Do I need to file FAFSA for merit scholarships if I won't qualify for need-based aid?

Really? That's surprising! I didn't realize merit scholarships would be tied to FAFSA too. Did all your schools require it for merit scholarships or just some of them?

This is 100% right. My brother and I were in college at the same time, and even though my parents made around $185k, we still qualified for some aid at the private school I attended. The FAFSA calculations are weird. Plus, if something changes with your family's financial situation during your college years, having established a FAFSA account makes it easier to update info and possibly get aid later.

This is potentially misleading advice. While some schools do have separate applications for merit scholarships, many institutions use FAFSA as a gateway for ALL institutional aid. For example, I work in college admissions and at our university, we won't even consider a student for our prestigious merit-based presidential scholarship ($30,000/year) without a completed FAFSA on file. The application itself takes about 30-45 minutes to complete if you have all your information ready, which is a small investment considering what could be at stake.

Thanks for the tip about Claimyr! I might need that because the FAFSA website has been super glitchy since I started trying to create an account. Did the FSA person mention if this applies to all schools or just certain ones?

They said it varies by school, but that most major universities require it for all their institutional scholarships - both need and merit. Better safe than sorry IMO. And yeah, the website has been terrible this year with all the FAFSA changes!

wait seriously??? maybe i should do it then... how hard was it for her to fill out?

That's a really good point about the loans. I wasn't planning on taking any loans but I guess it's smart to have the option if something changes. From what everyone is saying, it seems worth doing the FAFSA just to be safe.

It is easier but still buggy AF. If you do decide to fill it out, start early and don't wait until deadlines. The system kept crashing on me during peak times.

Smart decision! You're absolutely making the right choice. Since you mentioned priority deadlines coming up, just a heads up that you'll want to make sure your parents have their 2023 tax returns ready (or at least their W-2s) since the FAFSA will pull directly from the IRS now. Also, don't forget to list all 7 schools you're applying to in the school codes section - you can always add more later if needed. Good luck with your applications!

Great decision! Just to add one more tip - if you run into any technical issues with the FAFSA website (which seems pretty common this year based on what others have mentioned), try using a different browser or clearing your cache. I had to switch from Chrome to Firefox to get mine to submit properly. Also, make sure to print or save a copy of your Student Aid Report once it's processed - some schools ask for it during their verification process. Best of luck with everything!

Excellent choice, Mei! You're definitely doing the smart thing here. As someone who just went through this process myself, I can confirm that having the FAFSA completed opens so many more doors. Even if you don't think you'll qualify for need-based aid, some schools have weird hybrid scholarships that consider both merit and financial factors. Plus, life circumstances can change unexpectedly - having that foundation already in place is invaluable. Make sure to double-check those school codes when you enter them, and don't stress if the system seems slow - it's been pretty overloaded this application season. You've got this!

You made the right call! I'm actually going through the same process right now as a senior, and even though my family's income is similar to yours, I'm glad I decided to fill it out. One thing that helped me was doing it with my parents since they have all the tax info - made it go way faster than trying to hunt down documents myself. Also, if you haven't already, check if any of your schools have their own institutional aid forms in addition to FAFSA. Some of the private schools on my list had separate CSS Profile requirements for merit scholarships too. Hope your applications go well!

You're definitely making the wise choice! I just wanted to chime in as someone who works in financial aid - we see students miss out on thousands of dollars every year simply because they didn't file a FAFSA. Even at the income level you mentioned, I've seen families qualify for aid due to multiple children in college, medical expenses, or other special circumstances. Plus, many private schools have their own institutional grants that aren't strictly need-based but still require FAFSA completion. One quick tip: when you're entering your school codes, make sure you're using the current year's codes since they sometimes change. The whole process should take you less than an hour with your parents' tax info handy. Wishing you the best with your college applications and scholarship pursuits!

You're making the absolutely right decision, Mei! I went through this exact same situation two years ago with similar family income, and I'm so glad I filled out the FAFSA despite initially thinking it was pointless. Ended up getting a partial merit scholarship at my top choice school that I wouldn't have been eligible for without it. One quick tip since you mentioned priority deadlines - try to complete it during off-peak hours if possible (like early morning or late evening) to avoid the website crashes that seem to happen during busy times. Also, have your parents' social security numbers handy along with their tax info since the form will ask for those. You've got plenty of time to get it done this week. Good luck with everything!

Awesome decision, Mei! You're definitely playing it safe and smart. I just wanted to add that since you're doing this close to priority deadlines, make sure to submit to each school separately if they have different deadline dates. Some schools have earlier priority deadlines for merit consideration (like February 1st) while others might be March 1st. Also, once you submit, it can take a few days for schools to receive and process your FAFSA data, so definitely don't wait until the last minute. The peace of mind alone is worth the hour or two it takes to complete. Fingers crossed for some great merit scholarships coming your way!

Such a smart move, Mei! You're definitely doing the right thing by filling it out. I wish someone had explained this to me when I was applying - I almost made the same mistake of skipping FAFSA because of my family's income level. One thing that might help speed up the process is to have your parents pull up their tax transcript from the IRS website beforehand, since the FAFSA uses the Data Retrieval Tool to import info directly. It makes everything much smoother than manually entering all those numbers. Also, since you mentioned having 7 schools, just remember you can list up to 10 on one FAFSA, so you should be all set. Really hoping you get some great merit offers - sounds like you have strong stats!

Great choice, Mei! You're absolutely doing the right thing. I just went through this process last year with a similar family income situation, and I'm so glad I listened to advice like what you got here. One small tip that saved me some headaches - make sure you and your parents both have your FSA IDs ready before you start, since you'll both need to electronically sign the form. Also, if you hit any snags with the website being slow or glitchy, try switching to a different device or browser - I had to finish mine on my phone when my laptop kept timing out. The whole thing ended up taking about 45 minutes once I had all the tax documents ready. Really hope those merit scholarships work out for you at your schools!

You're absolutely making the right decision, Mei! As someone who just finished my first year of college, I can't stress enough how glad I am that I filled out the FAFSA despite my parents making around $180k. Not only did it open doors for merit aid at several schools, but I also ended up qualifying for some small institutional grants I never would have expected. One thing I'd suggest is to keep copies of everything you submit - some schools asked me to verify information later in the process. Also, don't be surprised if you get contacted by your schools' financial aid offices after they receive your FAFSA; they sometimes have additional scholarships or work-study opportunities they can offer once they have your information on file. Best of luck with your applications - you're going to do great!

You're making such a smart decision, Mei! I'm actually a college freshman who was in almost the exact same situation as you last year - my parents make around $210k and I thought FAFSA would be a waste of time. Thankfully my guidance counselor basically forced me to do it, and I ended up getting a $18k/year merit scholarship at my current school that required FAFSA completion. The application really isn't as bad as it seems - especially with the new streamlined version. Just make sure you have your parents' 2023 tax return handy and their Social Security numbers, and try to do it when the servers aren't overloaded (I did mine around 6 AM on a weekend and had zero technical issues). Also, since you're cutting it close to deadlines, maybe prioritize submitting to your top choice schools first in case you run into any delays. You've got this!

You're definitely making the smart choice, Mei! I'm a college sophomore who was in a very similar situation - my family's income was around $200k and I almost skipped the FAFSA thinking it was pointless. Ended up being one of the best decisions I made because I got merit aid that I wouldn't have been eligible for otherwise. Since you mentioned you already created your FSA ID, you're ahead of the game! Just a couple quick tips: make sure your parents create their FSA IDs too if they haven't already (they'll need them to sign), and try to complete it during off-peak hours to avoid the website crashes. Also, don't stress if some of the questions seem confusing - there's a help feature that's actually pretty useful. You're going to do great, and I'm sure those merit scholarships will work out for you!