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FAFSA necessary for merit scholarship?
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:26 pm
by lefty20
I'm curious if anyone knows whether FAFSA must be filled out at each school in order to be offered a merit scholarship. I know that I'm not going to receive any need-based funds anywhere, and so I wouldn't bother filling out FAFSA, but I also don't want to shoot myself in the foot for merit-based. I've looked around and haven't seen a definitive answer. Any info is appreciated. Thanks.
Re: FAFSA necessary for merit scholarship?
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:04 pm
by lefty20
Crickets, huh?
Anyone?
Re: FAFSA necessary for merit scholarship?
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:19 pm
by rinkrat19
I don't know if ALL schools require it, but I know for sure that some do.
They also may require NeedAccess, which is like FAFSA but 100 times more of a pain in the ass.
Re: FAFSA necessary for merit scholarship?
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:00 am
by lefty20
Thanks for the response. I guess I'll look into it more. Anyone out there received and used a merit scholarship without filling out any other financial aid info?
Re: FAFSA necessary for merit scholarship?
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:41 am
by Nelson
lefty20 wrote:Thanks for the response. I guess I'll look into it more. Anyone out there received and used a merit scholarship without filling out any other financial aid info?
Are you personally independently wealthy? Just fill out the forms. If you're that rich, pay your accountant to fill them out.
Re: FAFSA necessary for merit scholarship?
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:02 am
by lefty20
Ha. No. But I've been out of college a while and have had enough income that I won't get need-based aid. I guess I will end up just filling out the forms, but I was just trying to avoid the hassle.
Re: FAFSA necessary for merit scholarship?
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:06 am
by MrPapagiorgio
Same boat. I wasn't going to get any need-based aid but I needed to fill out the FAFSA in order to claim the scholarship my school gave me. Had to do the same thing in UG.
Re: FAFSA necessary for merit scholarship?
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:06 am
by rinkrat19
From what I understand, there's very little purely need-based aid in law school anyway. They may call it "need-based," or a mixture of need and merit, but rarely do you see an award larger than what the person would expect given their numbers anyway.
So at many (most?) schools, you're going to have to fill out the forms to be eligible for any aid (including loans) at all.
Re: FAFSA necessary for merit scholarship?
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:57 am
by lefty20
MrPapagiorgio wrote:Same boat. I wasn't going to get any need-based aid but I needed to fill out the FAFSA in order to claim the scholarship my school gave me. Had to do the same thing in UG.
That's exactly the kind of case I was wondering about. Glad to hear the scholarship was offered first. So if I luck into one, then I'll worry about the forms. Thanks for the info.