FAFSA Questions

[rs37982]

I will be graduating with a bachelor's degree this semester and will be starting pharmacy school in the fall. I would be considered an independent by the FAFSA application since I will have a bachelor's degree, but my parents will still provide me financial support through pharmacy school. If I'm an independent, I'm given the option to provide parent information.

What's the best thing to do? If I don't provide parents' financial info, will I get more aid? Should I provide the information or not? Would applying as an undergraduate or graduate get me more financial aid? Thanks!

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[Cookiecatfromouterspace]

I believe that your parent's contribution has no real benefit or harm. In recent years, graduate/professional students have not been given grants or subsidized loans (loans that do not acquire interest until you graduate). All of your financial Aid, if you need it, will more than likely come from unsubsidized loans or other private loans. In order to get those loans you do have to apply for financial aid(FAFSA) and all of the "awards" received will be up to your university to award. Depending on academic or other type of circumstances, some universities may award you with some scholarship money. In simpler terms, i dont think that the amount of money your parents make will result in less or more loans. The financial aid adviser at my pharmacy school told me that they award the loans based on tuition and other expenses which are calculated by the school such as transportation, health insurance, living expenses and such. If you do not need all the money you can reduce the amount you get and if you need more you can apply for a loan which may be given under special circumstances. Im glad that I will be attending a school which has cheap tuition for a top 20 pharm school.