FAFSA for 2017

[lucky978]

Filled out ours for the first time over the weekend and I didn't feel it was as bad as I expected. Having the option to automatically populate information from the IRS was a life saver. Probably took me about an hour and a half total (for 2 kids).

What is the CSS?

 

[KAMLEM]

CSS is only required by certain schools so not everyone has to do it.

 

[clh2]

I agree with the posters who indicated that some scholarships require the FAFSA to be on file.

 

[Poohforyou]

Filed FAFSA yesterday, piece of cake. What I'll finish CSS over the weekent isn't hard but does require a lot of info.

The 4 schools my dd applied to all require 1 or both for merit scholarships. No way are we chancing losing out on anything a school is willing to offer.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

I did my FAFSA for my DD last night.

So much easier than the old days for my son.

 

[scrapquitler]

Not sure I need to do this or not? DD is technically a junior, but has enough credits to graduate this year if she wants. She's taking the ACT this month and based on the score she gets, will decide whether to apply for fall 2017 or not. There's not a snowballs chance in hell that she is getting one penny of "needs based" aid, so can anyone tell me whether it's worth my time to fill it out? Ack. Another thing to worry about given her recently announced scheme to graduate early.

Personally, I'm advocating a year in PSEO (post secondary educational opportunity) which is basically college for free for a year. She'd have to go to the local community college, but heck, that's just fine for entry level classes anyway.

I did it for Freshman year, just to see what would happen, even though I knew we wouldn't qualify for much and knowing the scholarship she had already been offered because I was told that 'some' schools required it. She's now a junior, and I have not filled it out since prior to freshman year, as her school did not require it, and we were not applying for any aid.

 

[aprilgail]

Interesting, because people I know experienced just the opposite. Their kids received merit-based money with no FAFSA required. I double-checked with the school guidance counselor who said we would not need to fill it out for the merit awards my kid will hopefully qualify for next year.

That's interesting because at our schools financial aid meeting the person they had running it (from a local college) said that every single person has to fill out FAFSA no matter what.

 

[PollyannaMom]

What is the CSS?

A more detailed financial aid form that has to be filled out if you are applying to certain schools.

I just went to a college financing seminar at DS's high school last week, and the presenter explained it this way: The FAFSA relies mostly on your income. The CSS looks a lot more heavily into your assets. It's used by schools that have a lot of money to give away (special endowments, etc.) to determine who needs it the most.

 

[Rhie]

Not sure I need to do this or not? DD is technically a junior, but has enough credits to graduate this year if she wants. She's taking the ACT this month and based on the score she gets, will decide whether to apply for fall 2017 or not. There's not a snowballs chance in hell that she is getting one penny of "needs based" aid, so can anyone tell me whether it's worth my time to fill it out? Ack. Another thing to worry about given her recently announced scheme to graduate early.

Personally, I'm advocating a year in PSEO (post secondary educational opportunity) which is basically college for free for a year. She'd have to go to the local community college, but heck, that's just fine for entry level classes anyway.

You have to fill it out to get federal loans. And as far as need based, she'll definitely get them when she is off your taxes. And she might get it now, depending on the school and their rules.

And, just to check, you did fill it out on www.fafsa.ed.gov, right? Also go to studentloans.gov.

 

[Rhie]

It is better to be safe than sorry out of gate, that way your bases are covered. As PP stated some scholarships require it. It is not going to hurt you.

My dd has loans that require the FAFSA fill out.

Probably the delay. All scholarships are on a first-come first-serve basis. And never, ever trust the school to fill it out for you. Sorry about that :/. I just had to go round and round with my school about financial aid and their office is comparatively well run!

 

[aprilgail]

CSS is only required by certain schools so not everyone has to do it.

My daughter is applying to 12 schools- 10 wanted CSS- cost me 169.00 to send it to them. FAFSA was a piece of cake, took less than 10 minutes, it links to the IRS so its basically filled out for you. During the financial aid talk they told us that you can enter the info yourself but you stand a 30% of being audited by FAFSA- if you link it to your income tax then its basically 0% chance you will be audited.