SSN on Common App

[Anonymous]

It says "If you are intending to apply for financial aid, your social security number is needed for processing." My family does not qualify for FA but might want to get unsubsidized Loans. Do I enter SSN?

[Anonymous]

Yes. You need to fill out the fafsa form for loans.

[Anonymous]

What if you don't provide now, but later apply for FAFSA (which comes out later in the Fall)? -DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if you don't provide now, but later apply for FAFSA (which comes out later in the Fall)? -DP

If you intend to apply for aid, you need to include your SSN.

[Anonymous]

Just list it now. If you don’t and later need a college to have it you’ll have to physically mail a copy of the social security card. Colleges will not accept by email or phone. Processing the mailing takes months.

[Anonymous]

So if not submitting FAFSA, should we leave SSN blank?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if not submitting FAFSA, should we leave SSN blank?

Correct.
But if you include SSN they’ll assume you need aid….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So if not submitting FAFSA, should we leave SSN blank?

Correct.
But if you include SSN they’ll assume you need aid….

Is this accurate? I read this last year but when DD filled out common app, there was a place to check that she would not be requesting financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So if not submitting FAFSA, should we leave SSN blank?

Correct.
But if you include SSN they’ll assume you need aid….

Is this accurate? I read this last year but when DD filled out common app, there was a place to check that she would not be requesting financial aid.

Yes some schools ask "are you applying for institutional financial aid?" in the school specific question section.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So if not submitting FAFSA, should we leave SSN blank?

Correct.
But if you include SSN they’ll assume you need aid….

Is this accurate? I read this last year but when DD filled out common app, there was a place to check that she would not be requesting financial aid.

No, it’s not correct. Many people include SSN even if they aren’t currently requesting aid.

[Anonymous]

Is there a compelling reason to *not* include SSN? Unrelated to any appearance of aid status. Why would someone not just provide it?

This is an actual question. It wouldn’t have occurred to me not to include it, so I’m trying to figure out if I’m missing something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a compelling reason to *not* include SSN? Unrelated to any appearance of aid status. Why would someone not just provide it?

This is an actual question. It wouldn’t have occurred to me not to include it, so I’m trying to figure out if I’m missing something.

The reason not to include it has nothing to do with gaming the system for admissions. It is to decrease the number of times your kid's SSN is sent out. If your kid applies to 15 schools, that's the Common App system plus 15 schools that could potentially get hacked. They will almost certainly have to give their SSN to the school they're matriculating at, but the other 14 don't need it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a compelling reason to *not* include SSN? Unrelated to any appearance of aid status. Why would someone not just provide it?

This is an actual question. It wouldn’t have occurred to me not to include it, so I’m trying to figure out if I’m missing something.

The reason not to include it has nothing to do with gaming the system for admissions. It is to decrease the number of times your kid's SSN is sent out. If your kid applies to 15 schools, that's the Common App system plus 15 schools that could potentially get hacked. They will almost certainly have to give their SSN to the school they're matriculating at, but the other 14 don't need it.

so... DON'T supply it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a compelling reason to *not* include SSN? Unrelated to any appearance of aid status. Why would someone not just provide it?

This is an actual question. It wouldn’t have occurred to me not to include it, so I’m trying to figure out if I’m missing something.

The reason not to include it has nothing to do with gaming the system for admissions. It is to decrease the number of times your kid's SSN is sent out. If your kid applies to 15 schools, that's the Common App system plus 15 schools that could potentially get hacked. They will almost certainly have to give their SSN to the school they're matriculating at, but the other 14 don't need it.

so... DON'T supply it?

Correct. If you're not applying for applying for aid, then don't need to include it. It's generally a good idea to not give out your SSN to anyone other than those who truly need it (e.g. your bank and employer).

[Anonymous]

We didn't provide it. No need to submit it to multiple schools. DS will take his ss card to the registrar's office to get his record updated when he starts school mainly for tax reporting purposes.