Not Completing Need Access Forum

[bobbydonnelly]

If I do not complete the Need Access forms by March 1 deadline, will I definitively not receive merit scholarships from schools that require it to be submitted?

I will not qualify for need aid, do not want to go through process of obtaining parents financial information, and do not want to pay the $28 processing fee.

Of course, if this precludes me from receiving a scholarship I will do all of the above.

Schools most interested in:
BU
BC
Cornell
Georgetown

Thanks so much.

[brokenconundrum]

I believe not completing it will only prevent you from receiving any need-based institutional aid; to the best of my knowledge, merit-based aid is not affected by the Need Access form. Those schools you listed may have unique policies though; the schools I'm applying to who require it state the above information on their Financial Aid websites.

On a somewhat related note, this Need Access form is a f***ing nightmare, especially with divorced parents who have not filed their taxes and with special circumstances. So much so that I'm considering just not doing it. UGH!!

Definitely don't bother with it if you don't have to.

[rinkrat19]

I don't know about those schools, but I know at Northwestern, your application for need OR merit aid isn't complete without NeedAccess and some supplemental essays and FAFSA. (Fortunately, NU doesn't require parental info).

NU also has a March 1 deadline, but money is awarded on a rolling basis, so earlier is better.

YMMV at different schools. The fin aid office, not TLS, is the proper place to ask these questions.

[bobbyh1919]

On a somewhat related note, this Need Access form is a f***ing nightmare
Definitely don't bother with it if you don't have to.

Got that right.