@STEM2017 Congratulations to your son. What a wonderful honor.
@jmek15 Thanks for the link to the explanation. I agree 100% with USC’s rationale and wish the whole system would go away (am currently reading The Early Admission Game.) I just seems that all the privates are succumbing to the pressure to offer ED in order to stay competitive. Chicago caved, as did Tulane. I expect Villanova to be next.
I would think the FAFSA would work the way it always has as far as major income changes. It may not seem like it now but in some ways I would think it would be easier for you to make your case. This way you can actually show your income really did change this year.
@STEM2017 everything I’ve read and heard is what is being reiterated here that you’ll have to contact the school to explain significant changes in income. That said, I would think a one time bonus is far easier to document and explain than unemployments or layoffs as the schools expect families to resolve those issues and from what I have read are less willing to accommodate those, or take a wait and see approach. I suspect it will vary by school, not unlike the NCP waiver process we will have to deal with and how easy or not it will be to get.
Congrats to your S, what a wonderful and meaningful accomplishment.
@fun1234 by filling out the common app, all of the “common” information goes to each school that your child adds to his college list within the common app. Which means you only enter that general information one time and all schools that your child applies to, gets it. If they haven’t made an account yet, I would encourage them to do so as it’s easier to understand when you see it on the screen. Each school will then have some additional questions specific to that school and may or may not have extra writing/essays.
As for Naviance, different schools pay for, or subscribe to, different features. The school should be entering in GPA and test scores, if they have that feature but you’ll need to ask your GC about that.
@STEM2017 congrats! Sounds like you are raising some great kids!
I have a friend who had a similar situation with FAFSA and she spent hours on the phone with the FA offices at every college under consideration going over everything.
@STEM2017 Congratulations to your son! It sounds like it will be a great experience for him. I had moved from the NY metro area by the time 9/11 happened but I remember my sister calling me and telling me to turn on the TV. It was in time to see the attack on the second tower and I just could not believe it. Also profoundly grateful that my sister had turned down a job in the Towers just a few weeks before.
Good luck with the FAFSA!
@STEM2017 Congratulations on S19’s honor!
DS19 was a few weeks old but we were across country. Can’t imagine nearing delivery during that time.
During our senior parent night, outside FA consultant gave a presentation.
My impression is that you put in the special circumstance in the notes section before submitting FAFSA.
Unlike in previous years, you already have one full year of financials and may even have filed FY16 taxes before FAFSA submission. So try including both FY15 and FY16 data (in notes) as much as possible in FAFSA.
He said if you earned more in FY16, say zip, if you earned less, tell them.
Due to the change, 2015 is a special year and FY15 income will be used twice for FAFSA. Hope you don’t have a DC[13-16]. 
That person was very knowledgeable but did not satisfy me in answering Coverdell IRA question. 
Just thought I’d share something interesting I saw in S’s school announcements this morning. Although I often feel like our local schools barely touch the tip of the iceberg in preparing students for the college application process, this really surprised me. Today’s announcement to juniors was to sign up for the PSAT/NMSQT, but they only have 25 tests available for the 130 or so-member class, so sign up early if you want to take it! 
Now, I know that NM is not a buzzword in our area, nor is the SAT very commonly taken, and not everyone aims for college, but 25 tests? Wow.
@jmek15 - Thanks for the link. For a school that is often accused of “gaming” the system, they seem rather selfless in that respect. I’m not at all a fan of ED (EA is fine) as it locks students into making a commitment too early in the process without all of the information they need to make an informed decision.
I wish there was “The FAFSA for Dummies”.
I was driving in NYC (from Queens to Bronx) when world trader centers got hit and saw the smoke and fire from a distance and still proceeded to my work in Long Island without knowing the impact. I had wait for bridges to reopen to go back to Bronx to bring my wife home!.
@mtrosemom Just wait until you try to do your taxes and account for 529 distributions and take an education credit.
The FA consultant said CSS makes FAFSA look like a walk in the park.
For us, the CSS is like SAT II tests. If a college requires it, we don’t apply.
Uggh, FAFSA. I am, ahem, a little late on 2015 taxes. We had some unusual situations which I thought I could handle myself with good old TurboTax. Nope. Sooo, the paperwork is all with an accountant now and I’m hoping to get the bad news soon. I doubt the FAFSA (or CSS) will do much this year, as our EFC is about the same as COA at the privates. But the following year I’ll have two in college, so I’m hoping for at least something.
@STEM2017, congratulations to your S – what an honor! My H was on an airplane at the time from London to NYC. They turned back. The Brits were very friendly and sympathetic to the stranded Americans.
If you get to the point of writing letters to finaid offices, here’s the one tip I remember from when I did this with oldest D – be sure to address the letter to an actual person (the director of finaid, I’m guessing), not the office. This was in an article in which finaid officers gave a list of do’s and don’ts. Her top choice college did increase merit, by about $2000/year I think. Still not enough, but we really appreciated it. Anyway, I’m sure you can find more tips through our friend google.
Question regarding fafsa:
If I don’t fill it out for son17 now, and son19 goes to college 2 years later, can I just fill iout FAFSA when son19 gets ready to apply? I don’t think we’re going to qualify anyways, but maybe with 2 kids in school at 60K each maybe the financial aid peeps will have some sympathy. Maybe? Probably not.
I just don’t want to have to fill it out this year if I don’t have to. None of the schools son17 is applying to require it for merit money or scholarships.
Great advice @snoozn Thank you. Sounds like I’ll have a new part-time “financial aid” job next year.
FAFSA is really not that bad, especially the one that will be for 2017/18 and available on Oct 1. Our 2015 taxes have long been done and I can just import all the tax info right into the FAFSA with the IRS retrieval tool.
If you think student loans will be taken out you will need to file FAFSA. If you don’t want to file, just make sure the school doesn’t require freshmen to file to get aid later if financial situation should change. Some schools require it for merit as well.
In some states you might also qualify for a state grant, even if EFC is too high for Pell. Which might require filing of FAFSA.
Well my daughter was finally told that she is a NM semi finalist. She’s very happy!
She still hasn’t chosen an ED school. I get the feeling from the CC that she should as it’s her best shot at her reaches. Panic. Setting. In. LOL
CC also gave her some “target” schools that I am not crazy about. At this point UCONN Honors is fairly predictable for her, why would I pay for George Washington University? Anyone have some insight (please, please, please!)
@cleoforshort - Your D should only apply ED if the school she is applying to is: 1) clearly her top choice and will likely remain so over the course of the next 9 months; 2) financially viable and that it won’t be necessary to compare financial aid offers and no merit aid is needed. Otherwise do NOT let her apply ED.
You might want to start a thread with her stats and what schools she is considering, what her CC recommended, etc. Finances aside, I can think of a few reasons why GWU might be more attractive than UCONN. mostly having to do with being in Washington.
@cleoforshort - without knowing more about your D (what her potential major is, does she have a certain type of school in mind or doesn’t care, etc.) it is hard to give you useful guidance. I agree with what LoveTheBard suggested that you start your own thread with your D’s specific info and solict advice. Also, I agree that there is no reason to apply ED unless your D has a very specific school that she must attend and you feel that you will be able to pay for whatever portion your contribution will be. My S is not applying ED anywhere because we are chasing merit aid. He is applying mainly to schools that offer NMF good aid of at least full tuition. The other schools he will apply to are affordable for us without any aid. He will get the apps in early because (I am a nag and) that way he can focus on the honors college applications and outside scholarship apps rather than because the schools require it.