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Hey all,

I am sure that this information has passed through this forum at some point, but I am having trouble assembling all the details in a single clear timeline:

---What is the overall order in which I should be looking to complete my applications materials (specifically relating to financial aid forms)?----


Obviously, these are my central elements:

1. Applications in LSAC sent out to law schools (generally speaking; the sooner the better for acceptance odds)

(#?).Schools reply with acceptances (and some initial scholarship offers?)

The question is, where do the other financial aid elements fit into that timeline:

a. Complete the Fafsa; submit to schools
b. Schools reply with full scholarship/aid offers

Could someone with experience order these elements for me? I intend to send out my Lsac applications this week, and I want to fill out any information necessary for scholarships as early as possible, if that increases my likelihood of a strong merit/scholarship offer. But I am unclear on when this is supposed to be done. Do I only fill out the Fafsa for schools after acceptance? If that is the case however, how then do schools that require a fafsa for any aid offers send out merit offers with acceptance letters? Do they not do so?

Alternatively, is merit aid always independent of the need-based process? For instance, if I were to be accepted at Columbia, would I find out if a Butler or Hamilton offer is on the table in the initial acceptance offer, before any of the aid forms are filed?


I really appreciate any help on this oddly confusing process.

PEMDAS

SweetTort wrote:PEMDAS

I figured that was coming. Congrats on the Lsat by the way! I was in the Sept. forum, and I saw you were pleased.

BuyaLittleMercy wrote:

SweetTort wrote:PEMDAS

I figured that was coming. Congrats on the Lsat by the way! I was in the Sept. forum, and I saw you were pleased.

Thanks, fam!
Sorry i couldn't provide any real advice.

So the process looks slightly different, depending on whether the school in question considers need:

1. You send in your application.

2. You get admitted.
2b. The school sends an unsolicited offer of merit aid.
Or Not 2b. The school sends you information about applying for merit/need-based scholarships (often, you don't need to apply for merit).

3. You fill out FAFSA and Need Access applications, and you make sure they're submitted to all the schools you need to by the schools' priority deadline, which is usually in mid-February.

4. The school sends you a formal scholarship offer, usually in March.

Thank you for this post, I appreciate it.

I emailed UChi's aid office asking this exact question and apparently you do have the option to send in your financial aid documents and apps, even before getting accepted, which I find odd.

In terms of the FAFSA you can always go back to it and add school codes, so it is worth doing it as early as possible (perhaps upon your first acceptance?) and then add all the other schools you want after. I think...

cavalier1138 wrote:So the process looks slightly different, depending on whether the school in question considers need:

1. You send in your application.

2. You get admitted.
2b. The school sends an unsolicited offer of merit aid.
Or Not 2b. The school sends you information about applying for merit/need-based scholarships (often, you don't need to apply for merit).

3. You fill out FAFSA and Need Access applications, and you make sure they're submitted to all the schools you need to by the schools' priority deadline, which is usually in mid-February.

4. The school sends you a formal scholarship offer, usually in March.

Thank you so much, this is very helpful.

And thank you btruj777 for your investigating as well.