How does DDs School Know I Haven't Filled Out FAFSA Yet?

[dreamin_disney]

I felt the same way. I didn't think we would qualify so why fill it out. We did fill it out because of school. Well DD got a middle class scholarship for $2,400 for the year. You just never know

 

[nighttowll]

I wouldn’t take it personally. I think the very fact they are asking if it has been done shows they have no idea about your financial or personal situation. It’s more likely just a routine step the guidance counselor goes through for every student. You’d be surprised how many families who actually would qualify for aid, don’t fill the thing out or don’t realize it’s important or when it’s due. You probably aren’t the typical parent the counselor is use to dealing with. You also have to factor in the parents who won’t fill it out on time, and then will be up at the school carrying on blaming the counselor for not notifying them of the due date causing their child to miss out on aid. So the counselor is probably partly going through the motions of his/her job, partly genuinely caring about a student who may need aid, and partly covering their own butt to keep you from blaming them later.

I know when my sister was in high school, her school started working with them on getting ready for college as freshman. They met with a special college advisor monthly one on one. The advisor’s only job was to help them get into good schools and figure out how to pay for them. This was a separate position from the regular guidance counselor post. The students were essentially given homework assignments starting freshman year on all the things they needed to do, starting with researching schools and majors, to financial aid and scholarships, to actually applying. They checked in regularly with this advisor who kept track of their progress and made sure they were staying on track and meeting each deadline. Confirming the student / family 1) knew and understood what the FASFa was, 2) knew about availabile FASFA workshops, 3) didn’t have any questions, and 4) had filled the thing out on time, was only one of a number of things the counselor asked about. None of this was considered prying or invasive. The counselor was simply doing her job, making sure each student met each deadline. Our family welcomed all the help we could get.

If you’ve been able to figure it all out your own, that’s great. We were overwhelmed and learned so much from her counselor during the process. The counselor helped us to get my sister almost a full ride to a very good private school even though our EFC pretty much qualified her for $0. If you know what you’re doing, do whatever it is you feel comfortable with, and don’t worry about the HS. Just try to remember they are only doing their job as far as making sure students are college ready, so they are probably going to ask some college readiness questions along the way. Just part of the process at most schools on the road to graduation.

 

[wendow]

Just curious since I have a senior this year...quick background, she's been chronically ill for almost 3 years so barely getting through high school and has NOT taken any college entrance exams...We are hopeful she will be able to carry 12 hours this next fall at the local community college. She very much still needs to be at home and under our care but her health is improving. Is it worth filling out the FAFSA if she won't be attending a 4-year school? She was a very bright student until she got sick

 

[dreamin_disney]

Just curious since I have a senior this year...quick background, she's been chronically ill for almost 3 years so barely getting through high school and has NOT taken any college entrance exams...We are hopeful she will be able to carry 12 hours this next fall at the local community college. She very much still needs to be at home and under our care but her health is improving. Is it worth filling out the FAFSA if she won't be attending a 4-year school? She was a very bright student until she got sick

its financial aid so I think so. I know 20 years ago I got financial aid at community college. Sending hugs and prayers/good thoughts for your daughter

 

[nighttowll]

Yes, the general rule of thumb is always fill it out. The OPs situation is somewhat unique. It can be hard and time consuming to research every bit of aid available to you, and if you miss something, something changes, or you get something wrong, you run the risk of possibly loosing aid.

It does not hurt or penalize you in any way to fill it out. All they can do is tell you you don’t qualify for anything.

Some states have non-need based programs that pay for any resident student to attend a local community college, but even though these are non-need based, they may still require you to fill out the FASFA.

In addition, there may be other aid you qualify for. You just never know.

Also, if you have questions, check around, there are usually seminars, work shops, or accountants who can help you navigate the FASFA and maximize what it can do for you.

 

[NinaBella]

I would be so appreciative if my child's school counselor was this proactive in reminding me of these things. I am so busy and have such a forgetful memory.

I do understand your situation. When my kids attended the military daycare, we had to show our income once a year or they would threaten if the documents were not provided by xxx date, they would automatically put us in the highest category (tuition was on a sliding scale based on income). I just smiled at them the first couple years they made this threat and said, "Sweetie, we ARE in the highest category already." They eventually understood that that threat only worked for the lower categories. There were 5 categories when my kids were younger. I know soon after I pulled the kids from the youth before/after school program (once my oldest graduated high school and could put them on/off the bus himself (his college classes were while they were at school) I had heard they added a 6th category.

I would suggest just letting them know you do not have an interest in completing it unless they can provide you details on how it would benefit someone in a higher income level. Perhaps they can give you information you were not aware of.

 

[tvguy]

Nope, not Monterey Bay. Sacramento. We live just a few miles away from it. She also got into San Francisco State, and we are still waiting to hear on San Jose State (I suspect she won't get accepted there, it's close). At least for now, she's going into Interior Design, and not all campuses have a program. Sac State's program has an extra accreditation that many of the other programs are missing, so that's the one she's going to accept (not to mention that whole room and board issue!). Sac State also has good programs in all of the other majors she's considered so far, so I think she'll at least be able to stick with the school, if not the major. Many of her classmates have also been accepted, and I'm sure a fair number of them will end up going there.

I found a website that showed the transfer credits - it looks like some of the info was out of date, but most of the CSUs had extensive lists of classes that would transfer to one and other, but Monterey only had a few! Not sure what that story is, but I'm glad she wasn't looking at it!

Hi neighbor. We live about 8 miles from Sac State. Everything my daughter took at Leeds Metro University in England transferred to Sac State. From CSUMB, not so much. But she left because she felt that campus was "in another world" and that was underscored when she tried to get credit for classes she took there. Given that she went to 4 different schools, I guess I am lucky she was able to graduate in only 4 1/2 years.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

We filled out the fafsa, and there was a contest at our kids high school to win a $50 visa gift card in a drawing. All you had to do was bring in proof of filling out fafsa and fill out an entry form. My DS never entered the contest, but somehow he won the $50 visa. Lol.

My DS is seriously considering college in California. He applied to 3 colleges out there. One accepted him so far. I'm devastated to think of him all the way across the country, but I'll have to deal with it. It's his top choice at the moment. I would love him to stay right here in Michigan, but he's an adventurous kid.

 

[runwad]

I'm sure they are just harping on you to fill it out so they can add you to their stats in the graduation program touting "this many kids from our school are going to college."

Or they are just doing their jobs.

 

[floridafam]

It’s always a good idea to fill out the FAFSA. Things can change in an instant.

Some of DS’s scholarships require that we file a FAFSA-some of them merit based only.

The high school is probably just trying to be helpful.

 

[floridafam]

We filled out the fafsa, and there was a contest at our kids high school to win a $50 visa gift card in a drawing. All you had to do was bring in proof of filling out fafsa and fill out an entry form. My DS never entered the contest, but somehow he won the $50 visa. Lol.

My DS is seriously considering college in California. He applied to 3 colleges out there. One accepted him so far. I'm devastated to think of him all the way across the country, but I'll have to deal with it. It's his top choice at the moment. I would love him to stay right here in Michigan, but he's an adventurous kid.

I remember that feeling. DS was accepted to USC and I was thrilled but sad about him being on the other side of the country. He ended up staying in FL. Has your DS applies to any schools in MI?

 

[floridafam]

Just curious since I have a senior this year...quick background, she's been chronically ill for almost 3 years so barely getting through high school and has NOT taken any college entrance exams...We are hopeful she will be able to carry 12 hours this next fall at the local community college. She very much still needs to be at home and under our care but her health is improving. Is it worth filling out the FAFSA if she won't be attending a 4-year school? She was a very bright student until she got sick

I would fill out the FAFSA. Best of luck to her.

 

[NotUrsula]

Just FYI, at many schools, students are not eligible to get on-campus jobs if they have not filed it. They do this because the number of campus-funded jobs are limited, and they don't want those funds going to pay students who might be eligible to qualify for Federally-subsidized work study jobs.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Seriously, fill the FAFSA out. My son is no academic genius either. He has learning disabilities and graduated HS with a 3.0 but he was so involved with community service that the college he attended gave him 20k in merit scholarship. We received NO financial aid.

I, too, would be thrilled if my children's high school guidance counselors were on top of things. Ours were pretty much useless for our oldest. They told him he should start looking at colleges in October of his senior year. He was happy to tell them that he was already accepted to his first choice school. I digress....

The FAFSA is easy. Don't let that be the reason you put off doing it. The hardest part is pulling all your current balances on savings, stocks etc..

Good luck!

 

[georgina]

This will all vary by school. We did FAFSA for my oldest 2 kids, as they had scholarships which wanted the info. Youngest went to a need based aid only college, and had a small national Merit Scholarship from DHs employer which did not require it, so I never bothered to file it for her. She was able to work on campus as a TA without it.

My DS is seriously considering college in California. He applied to 3 colleges out there. One accepted him so far. I'm devastated to think of him all the way across the country, but I'll have to deal with it. It's his top choice at the moment. I would love him to stay right here in Michigan, but he's an adventurous kid.

DD went to college in CA, and took a job there after graduation. She'll never return to PA to live! Can't say I blame her, we're thinking of moving elsewhere ourselves.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I remember that feeling. DS was accepted to USC and I was thrilled but sad about him being on the other side of the country. He ended up staying in FL. Has your DS applies to any schools in MI?

He did apply to two schools in Michigan, and was accepted at both. He won't make a decision until he has all the decisions and financial offers from all 6 schools he applied to. So now we are just waiting. I know almost nothing about California. It is such a happy/sad time when they grow up!

 

[Mickeypooh99]

This will all vary by school. We did FAFSA for my oldest 2 kids, as they had scholarships which wanted the info. Youngest went to a need based aid only college, and had a small national Merit Scholarship from DHs employer which did not require it, so I never bothered to file it for her. She was able to work on campus as a TA without it.



DD went to college in CA, and took a job there after graduation. She'll never return to PA to live! Can't say I blame her, we're thinking of moving elsewhere ourselves.

That's what I'm afraid of! I wouldn't blame him either, just miss him terribly.

 

[floridafam]

He did apply to two schools in Michigan, and was accepted at both. He won't make a decision until he has all the decisions and financial offers from all 6 schools he applied to. So now we are just waiting. I know almost nothing about California. It is such a happy/sad time when they grow up!

Good luck to him while he divides. USC didn’t offer DS enough money and that helped him make his decision. We looked at schools in Michigan, since we are from there, but he didn’t like any of them.

 

[floridafam]

One reason we were given by school counselors to fill out the FAFSA was financial situations can change at any time. They said even wealthy families should fill one out because you just never know what can happen or change.