Fafsa

[PLPrincess]

Hello all,
I'm in the process of filling out the FAFSA and I have a couple of questions....

1) The paper FAFSA asks you to skip the parent part of it if you answer Yes to anything in step 3, the Yes was the fact that I'll be working on a doctorate...But when I went to fill out the form online, it says that I can provide the parental incomes etc...Is there any benefit/negative to providing them? Did you guys skip that part?

2) What is the deadling for the FAFSA for most schools? I know in undergrad it was March 1st...

Please help

Thanks!

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[heretic]

Last year I skipped the parent info. If you are working on your doctorate, and declaring yourself independent, your Stafford loan will be calculated by your income and not that of your parents. As far as other financial aid goes, the CSS profile, which qualifies you for the HPSL loan, is dependent on parental income, and that's where you would fill out that section. SCCO's deadline is in June. Like you said, the March 1st deadline is more of an undergrad thing for receiving grants.

 

[PLPrincess]

Last year I skipped the parent info. If you are working on your doctorate, and declaring yourself independent, your Stafford loan will be calculated by your income and not that of your parents. As far as other financial aid goes, the CSS profile, which qualifies you for the HPSL loan, is dependent on parental income, and that's where you would fill out that section. SCCO's deadline is in June. Like you said, the March 1st deadline is more of an undergrad thing for receiving grants.

Thanks heretic...
Well my parents claim me as a dependent on their tax stuff, I guess I'm only "independent" by the FAFSA definition due to the fact that I'm going into graduate studies. If listing parental incomes will reduce my loan/grant amounts then I guess I'll leave it blank. But if it will help I'll list them...

I think I saw Rosanna write in one of her posts to only include your parents' incomes if you think you'll qualify for need based aid...since i don't qualify for that, I assume it's better to leave parents' incomes off.

Can anyone cofirm my thoughts on this?

 

[meb302]

Thanks heretic...
Well my parents claim me as a dependent on their tax stuff, I guess I'm only "independent" by the FAFSA definition due to the fact that I'm going into graduate studies. If listing parental incomes will reduce my loan/grant amounts then I guess I'll leave it blank. But if it will help I'll list them...

I think I saw Rosanna write in one of her posts to only include your parents' incomes if you think you'll qualify for need based aid...since i don't qualify for that, I assume it's better to leave parents' incomes off.

Can anyone cofirm my thoughts on this?

Honestly, I think that adding your parents information will only help you, such as possibly receiving certain scholarships. I don't think that listing your parents info will reduce the amount of loans you will be able to take out. Bottom line, wherever you go to school, you will be able to get the needed funds for school. I definately won't qualify for any need based aid, but I put my parents info down anyway. You never know I guess.

 

[PLPrincess]

Honestly, I think that adding your parents information will only help you, such as possibly receiving certain scholarships. I don't think that listing your parents info will reduce the amount of loans you will be able to take out. Bottom line, wherever you go to school, you will be able to get the needed funds for school. I definately won't qualify for any need based aid, but I put my parents info down anyway. You never know I guess.

Hmm...how would my parents' info help with scholarships? I don't think I understand...

 

[christie]

meb302 is right, putting parent's info will allow you to receive scholarships for disadvantaged students, as well as HPSL, INST, LDS.

 

[cpw]

only if your parents are "disadvantaged".... otherwise it's best to leave them off and go with the independant status all grad students receive. And it saves you from having to ask mom and dad for their tax returns

 

[PLPrincess]

only if your parents are "disadvantaged".... otherwise it's best to leave them off and go with the independant status all grad students receive. And it saves you from having to ask mom and dad for their tax returns

hmmm and what would a "disadvantaged" parent consist of?

 

[Dominic]

I put down all my parental stuff, still got an EFC of 0, and I was told by the FAO that it helps with other loans to have it in there. Basically, more info doesn't hurt.

 

[Rosanna]

hmmm and what would a "disadvantaged" parent consist of?

Only put down your parents' info if you think their income will allow you to qualify for the Health Profession Scholarship Program (HPSP) loans from the school. This award is usually around $5,000-$10,000 depending on the school. It can also go by the name of Health Professions Loan or Loans for the Disadvantage. I believe "disadvantaged" income is based on the federal poverty guidelines (double check with schools). So that means for a family size of 4, your combined parents' incomes should be around $19,350/year. Again, check with the schools. I know some of my classmates who have parents that make around $25,000/year and they qualified for the loan which is subsidized. For this loan, you will actually be competing for it with the other entering people in your class. So it's on a need-based program depending on how many entering students apply and who has the greatest need.

Most often, many of us cannot qualify for this loan. So it'll be a lot easier to skip putting down your parents' information down on the FAFSA.

- Rosanna

 

[heretic]

Only put down your parents' info if you think their income will allow you to qualify for the Health Profession Scholarship Program (HPSP) loans from the school. This award is usually around $5,000-$10,000 depending on the school. It can also go by the name of Health Professions Loan or Loans for the Disadvantage. I believe "disadvantaged" income is based on the federal poverty guidelines (double check with schools). So that means for a family size of 4, your combined parents' incomes should be around $19,350/year. Again, check with the schools. I know some of my classmates who have parents that make around $25,000/year and they qualified for the loan which is subsidized. For this loan, you will actually be competing for it with the other entering people in your class. So it's on a need-based program depending on how many entering students apply and who has the greatest need.

Most often, many of us cannot qualify for this loan. So it'll be a lot easier to skip putting down your parents' information down on the FAFSA.

- Rosanna

Excellent info Rosanna. It's my understanding that qualification for the HPSL loan is based on a separate application called the CSS profile? Or am I mistaken?

 

[od2b77]

I thought that the school is supposed to send you all the financial aid paperwork in spring and its due sometime early summer, am I mistaken? When do we need to fill out fafsa for the next school year?
Thanks

 

[christie]

The FAFSA's deadline is in June, but PCO's deadline to submit it and their institutional application and 1040's is March 4th.

 

[cpw]

usually, the ealier you send it in.. the more grants you're eligible for (at least at UHCO). The later you send in ...you might not make the cut on grants (ie free money!)

 

[Rosanna]

Excellent info Rosanna. It's my understanding that qualification for the HPSL loan is based on a separate application called the CSS profile? Or am I mistaken?

I don't recall the name of the separate application, but I do remember it was sent out as part of SCCO's financial aid packet that I received in the summer. The handbook included was also really useful (helped you pick a lender, pros and cons, etc.) but unfortunately I can't find it at my disposal right now.

SCCO has about 2-3 loans for students who have parents that are disadvantaged.

- Rosanna

Everyone who is planning to start optometry school should definitely fill out their FAFSA now regardless if you know which school you are going to or not.

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Got this confirmed by Alberto (on his last day!). The HPSL loan at Berkeley is offered as long as you comply with federal requirements and provide your parents' incomes. Any questions? Ask the financial aid liaisons at the optometry school.

 

[heretic]

Everyone who is planning to start optometry school should definitely fill out their FAFSA now regardless if you know which school you are going to or not.

Agreed, you can specify to send it to more than one school anyway, so the sooner the better. Money is always good.

 

[file014]

IU has a Health Professions loan for $3500 subsidized that you can get if you put your parents data down. If you know you wont get it, dont bother with parent data. Also, I'd always get FAFSA done by March 1st, just to be safe. You dont want to find out in June that something is screwed up.