Hi all - just spent a bit of time reading this helpful (and entertaining!) thread. It helps so much to know that I am not alone!
of apps: 9-10
submitted: 0
of essays: 2 done, 2 in progress, and about 5-6 more to go
First deadline is fast approaching on 10/15!
We will not qualify for need-based financial aid (we have run the numbers) but D may qualify for merit at some schools. I am not sure if any of these schools require the FAFSA for merit scholarships, but realize this may be required.
My question is this - if we are submitting the FAFSA strictly for potential merit, would my D still check the “I will be applying for need-based aid” on the Common and Coalition apps? I believe the Common App has a follow up question about merit $ (not sure that the Coalition App does). Is it correct to check NO to need-based, YES to merit, and then file the FAFSA? Or does the act of filing the FAFSA require D to check the YES to the need-based question?
Follow up question - if we do not submit the FAFSA now, and D is eligible for merit at a school that requires the FAFSA for merit, would the school then contact her to let her know to complete this final step? I have looked at the merit scholarship info on the websites of the schools she is applying to, and have seen no instructions about filing the FAFSA prior to application.
So you can see I am confused here! Thank you for any advice you can provide.
D18 got her first acceptance: Alabama! Definitely put some pep in her step last night (“I’m actually going to college!!!”) after we got home from a long trip.
DS submitted his Apply Texas app last night. There are three essay prompts and he could submit one optional essay. He decided to write all three essays and then pick the one he liked best. I read them last night and I though all three were amazing. The one he picked was topic A where he described his homeschool experiences and how important those experiences where to him. It was very powerful, made me cry with joy to read his story in his words watching him go from an inquisitive toddler to a self assured young adult.
He’s got a rough draft of his McDermott but hasn’t shared it with me yet I do know he’s doing something a little risky in my opinion but his English teacher thinks it’s novel and if done well will make his app stand out. I reached out to a past McDermott scholar and he thought the idea was brilliant so what do I know? DS is going with it. I just keep telling myself it’s ok, he has other scholarships to fall back on. I’m very concerned that he hasn’t even started his video for the application yet and Nov. 2nd doesn’t look that far away any more!
In other news, the GF is happily settled in at Stanford but the timezone difference is starting to take a toll on DS. We have never restricted phone or electronics use at night but if these long late night communications keep up we may have to revisit that!
What the heck…I have used a Virgin Mobile phone for nearly 10 years. Just went to look about getting a new ohone and discovered that as of July they are only going to carry Iphones. I hate iphones. I love my Samsung galaxy. Boo.
@droppedit congratulations!!! I bet it feels good to have one in hand.
Nothing happened here all weekend with applications. D is taking SATs for second time on Saturday. Hopefully she gets some practice/study time in this week
@swtaffy904 – It was definitely a big moment for her. She’s under quite a bit of stress right now with college apps, school, clubs, etc. I mentioned in a previous post a while back that we would reach a point of maximum aerodynamic pressure this semester. She’s there … but I’ve noticed that she performs best under pressure.
HI all - hope you can help me out with a few FAFSA questions.
We will not qualify for need-based aid (ran the numbers to double-check) but D may qualify for merit scholarships (inc National Merit) at some of her schools. My questions related to this…
Does she need to submit the FAFSA for all merit scholarships? How do we find out if the colleges require this if it is not specifically stated on their scholarship pages on their websites?
If she does in fact need to submit the FAFSA for possible merit, on the Common App would she check the box next to “I am applying for need-based aid” just because she is submitting a FAFSA? Or is checking the box “I am interested in applying for merit scholarships” enough?
If she does not submit a FAFSA now and a school does require it for merit scholarships, would they later reach out to her after the merit scholarship decision and tell her to submit the FAFSA then?
@bearcatfan, Thanks for clarifying about the FAFSA ID. @droppedit - Congratulations!!
I also have similar questions as 3CollegeMom. We will not get need based aid but there is so much confusion if FAFSA is needed for any merit consideration.
Thank you to my fellow Texan. I cant remember who posted. My son turns 18 Wednesday and had no clue that his driver licenses will expire. Ugh! Add one more thing to do this week. I guess this will be one of those adult moments that I look at him and say this is your responsibility, not mine. I have no desire to sit at the DMV but I might be convinced to sit with him because I know he will be gone soon enough.
The FAFSA was not what I was expecting. I didn’t have any trouble retrieving my taxes, that was very easy. Glad I didn’t have any trouble when it sounds like it was a hit and miss with some. What I am having a hard time with is the fact they want more then my Taxes. I am not happy that we have been saving for this moment and now that will be held against us. It was just a little shocking. My husband was not happy at all. He considerers some of our accounts as OUR retirement. FASA does not !!! On top of that my son has a UTMA account and that counts against him also. The only bright part is that his tuition plan does not have to be reported. (I think). Just have to gather my courage/patience to go through files that I didn’t think I was going to have to find.
Some colleges do want you to file a FAFSA to be considered for merit. Even some local scholarships here require you to provide your FAFSA student aid report. It’s honestly not that onerous to fill out, as long as you do some gathering of documents before you sit down to fill it out.
@Texas1820 I am new to this, but I think any prepaid/529-ish tuition plan does need to be reported as a parent asset (at least with mine, I own the account for their benefit). At least, that’s what I did … I printed off the value as of yesterday and added it in since it’s an investment of sorts. Maybe someone else can chime in on that one.
Only retirement savings in qualified retirement accounts don’t count in FAFSA assets.
As far as schools who require FAFSA for merit, the best thing would be to ask each one.
I don’t know anything about common app sorry.
@labegg I have ATT prepaid. I have the multi-line plan and I have 4 lines (two with data and two without), and with autopay discount it only costs me $100/month plus taxes.
FAFSA just calculates your EFC from income and assets for the purpose of federal and state grant aid eligibility. If the EFC is too high then you won’t get a Pell Grant and maybe no state grant either. You can borrow federal student loans.
The EFC is not what you pay to the school.
The amount you pay is direct costs (tuition, fees, room and board) minus any grant or merit aid.
@bearcatfan I think you might be right. I have been told by his GC that it wasn’t not included. I know, I know I just figured they would know this. I just got off the phone with his plan provider and it looks like it is one more asset that my husband and I have. I have no clue at this point. I am going to have to do some more digging because I don’t know how to even get the value of the plan that we have. This is why I don’t do my taxes and if we have somehow screwed up our taxes for the last 16 years. We bought this plan when he was 2. More problems then it might be worth. when we know he will not get any need based aid. Just filling it out because of merit scholarships.
D and I walked yesterday and she revealed her Common and UC apps are completed. Just polishing those essays up. we have 4 weeks to REA deadline. She said two of her essays are the best essays she’s ever written, very proud of them, but writing essays has never been her strongest points. We haven’t sent any scores yet to anywhere and I’m sure when that should be done. I know a lot of people have sent scores pre app submittal, but we haven’t yet. Bad move?
@3CollegeMom@Pri930 I’m in the same boat re: merit & FAFSA. I think to be absolutely sure, you need to ask each college individually if they require you to submit FAFSA for merit consideration. Some schools say on their site “all students who apply for admission are considered for merit” or similar language. I tend to consider that a statement that FAFSA is not required. In fact, D recieved a merit scholarship at her rolling safety in September, no FAFSA needed. As to your 2nd question collegemom, I think selecting the merit aid option makes sense regardless because if you are submitting the FAFSA only because it’s required for merit and are not anticipating or really applying for need-based aid, you shouldn’t indicate that you are. FAFSA is also useful for getting loans, which aren’t “aid” per se, just another avenue to pay, so even families like ours who don’t qualify for need-based aid could conceivably submit FAFSA just to get access to the loans.
Another head banging against the wall weekend here. I wish it would end and I know she does too. She confessed to feeling pressure to make her essays “perfect” so they will “like” her. :-S Ugh. I told her not to worry about that, she has literally no reaches on her list, all pretty safe from a statistical perspective. Unless she confesses a crime or commits gross acts of negligence against the english language it will be fine. She can’t break through her mental wall that this is something she “can’t” do. She’s working more today during her study period. This was on 2 supplemental essays for a school she really likes, up to 500 words each. I told her to get them to at least 250, polish them a bit and be done with it. :-< I don’t know how we’re going to survive the next 2 months, but I definitely foresee the dropping of her 2 reachier, more essay heavy schools that have been put off for RD…
@sushiritto 30 plus applications under the labegg family belt, we have never had a problem with sending SAT/ACT scores earlier (even well earlier) than the app. We have not experienced any problem with scores matching up with app. Transcripts matching up, yes, mutiple matching issues. I think it is safe to send standardized test scores ahead.