Filing FAFSA prior to acceptance?

[fiznat]

Hello all,

I'm holding an acceptance at one school, and am waiting to hear a post-interview decision at another. The school I am waiting to hear from is my first choice school, but they have recently told me that it will be a month or more before they make their decision. I would like to get the ball rolling with this FAFSA stuff, but I am a bit concerned about including my 1st choice school when I haven't been accepted there yet. FAFSA lets you include multiple schools when you file, but I still wonder if it might reflect poorly on me if this school gets financial aid info from me before I'm accepted.

...Whats the SDN opinion?

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[wolverinepwns]

deadline for priority filing for FAFSA was March 2nd, you should fill it up and submit it STAT! and just submit it to all potential schools.

 

[Sinfest]

Did you guys include your parents' tax info?

 

[twocentnews]

I heard at some schools that they don't consider anything that comes in until you're accepted. How does that work?

 

[MightyMoose]

deadline for priority filing for FAFSA was March 2nd, you should fill it up and submit it STAT! and just submit it to all potential schools.

What does the "priority" filing get you?

 

[jinobi]

Haven't been on any DO interviews recently, but the 5 MD schools I've been at said that the March 2nd priority deadline doesn't apply to medical school financial aid since they use rolling admission. Generally, you should really submit your FAFSA by April 15th though, especially since your parents' and your own taxes should have been filed by then.

The earlier you submit, the sooner they can generate a financial aid report for you should you be accepted. However, make sure to include your parents' financial data on your FAFSA; while you are considered independent for graduate student aid purposes, schools still give out need-based scholarships that are dependent on your parents' income.

Merit-based scholarships are still awarded on an as-is basis - if your stats are good, you'll still get one. I believe it will be more difficult if you are accepted later in the cycle though, since many will have been awarded already.

 

[MightyMoose]

Haven't been on any DO interviews recently, but the 5 MD schools I've been at said that the March 2nd priority deadline doesn't apply to medical school financial aid since they use rolling admission. Generally, you should really submit your FAFSA by April 15th though, especially since your parents' and your own taxes should have been filed by then.

The earlier you submit, the sooner they can generate a financial aid report for you should you be accepted. However, make sure to include your parents' financial data on your FAFSA; while you are considered independent for graduate student aid purposes, schools still give out need-based scholarships that are dependent on your parents' income.

Merit-based scholarships are still awarded on an as-is basis - if your stats are good, you'll still get one. I believe it will be more difficult if you are accepted later in the cycle though, since many will have been awarded already.

Good to know. Thanks.

 

[zann0324]

I interviewed at Western and KCOM and both schools said in their financial aid presentations to fill out the fafsa prior to acceptance....I guess since you can always make changes to it, its just good to get it done?

 

[wolverinepwns]

Did you guys include your parents' tax info?

No for medschool regardless of age you fill you FAFSA as an independent, so no need for your parental tax info.

What does the "priority" filing get you?

Priority filing is kinda like the deadline where the schools will guarantee to be to provide you with the funding required as the school starts, anything after the deadline kinda depends on how much funding remains and can delya the process. I was told all those facts by a schools financial aide office.

 

[Postal]

deadline for priority filing for FAFSA was March 2nd, you should fill it up and submit it STAT! and just submit it to all potential schools.

I think the deadline depends on the school. My school's deadline is April 30th for new students.

I didn't file with my parents' tax info. Its all on meeee baby.

 

[fiznat]

Thanks everyone, I filled it out the other day. It was actually not difficult or time consuming at all. I had expected otherwise....

 

[MightyMoose]

I agree. I just filled mine out and it took about 5 minutes. All submitted!

 

[wolverinepwns]

I agree. I just filled mine out and it took about 5 minutes. All submitted!

Yeah I was all worried over filling it out cuz I remember for undergrad it was a pain in a butt, but it took less than 5 minutes.

 

[Postal]

Yeah I was all worried over filling it out cuz I remember for undergrad it was a pain in a butt, but it took less than 5 minutes.

Yeah. I don't remember why I hated doing it so much in undergrad.....