FAFSA

[blackgirlmd]

when do you fill out FAFSA? And how do you fill it out if you don't know what school you're going to yet (have an acceptance but haven't made decision)?

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[Ismet]

You can list up to (I believe) 10 schools, which can include schools you're wait listed at. You fill out FAFSA in the winter, usually with a deadline in April or so. It opens sometime in January.

 

[NotAnotherPreMed]

It opened yesterday!

 

[lalex]

It's better to fill it out sooner than later, even if you have to edit the info when you get your tax return.

 

[raiderette]

It is open now, but it is easier to fill out with a complete tax return. I started mine based on last year's return. I estimated my mom's info from the year before.

 

[Cookie04]

Does anyone know what happens if you don't include your parents information? Will adding your parents income affect your chances of financial aid? My school states that we don't have to add our parents income, but I'm not sure if I should anyway.

 

[toffee_bloom]

I submitted mine yesterday and I added the school I was accepted at and another I was put on hold for. I am an independent but I included my parent's info anyway, because I figured it couldn't hurt. I obviously won't be working during med school and my dad doesn't make much so hopefully they'll see that and give me a nice financial aid package. ️

But yeah I just used last year's info and will update it later once we file our taxes. Funds run out really quickly in my state so that's why I didn't wait. The estimate is pretty good because the info doesn't really change significantly from year to year, at least it didn't for me. I received aid from FAFSA every year for undergrad and when I got a job I actually got MORE money.

 

[blackgirlmd]

what should I put for housing plans if I have no idea? The school I am accepted at has on campus housing but its limited. So should I just put on campus?

 

[toffee_bloom]

what should I put for housing plans if I have no idea? The school I am accepted at has on campus housing but its limited. So should I just put on campus?

I put off-campus because even if the place offers on-campus housing, I'm positive I can find a place within walking distance that's cheaper. It may be different for you though!

 

[blackgirlmd]

I put off-campus because even if the place offers on-campus housing, I'm positive I can find a place within walking distance that's cheaper. It may be different for you though!

thank you!

 

[Ismet]

Does anyone know what happens if you don't include your parents information? Will adding your parents income affect your chances of financial aid? My school states that we don't have to add our parents income, but I'm not sure if I should anyway.

Most schools require parental info if you want need-based aid. I'd clarify with your school first to see if you are eligible for need-based without parent info. At many schools, you have to put parent info even if you're in your 30s with a spouse and children of your own...again only if you want aid from the school.

It won't make a difference for federal loans. As a graduate student you are considered an independent and you will be eligible for Stafford unsubsidized and GradPLUS loans up to your school's cost of attendance.

 

[Cookie04]

Most schools require parental info if you want need-based aid. I'd clarify with your school first to see if you are eligible for need-based without parent info. At many schools, you have to put parent info even if you're in your 30s with a spouse and children of your own...again only if you want aid from the school.

It won't make a difference for federal loans. As a graduate student you are considered an independent and you will be eligible for Stafford unsubsidized and GradPLUS loans up to your school's cost of attendance.

Sounds good! I doubt I will qualify for any need based aid, and I am already getting a scholarship from the school so sounds like it isn't necessary for me to include my parents info. Thank you!

 

[warrior209]

Can anyone provide any insight on how to fill out the FAFSA before you receive this years tax returns? Some say use last years information and edit it later, others say you should roughly estimate this years info and edit later. Is there a preferred or correct way to go about this?

 

[Lost in Translation]

You can list up to (I believe) 10 schools, which can include schools you're wait listed at. You fill out FAFSA in the winter, usually with a deadline in April or so. It opens sometime in January.

This is all new to me, too. Should you list schools from where you're waiting to hear back from?

 

[Ismet]

This is all new to me, too. Should you list schools from where you're waiting to hear back from?

Yep. When I did my FAFSA in my app year, I had only been accepted to 1 school at that time, several waitlists, and a couple interviews I hadn't gone on yet or hadn't heard a decision. It worked out that I had 10 interviews so I listed 10 schools.

 

[Ismet]

Can anyone provide any insight on how to fill out the FAFSA before you receive this years tax returns? Some say use last years information and edit it later, others say you should roughly estimate this years info and edit later. Is there a preferred or correct way to go about this?

I always used the previous year's info and edited later.

 

[deleted738762]

Hi,
So if you are in medical school the FAFSA is only for loans right? Not actual financial aid where the government gives you money that you do not need to pay back?

 

[Ismet]

Hi,
So if you are in medical school the FAFSA is only for loans right? Not actual financial aid where the government gives you money that you do not need to pay back?

Loans are financial aid. What you are referring to is a grant, which is also a component of financial aid which you don't have to pay back.

I highly recommend perusing the federal student aid website. It's very helpful and educational about what you're about to sign up for https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/

 

[deleted738762]

Loans are financial aid. What you are referring to is a grant, which is also a component of financial aid which you don't have to pay back.

I highly recommend perusing the federal student aid website. It's very helpful and educational about what you're about to sign up for https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/

Can we get grants in medical school?

 

[Lost in Translation]

Yes. You can get NIH grants, you can get merit grants (from the school), you can get other grants. Any grant you apply for, you have the chance of receiving.

 

[deleted738762]

Yes. You can get NIH grants, you can get merit grants (from the school), you can get other grants. Any grant you apply for, you have the chance of receiving.

apply through fafsa?

 

[Ismet]

Can we get grants in medical school?

Not from the federal government to my knowledge. As said above, you can get a need-based grant from your school and that is based on the information provided in FAFSA.

Seriously the link I provided will answer all of your questions.

 

[Ismet]

apply through fafsa?

Not those.

Merit-based "grants" are scholarships. If you have amazing stats and a school really really wants you, maybe they'll offer you a scholarship. It's much less likely for medical school compares to undergrad, but it happens.

NIH grants fund research.

We get many opportunities to apply for scholarships and grants once we are IN medical school for various reasons.

 

[Bones 2020]

Not those.

Merit-based "grants" are scholarships. If you have amazing stats and a school really really wants you, maybe they'll offer you a scholarship. It's much less likely for medical school compares to undergrad, but it happens.

NIH grants fund research.

We get many opportunities to apply for scholarships and grants once we are IN medical school for various reasons.

So most/all scholarships can't be applied for until school actually starts?

 

[deleted738762]

Not those.

Merit-based "grants" are scholarships. If you have amazing stats and a school really really wants you, maybe they'll offer you a scholarship. It's much less likely for medical school compares to undergrad, but it happens.

NIH grants fund research.

We get many opportunities to apply for scholarships and grants once we are IN medical school for various reasons.

Hey thanks for the time, I will research more, if I have any questions I will send you a private message if thats Ok.Thanks

 

[Krupke]

You can add schools to FAFSA later, right?

 

[occams_razor]

You can add schools to FAFSA later, right?

Yes

 

[Lannister]

So if my parents make enough (but are not contributing to paying for medical school) that I'm confident that I won't get any need-based aid from my institution, is it in my best interest to not include their info on FAFSA? Sorry, no idea what I'm doing here.

 

[HybridEarth]

When do most schools' financial aid packages become available? E.g., when do we know how much each school will cost tuition wise? Is that around March? I'm sure it varies from school to school

 

[Ismet]

When do most schools' financial aid packages become available? E.g., when do we know how much each school will cost tuition wise? Is that around March? I'm sure it varies from school to school

Usually end of April. Before the deadline where you can only hold 1 acceptance, whenever that is (used to be May 15)

If you just want to know how much tuition is, look at the website and add a bit for inflation. You can get a rough idea.

 

[Ismet]

So if my parents make enough (but are not contributing to paying for medical school) that I'm confident that I won't get any need-based aid from my institution, is it in my best interest to not include their info on FAFSA? Sorry, no idea what I'm doing here.

No, it's in your best interest just to include your parents' info. There's no harm to including it. And unless your parents are millionaires, don't underestimate the possibility of getting need-based aid. I didn't think I'd get anything and I got a small grant. Not a big amount in the grand scheme of things, but it's several thousand dollars I don't have to pay back!

 

[Lannister]

No, it's in your best interest just to include your parents' info. There's no harm to including it. And unless your parents are millionaires, don't underestimate the possibility of getting need-based aid. I didn't think I'd get anything and I got a small grant. Not a big amount in the grand scheme of things, but it's several thousand dollars I don't have to pay back!

Okay, thank you! They definitely don't pull in anything close to $1mill a year but if we're talking income + assets then yes, definitely. I'll just have to keep bullying my mom into filing their taxes

 

[MerYangBey]

@Ismet is there a reason to submit the FAFSA in January when no one has 2015 tax info? Wouldn't make sense to wait until March to file? Or am I missing something? Do schools look at the estimates you provide in January or do they wait until you put in the actual info for 2015?

 

[Ismet]

@Ismet is there a reason to submit the FAFSA in January when no one has 2015 tax info? Wouldn't make sense to wait until March to file? Or am I missing something? Do schools look at the estimates you provide in January or do they wait until you put in the actual info for 2015?

I'd just submit as early as possible in case it's first come first served or something. They assume that your tax information doesn't drastically change from year to year. Then update it with the actual info when you file.

 

[terra330]

So if my parents make enough (but are not contributing to paying for medical school) that I'm confident that I won't get any need-based aid from my institution, is it in my best interest to not include their info on FAFSA? Sorry, no idea what I'm doing here.

Most schools want your parents' financial aid info for you to be eligible for any aid, regardless of age. Sucks for those of us who have parents with highish incomes but are expected to pay for our professional education ourselves.

 

[justadream]

No, it's in your best interest just to include your parents' info. There's no harm to including it. And unless your parents are millionaires, don't underestimate the possibility of getting need-based aid. I didn't think I'd get anything and I got a small grant. Not a big amount in the grand scheme of things, but it's several thousand dollars I don't have to pay back!

IIRC, some schools do not want parents info on the FAFSA (since they will get it from Need Access)? However, I am guessing some schools might want parents info. So is the correct compromise just to put parents info into FAFSA (and the schools that don't want it can just ignore it)?

 

[Ismet]

IIRC, some schools do not want parents info on the FAFSA (since they will get it from Need Access)? However, I am guessing some schools might want parents info. So is the correct compromise just to put parents info into FAFSA (and the schools that don't want it can just ignore it)?

Yes.

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

Okay, thank you! They definitely don't pull in anything close to $1mill a year but if we're talking income + assets then yes, definitely. I'll just have to keep bullying my mom into filing their taxes

Remember, house and pensions/401Ks don't count as assets.

 

[Lannister]

Remember, house and pensions/401Ks don't count as assets.

Your house isn't an asset even if you've paid off the mortgage?

Oo so I googled it and apparently it's only a liability if you live in it. We have another house that we rent out and that would be considered an asset. Interesting.

 

[Lost in Translation]

I'm still unclear about what's the difference between FAFSA and Need Access?

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

I'm still unclear about what's the difference between FAFSA and Need Access?

The way the school I've been accepted to described it is that FAFSA is for federal funding only and Need Access is for institutional funding from the school. But I believe they ask similar questions about your financial info and your parents'.

 

[Hera A]

When a school talks about their own " need-based institutional aid," is this calculated on the parents' info or the student's info from FAFSA? If they look at my parents' info, I'm definitely not going to qualify for any sort of need-based aid, but it might be possible if they look at just mine. FAFSA gave me an option to skip questions about my savings/assets (probably because my income is almost 0 and I won't be filing taxes), but should I include them anyway? Does skipping them disqualify me even from need-based aid from the student's info?

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

When a school talks about their own " need-based institutional aid," is this calculated on the parents' info or the student's info from FAFSA? If they look at my parents' info, I'm definitely not going to qualify for any sort of need-based aid, but it might be possible if they look at just mine. FAFSA gave me an option to skip questions about my savings/assets (probably because my income is almost 0 and I won't be filing taxes), but should I include them anyway? Does skipping them disqualify me even from need-based aid from the student's info?

It may depend on the school but at the school I've been accepted to, institutional aid is based on student AND parent info from the Need Access form (not FAFSA but similar). FAFSA is only used for federal aid. Some schools require you to include parental info on FAFSA and others don't - by the government's standards, graduate/professional school students are usually considered independent from their parents.

I don't think skipping the assets question will affect you, assuming you have nothing to report there.

Bottom line: you should check with each school you interview at to find out their specific requirements.

 

[Hera A]

It may depend on the school but at the school I've been accepted to, institutional aid is based on student AND parent info from the Need Access form (not FAFSA but similar). FAFSA is only used for federal aid. Some schools require you to include parental info on FAFSA and others don't - by the government's standards, graduate/professional school students are usually considered independent from their parents.

I don't think skipping the assets question will affect you, assuming you have nothing to report there.

Bottom line: you should check with each school you interview at to find out their specific requirements.

As far as I know, my schools look at both Need Access and FAFSA for institutional aid, so if they look at both student and parent info then no matter what I put down as my savings, it won't matter since although it's a small amount, my parent's info will guarantee that I won't get aid. In which case, why would I even bother filling out my savings as it's going to be of no help to me?

Now that I think about it, it makes sense actually that they'd have to consider parental info for need-based aid, or pretty much every student without an income would have to considered eligible.

Also, when they say how many people in college, does med school count as "college"? Or since it's not undergrad and it's just me in in higher edu atm in my family, would I say none?

 

[Ismet]

As far as I know, my schools look at both Need Access and FAFSA for institutional aid, so if they look at both student and parent info then no matter what I put down as my savings, it won't matter since although it's a small amount, my parent's info will guarantee that I won't get aid. In which case, why would I even bother filling out my savings as it's going to be of no help to me?

Now that I think about it, it makes sense actually that they'd have to consider parental info for need-based aid, or pretty much every student without an income would have to considered eligible.

Also, when they say how many people in college, does med school count as "college"? Or since it's not undergrad and it's just me in in higher edu atm in my family, would I say none?

It says "always count yourself as a college student" when you look at the description for that question.

 

[nairopil]

So I'm married, not living with my parents, but I filled out parents info because the school asked for it. But then I wrote parent's household size (2), and number of college students in parent's household (0), and it wouldn't let me say 0. Am I a student in my parent's household even if I'm not in their household?

 

[Ismet]

So I'm married, not living with my parents, but I filled out parents info because the school asked for it. But then I wrote parent's household size (2), and number of college students in parent's household (0), and it wouldn't let me say 0. Am I a student in my parent's household even if I'm not in their household?

Yes. The directions say to do so.

 

[asdf123g]

Yes. The directions say to do so.

do your parents have to officially do their taxes for 2015 for me to send in my fafsa? They havent dont their taxes yet and checked off that they will do so in the future. However, it seems I cant process of application. I've done my taxes and inputed my tax info. Not sure why they care about my parents tax info...

Im not sure but I think thats why i cant submit my application. Do you/anyone know the answer to my issue and why i cant submit?

 

[Ismet]

do your parents have to officially do their taxes for 2015 for me to send in my fafsa? They havent dont their taxes yet and checked off that they will do so in the future. However, it seems I cant process of application. I've done my taxes and inputed my tax info. Not sure why they care about my parents tax info...

Im not sure but I think thats why i cant submit my application. Do you/anyone know the answer to my issue and why i cant submit?

When putting in your parents info, select "will file" and then have them estimate their numbers or use last years. Then when they actually file, you can edit and resubmit.

If you did that and still can't submit, go back through and make sure you filled out everything. If you're still having issues, contact whatever number FAFSA has for customer support.

 

[Hera A]

Do you wait to hear back from a school's financial aid office before applying for grad PLUS loans? Or is it something you apply for along with FAFSA?