FAFSA for loans next year: fill out parents info?

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str8flexed

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I'm going to med school next year. Filling out FAFSAs for next year, plan on taking some Stafford loans (taking out max amount of subsidized). I can technically be labeled as "independent" since I'll be in a graduate level program, and it says filling out my parental tax info is optional. Should I do this? Why/why not?

Thanks!

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It depends more on the school you plan to attend then what the FAFSA folks think your status is. I filed twice - once with parental info (for the schools which require it) and once without (for the others). Both ways my estimated family contribution was **exactly the same**. So since it looks like you don't gain or loose much from having that info down, just do what the school tells you.
 
Many schools require you to list your parental info to be considered for 'institutional aid', that is, aid from the school as opposed to the government.

Check with the school or schools you are interested in attending.
 
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As a poor graduate student you are considered INDEPENDENT for the matters of FAFSA, and they assume that you will get no money from your parents.
However, some schools use your parents' info to determine if you are eligible for need-based scholarships or other scholarships through the SCHOOL.

Putting your parents' info on your app can ONLY help you. For the purposes of loans, etc. you are STILL considered independent.
 
Both ways my estimated family contribution was **exactly the same**. So since it looks like you don't gain or loose much from having that info down, just do what the school tells you.

^^^ it was exactly the same because the FAFSA considers you independent whether you put your parents info down or not. Didn't you find it a bit odd that even though your parents make X amount of money, your EFC was still like $8k?

Parents info is based on what the school needs. But as mentioned, it can't hurt you. If your parents make too much, they'll just look at your info. If you just put your info, they'll just look at your info. Either way, you'll get crap for financial aid. If your parents don't make much, you might qualify for some institutional help, which occasionally means FREE money.
 
It depends more on the school you plan to attend then what the FAFSA folks think your status is. I filed twice - once with parental info (for the schools which require it) and once without (for the others). Both ways my estimated family contribution was **exactly the same**. So since it looks like you don't gain or loose much from having that info down, just do what the school tells you.

how exactly did you file twice? did you have to fill out a correction form or something?
 
how exactly did you file twice? did you have to fill out a correction form or something?

I saw a post a couple weeks ago where someone called the people at FAFSA and they said that if you do another app they will send it to all of the schools you ever put down for the year you want aid for.

And put your parental information down. It can only help you.
 
I saw a post a couple weeks ago where someone called the people at FAFSA and they said that if you do another app they will send it to all of the schools you ever put down for the year you want aid for.

And put your parental information down. It can only help you.

actually, it *could* hurt me. because of age, i qualify to *not* provide parental information at one school and still receive institutional scholarships. giving them parental information on the fafsa anyway, because other schools require it, could conceivably put me at a disadvantage at that school if they decide they don't want to ignore it.
 
actually, it *could* hurt me. because of age, i qualify to *not* provide parental information at one school and still receive institutional scholarships. giving them parental information on the fafsa anyway, because other schools require it, could conceivably put me at a disadvantage at that school if they decide they don't want to ignore it.

For the majority of applicants parental information should be added. For you it would be best to decide which school you want to go to and get the scholarships for. You can't have it both ways.
 
What if you are pretty darn sure that your parents info won't help you to qualify for institutional aid? Should I still make them fill it out?
 
Being that my parents divorced before I was 1 year old and that my father hasn't spoken to me nor seen me in over 30 years, will I be screwed out of institutional scholarships/ funds sine I cannot obtain his information? My EEC with at mom is 00000. :confused:
 
Being that my parents divorced before I was 1 year old and that my father hasn't spoken to me nor seen me in over 30 years, will I be screwed out of institutional scholarships/ funds sine I cannot obtain his information? My EEC with at mom is 00000. :confused:

In that case I'm pretty sure you fill one or the other. I think it says something about that on the instructions. Call the people.
 
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