FAFSA Questions

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eartharte

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So I'm currently filling out FAFSA for 2021-2022 school year. I'm currently applying to med schools and I've only gotten one II so far, so I've added that school to my list (and will continue to add more as I ~hopefully~ get more IIs and As). The FAFSA application states that I am considered an independent student, and so I don't "need" to input my parents' financial information, but I "can" if I am a health profession student. I still haven't fully discussed how I'm planning on paying for medical school yet with my parents, but I'm most likely not going to be relying on financial aid from my parents (and most likely will be pulling out loans). What are the pros/cons of adding my parents' financial information?

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Here's how it works for medical schools. You are considered independent no matter what because you are a graduate student. You will not get need-based aid from the government and will receive Direct loans and may need to also use grad PLUS loans. This is how most will pay for their school and living expenses. No parent information is needed or will have any impact on this whatsoever.

Here is where your parent's information comes into play: medical school financial aid such as scholarships. Some schools require parental information to be provided to be considered for any of their in-house aid and other schools do not. So you should provide the information, just in case you are lucky enough to get a scholarship from a school (who will only consider it with that information). It will in no way shape or form hurt you in any way to provide the information.
 
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Here's how it works for medical schools. You are considered independent no matter what because you are a graduate student. You will not get need-based aid from the government and will receive Direct loans and may need to also use grad PLUS loans. This is how most will pay for their school and living expenses. No parent information is needed or will have any impact on this whatsoever.

Here is where your parent's information comes into play: medical school financial aid such as scholarships. Some schools require parental information to be provided to be considered for any of their in-house aid and other schools do not. So you should provide the information, just in case you are lucky enough to get a scholarship from a school (who will only consider it with that information). It will in no way shape or form hurt you in any way to provide the information.
Do schools make in house decisions based on FAFSA, or do they make you fill out their own forms? If you don't include parental info on FAFSA, do they give you an opportunity to provide it later, after you have been accepted, if you want to be considered for institutional aid?
 
Do schools make in house decisions based on FAFSA, or do they make you fill out their own forms? If you don't include parental info on FAFSA, do they give you an opportunity to provide it later, after you have been accepted, if you want to be considered for institutional aid?
That is a good question. My understanding is the FAFSA is it for most schools and you need to be aware of whether the school requires it when you submit it. It's always safest to include it but I'm sure you could contact the financial aid department at an admitted school to work out extenuating circumstances.
 
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