honors Colleges for 2 of our schools and for need based aid from Wofford and Furman. DS16 is over the moon. 5 for 5. All applications are in and heard from , only scholarship essays now . =D>
Super Congrats to @Themommymommy 's D! Love to hear good news. Sorry I forgot to mention it in my earlier posts.
@carolinamom2boys Congrats to your S. Looks like he’s racking up the S Carolina schools nicely! Any chance 1 of the 5 from The Citadel?
@ChicagoSportsFn No Citadel. While he comes from long line of military, no interest military schools. He kept getting letters and emails from West Point which freaked him out a little. He really freaked out when I told him that he kept getting letters because we had already started the application process( of course I was kidding) but his expression was priceless . 
@carolinamom2boys Super Congrats to you S! That’s such awesome news!!! Glad for the most part your wait is over…we are still in suspended animation, holding our breath and soon to be turning purple in anticipation…lol.
How did you like Furman? We toured there two years ago when S14 was looking to play varsity lax but they are D1 so he was good but not that good so it was crossed off the list. We all loved the campus!
For those of you receiving acceptance and merit aid letters from ED, were the merit aid packages what different web sites were predicting for your kids? We have been using College Raptor and so far I would say with the exception of Ole Miss that they have been in the ballpark on all. Ole Miss has automatic scholarships that they must not have in their data base yet. Just curious if anyone else has had good luck with sites like this?
I’d like to be the first to wish everyone a Happy Festivus. May you all have wonderful demonstrations of strength, and exciting airings of grievances.
@mommdc out of the 11 schools DD applied to 1 says FAFSA is due 1/15, 3 are due 2/1, & all the rest are due 2/15 with the exception of 1 which is due 5/1. She will not get her acceptances from the selective " need blind" schools until April.
@lvmjac1 I really like this: I have found that when you have a giving nature you generally receive just as much if not more in return. Giving is the fuel of the soul!
@carolinamom2boys, congratulations to your S
@AsleepAtTheWheel “Happy Festivus” lol HF to u 2
I see that more congrats are in order! I can’t even find all the announcements there’s so much traffic on here now. D just got a scholarship letter from one of her accepted colleges for a scholarship that covers 1/2 the total cost of attendance, including room and board. This will bring the cost down to less than our state flagships. This school is not in her top 3 but it’s one she would be happy to attend.
FWIW, we indicated that we will be pursuing FA at all of her colleges and so far has a perfect record of acceptances (5 of them, 5 to go), with merit and honors colleges invitations. I don’t believe that checking the FA box gives college pause to accept kids. You can look at the charts of those on FA or not for pretty much every school and unless they are all lying, most take quite a few who on FA.
As for the deadlines to file the FAFSA, most of our schools fall between Jan. and March 1, with one or 2 outliers who will take it until the end of the 2015/2016 school year. They all advise to get them in sooner.
Congrats @sseamom . Just waiting on Honors; otherwise , all decisions are in.
Congrats to your D @sseamom!!! How many more decisions is she waiting for?