Filling out FAFSA for 10+ schools

[TickTockxx]

Hi everyone. I've been accepted into several medical schools and am waiting to hear back from some more. I want to fill out the FAFSA form, but I am limited to 10 schools. How do I get around this if I ultimately get accepted into/waitlisted at more than ten schools?

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[DokterMom]

Talk about your first world problems...
I'm assuming the only reason you'd hold onto 10 acceptances is for financial aid?

Call FAFSA -

 

[justadream]

Well OP might be sending them to schools to which s/he is WListed as well (since schools often tell you to send FA info so if you get in, you can get the FA info quick).

 

[TickTockxx]

For anyone else seeking an answer to this: I called FAFSA and can relay the info to you. You should submit 10 schools until they all get processed (3 to 5 days), then delete the schools and add new ones.

 

[p0gono]

Talk about your first world problems...
I'm assuming the only reason you'd hold onto 10 acceptances is for financial aid?

Call FAFSA -

We should be submitting FAFSA to any school where we have interviewed (and was not yet rejected from) or will interview, right?

 

[TickTockxx]

We should be submitting FAFSA to any school where we have interviewed (and was not yet rejected from) or will interview, right?

That's my plan and understanding

 

[RudyRude]

Is this real life? I really dont get why anyone would hold onto 10 acceptances... Anything more than 2-3 seems really excessive, almost selfish even

 

[TickTockxx]

Is this real life? I really dont get why anyone would hold onto 10 acceptances... Anything more than 2-3 seems really excessive, almost selfish even

What is this SDN belief that holding onto multiple acceptances is selfish? And might I add-- some people will ultimately choose their school based on factors that are currently unavailable (e.g. dependent on other individuals who have yet to hear back from some of their schools).

 

[RudyRude]

What is this SDN belief that holding onto multiple acceptances is selfish? I worked hard to earn the acceptances, and I reserve the right to hold onto each and every single one until I get my financial package... sheesh.

Edit: And might I add-- some people will ultimately choose their school based on factors that are currently unavailable (e.g. dependent on other individuals who have yet to hear back from some of their schools).

If you're holding 10 acceptances, there's probably at least 5 or more from that list you know you won't attend. Sure, yea, you worked hard for them so good job. But why hold on and string along these schools if you're sure you won't go? Holding 5 acceptances vs holding 10 won't affect how much merit aid you get. Just my 2 cents...

 

[Flashfan]

What is this SDN belief that holding onto multiple acceptances is selfish? I worked hard to earn the acceptances, and I reserve the right to hold onto each and every single one until I get my financial package... sheesh.

You did earn them, but if there are any schools that are lower on your list, it seems like a waste of the FA office time to process your FAFSA, build a package, etc.
Gyngyn has stated in the past that holding a lot of acceptances can backfire on a candidate looking to get off a waitlist.

 

[TickTockxx]

If you're holding 10 acceptances, there's probably at least 5 or more from that list you know you won't attend. Sure, yea, you worked hard for them so good job. But why hold on and string along these schools if you're sure you won't go? Holding 5 acceptances vs holding 10 won't affect how much merit aid you get. Just my 2 cents...

I woudn't exactly call it "stringing along" the schools. Schools give out 2-3x acceptances per seats to account for people who will ultimately have multiple offers

 

[TickTockxx]

You did earn them, but if there are any schools that are lower on your list, it seems like a waste of the FA office time to process your FAFSA, build a package, etc.
Gyngyn has stated in the past that holding a lot of acceptances can backfire on a candidate looking to get off a waitlist.

True! But my understanding is that only schools that have offered you an acceptance can see your other acceptances. Until April 1st. But by mid-march, I will know if I have been waitlisted anywhere that I am 100% serious about and can make a decision about whether or not to withdraw some of my other applications.

The advice at multiple school interviews has been "hold onto any and every acceptance you have, you never know what the package will be." Very surprised at the anti-multiple acceptance theme on this thread.. :|

 

[maroonspinstress]

True! But my understanding is that only schools that have offered you an acceptance can see your other acceptances. Until April 1st. But by mid-march, I will know if I have been waitlisted anywhere that I am 100% serious about and can make a decision about whether or not to withdraw some of my other applications.

The advice at multiple school interviews has been "hold onto any and every acceptance you have, you never know what the package will be." Very surprised at the anti-multiple acceptance theme on this thread.. :|

Just to provide a little support: I have also heard at many interviews that you should hold onto acceptances at places that there's even a tiny chance you would consider attending. First, OP's 10+ schools could include waitlists and schools that are pending post-II. Second, even if he/she loved 5 of those schools over the other 5, there might still be a chance that he/she would pick one of the lower 5 schools if given a full ride between financial aid and scholarships, compared to substantially less aid at the top 5.

(This is another story if you are on the waitlist at your absolute top choice and don't want to hold onto too many other acceptances lest your dream school thinks "Eh, they'll be a doctor anyway" but that's just SDN theory and I'm not sure how much weight to give that possibility.)

That said, I think it's pretty rare that an individual needs to hold onto 10+ acceptances (not just acceptances+waitlists) since financial aid doesn't differ all that much. It's an annoying process but in the end they're not taking the seat away from anyone else, that's just how the multiple acceptance shuffle goes. Med school is a huge financial investment and anyone who is able to get into multiple schools would be wise to consider the financial differences between those schools before choosing. Waiting to see where a significant other gets a job/gets accepted to grad school is another common scenario.

 

[DokterMom]

OP - Did you call FAFSA? And if so, what did they say about >10 schools?

 

[maroonspinstress]

For anyone else seeking an answer to this: I called FAFSA and can relay the info to you. You should submit 10 schools until they all get processed (3 to 5 days), then delete the schools and add new ones.

OP - Did you call FAFSA? And if so, what did they say about >10 schools?

@DokterMom you probably missed the answer in the back-and-forth exchange in this thread. 🙂

One of the schools I interviewed at also said the same thing. As soon as the FAFSA is processed and sent to the school, the school then has possession of your file and you can delete the school off your FAFSA once your information has been transmitted to that school.

 

[p0gono]

Just to add another point, some schools - especially in California - interview well into the spring season, sometimes as late as March or April. It would be wise to send FAFSA to them, too, in order to streamline financial aid in the event of an acceptance before the traffic day.

 

[JessebenBenjamin]

Just to be clear then. If I just interviewed at a school like yesterday, and I'm filling out my FAFSA today... Should I add that school now? Or should I wait until I hear a response?

 

[ofthesaints]

Just to be clear then. If I just interviewed at a school like yesterday, and I'm filling out my FAFSA today... Should I add that school now? Or should I wait until I hear a response?

Wait until you get a response.

 

[p0gono]

Just to be clear then. If I just interviewed at a school like yesterday, and I'm filling out my FAFSA today... Should I add that school now? Or should I wait until I hear a response?

A couple schools I have interviewed at have explicitly told us to submit as early as possible, even before the decision is released. So I would.

 

[Deel323]

I called FAFSA about this and they told me that even though my FAFSA was processed a couple of weeks ago, I cannot remove any of the schools I listed in order to add more because the schools have not yet pulled my application from FAFSA. If you delete the schools before they try to pull your app, it's as if you never added them at all. The representative said the only way to know if a particular school has pulled your application is to call FAFSA.