FAFSA aid offers timing: Must we commit to school first to see financial aid packages?

You don't need to commit to a school to get their financial aid offer! The process usually works like this: 1. Submit FAFSA (which you've already done) 2. Receive acceptance letters from schools 3. Receive financial aid award letters from schools that accepted you 4. Compare offers and THEN commit to a school by their decision deadline (usually May 1) Each school that accepts your daughter should send a financial aid package automatically. If you haven't received aid packages yet, it's probably just timing - some schools are faster than others at processing aid. You can always call the financial aid offices directly to check on status.

fwiw my son got into 6 scools last yr and we got all the finaid pkgs without committing to any of them. some came right after acceptance, some took like 3 weeks later. they all had different amts too, like one gave him $32k scholarship and another only $15k for same FAFSA info lol

The FAFSA system is DESIGNED to be confusing! Schools deliberately hold back aid info to pressure families into committing without knowing what they're really signing up for. I had to commit to my daughter's school and lost the deposit when a better offer came in late. The whole system is rigged to benefit wealthy families who don't need to worry about comparing aid packages.

Just to add some practical advice - if you haven't received financial aid packages from all schools yet, don't wait passively. Be proactive and call each school's financial aid office directly. Make sure they have received all required documents and ask for a timeline. Some schools require additional forms beyond FAFSA (like CSS Profile or institutional forms). Also, check each school's student portal regularly as sometimes aid letters are posted there before physical mail arrives. If you're getting close to decision deadlines and still missing aid info, you can request an extension from the schools. Most are willing to work with you if you explain you're waiting on complete financial information to make an informed decision.

my daughter just went thru this last yr! dont worry u get ALL aid packages without commiting. BUT big tip: the first offers arent always final!!! my daughter got way more $ after we called and told them another school offered more. they increased her scholarship by $8000!!! always negotiate!!!!

One thing to keep in mind is the current FAFSA processing delays this year. I work in college counseling and have seen many financial aid packages coming MUCH later than usual because of all the FAFSA implementation problems. Schools can't generate official aid offers until they receive your FAFSA data from Federal Student Aid, and there's a significant backlog. If you're getting anxious, I'd highly recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to someone at Federal Student Aid to verify your FAFSA was properly processed and transmitted to your schools. They help you bypass the ridiculous hold times - you can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Many families I work with have used it to confirm their FAFSA status, which gave them information to share with their schools' financial aid offices.

i got my aid offers from all 4 collges BEFORE i had to commit, but each one came at diffrent times. the latest one came just 2 weeks before deadline and i was stressing so bad! make sure to check if schools need extra forms bsides FAFSA. i missed one for NYU and almost didnt get any aid bc of it!!

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I feel much better knowing we don't have to commit first. I'm going to: 1. Call each financial aid office to check if they need anything else from us 2. Follow up with FSA to make sure our FAFSA was processed and sent to all schools 3. Be patient for a bit longer since it sounds like delays are normal 4. Try negotiating once we have all offers This community is amazing - you've saved me so much stress!

As someone who just went through this process with my son, I can confirm you definitely don't need to commit before seeing financial aid packages! We received all aid offers before the May 1 deadline, though some came much later than others. One thing I'd add to the great advice here - don't forget to factor in travel costs and living expenses when comparing offers. A school that seems more expensive might actually be cheaper if it's closer to home or in a lower cost-of-living area. Also, look carefully at the renewable requirements for any merit scholarships - some require maintaining a 3.5 GPA or higher, which can be risky depending on your daughter's intended major. The negotiation tip is gold! We successfully appealed two offers and got additional aid. Just be polite and professional when you call. Good luck - this is such an exciting (and stressful) time!

I'm a first-time parent going through this process too, and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add that if you're dealing with any schools that have early decision deadlines or rolling admissions, the timing might be different. My daughter applied to one school with rolling admissions and got her aid package within 3 weeks of acceptance, while her regular decision schools are still processing. Also, if your family's financial situation has changed since you filed FAFSA (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), don't hesitate to reach out to financial aid offices about special circumstances appeals. They can sometimes adjust your aid package based on updated information. The whole process is definitely more flexible than it initially seems!