If you know you won't qualify for need-based aid
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Anonymous
| do you check the box for no financial aid? or does checking that box disqualify you from merit aid also? |
Anonymous
| We had our kids apply for financial aid knowing they wouldn't qualify because one of the requirements for many scholarship applications is that you've applied for it. |
Anonymous
| It does not disqualify you for merit aid. OP, do you have a college counselor who can elaborate? Not clear on PP's point. |
Anonymous
| We checked "no" for financial aid and DD received merit from a few schools. |
Anonymous
| ^^ agreed. We checked "no" and DD received merit aid. And - sad to say - but, who knows? maybe it helped. A hook perhaps? Again, sad to say. |
Anonymous
| I often wonder if you check "yes" even though you probably won't qualify but are hoping for some anyway if this hurts your chances at some schools. Private colleges are so expensive now that probably 99% of the people applying would like some aid. |
Anonymous
| Yes, check the box for financial aid and complete both the FAFSA and College Board financial aid forms plus the DC Tuition Assistance Grant application if you live in the district. College scholarships and external scholarships require these forms for merit aid. |
Anonymous
As has been said, this is not always the case. DD checked "no" for FA and received merit aid from one third of the colleges she applied to. |
Anonymous
| I was told by a college counselor not to check the box if we won't qualify or need aid, because some colleges are now "need aware" and it can be a factor in admissions. |
Anonymous
|
College scholarships and external scholarships require these forms (FAFSA) for merit aid.
Not true. Not true for many. None of DD's 10 schools, or DS's 5 needed it for merit aid. |