Fafsa

[Woth2982]

I filled out FAFSA for 8 years, and only got aid once, AND I got taxed on the grant I received so It wasn't even worth it in the long run. FAFSA can be a big pain, best of luck to you! I know one of the schools i applied to didn't accept FAFSA applications after March. I would send it off in February after I finished doing my taxes.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

Also, maybe we're just "lucky" but we've been chosen for verification every year. I print out an extra copy of our tax return & sign it and set it aside for this purpose; I know it's inevitable. There are a couple of forms to complete on the college's website too. I just roll with it at this point.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

So glad this topic was brought up My DH is going back to school to get another Master's and we filled out a FAFSA. I have been trying to figure out if FAFSA is just for a school loan that you have to pay back or if it is more like PEL Grants that you don't have to pay back. I'm just confused. Don't really think we want a loan that we have to pay back, as we are on Dave Ramsey track and not interested in taking out loans. Most of his classes will be distance learning and he will just take classes based on the amount we can afford that semester. We filled out the application and got something back in the mail to verify the information and return, I just get the feeling it is just for pay back loans. Hopefully someone can clairfy for me. TIA!

It's for the Pell grant too, and perhaps other (non-loan) financial aid.

 

[disneyluvnmom]

It's for the Pell grant too, and perhaps other (non-loan) financial aid.

Thanks!

 

[nsmith]

Thanks for all the information. It isn't for a child though, its for me I am finally transitioning out of staying at home to the work force and decided to go to school first.

I filled it out tonight. It was really easy, it actually linked to my information on the IRS site. I probably won't be eligible for much but any little bit helps.

Thanks for all the help.

good luck, when I was finishing up my degree 9 years ago I filled out the fasfa and of course was not eligible for any $$ as I was a very part time student. things where getting a bit tight at home so I sent an email to the finacial aid office and explained my situation "using IRA money, part time nurse, full time mom blah, blah blah" Never received a response but in October of that year I received a credit for my course on my Visa!! I sent a thank you email but never received a response. for two years I received credit for the course I was taking a month or two after I had paid and the semester started.

when I finished work on my degree I called the aid office to thank them, I spoke to a very nice woman who told me that after the aid was handed out to all the full time and needy student they sometimes had some small scholarships or aid money left over, that was all I needed so they gave it to me. It was only $600-$700 a semester but that was all I needed.

 

[marie1203]

So glad this topic was brought up My DH is going back to school to get another Master's and we filled out a FAFSA. I have been trying to figure out if FAFSA is just for a school loan that you have to pay back or if it is more like PEL Grants that you don't have to pay back. I'm just confused. Don't really think we want a loan that we have to pay back, as we are on Dave Ramsey track and not interested in taking out loans. Most of his classes will be distance learning and he will just take classes based on the amount we can afford that semester. We filled out the application and got something back in the mail to verify the information and return, I just get the feeling it is just for pay back loans. Hopefully someone can clairfy for me. TIA!

Fafsa will pull out both student loans that you might be able to get and grants that you are qualify for. Since you DH is going to graduate school he is probably not going to get any money from the pell grant. The pell grant was design mostly for undergraduate students with a few exceptions. Although, there might be other grants you DH could qualify for. Since you already apply there should given an estimate of the money you could received and the sources of the money.

 

[gacompguy]

EFC is a joke IMO. I got burned.

A lot of people get burned by the EFC. The EFC only takes into account income and assets, it doesn't take into account debts or family circumstances. For example, if your family owns rental properties that have mortgages, only the rental income is taken into account, not the mortgage payments. Same is true if your family has a large annual income and a large amount of debt. The FAFSA only sees the income and doesn't really care about the debt.

Also, maybe we're just "lucky" but we've been chosen for verification every year. I print out an extra copy of our tax return & sign it and set it aside for this purpose; I know it's inevitable. There are a couple of forms to complete on the college's website too. I just roll with it at this point.

The Department of Education visits schools and randomly audits student FAFSA data. They tend to "randomly" sample the same kinds of students. If you're being picked every year, you are either in one of their "random" categories or... Some schools are under more scrutiny than others and make ALL students (or all incoming Freshmen) send in their tax returns and other information for verification.

 

[ctinct]

Also, maybe we're just "lucky" but we've been chosen for verification every year. I print out an extra copy of our tax return & sign it and set it aside for this purpose; I know it's inevitable. There are a couple of forms to complete on the college's website too. I just roll with it at this point.

My daughter will be a college freshman next month, and her school is very upfront that they basically verify nearly everyone every year. I don't have a problem with that---her school is known for giving out very good aid, and I don't mind having to send in a few copies of things. It turned out to be a good thing this year. I made a mistake with pension contribution dollars, and they actually decreased my efc.