FAFSA high school completion status for transfer student with Associate's degree - confused!

Yes, you should select "high school diploma" for that question. The FAFSA is asking specifically about high school completion, not college degrees. The Associate's degree is relevant elsewhere on the application but doesn't change how you answer the high school question. Just mark that she received a high school diploma and you'll be good to go!

just pick high school diploma, thats wut i did for my son

The high school completion status question on the FAFSA serves a specific purpose - it's determining basic eligibility for federal student aid. As others have said, you should select "high school diploma" since that's what she earned. The Associate's degree will be captured in other ways on the FAFSA and by the school she's transferring to. One important thing to note: make sure she requests her official transcripts from both high school AND her current college to be sent to the new school. Many transfer students forget the high school transcript, but some universities still require it for their records even with an Associate's degree.

When I was filling out my own FAFSA last year (also as a transfer student with an Associate's), the financial aid office told me to put "high school diploma" on that question. They said the FAFSA uses that question to determine if you have the minimum education requirement for federal aid eligibility, not to capture your current highest degree. Side note: make sure she also updates her FAFSA grade level to either 2nd or 3rd year depending on how many credits will transfer! That was something I messed up originally.

This question actually tripped me up too!! I picked "some college" instead of "high school diploma" because I thought that made more sense for my son who had his Associate's... and then his financial aid got delayed because they had to verify his high school completion. Such a headache for something so simple!

Ugh, the FAFSA is THE WORST with these confusing questions! I spent HOURS trying to navigate it for my transfer student last year. For the high school question, yes just put "high school diploma" - but be prepared for more confusing questions ahead! And good luck getting through to anyone at Federal Student Aid if you have questions. Their phone lines are ALWAYS busy. I wasted three days trying to get someone on the phone about a verification issue.

One more important thing to note: since your daughter has an Associate's degree, her SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) calculation might be different than a traditional first-year student. The good news is that as a transfer student with an Associate's, she might qualify for transfer scholarships that aren't available to freshmen. Make sure she checks with the financial aid office at her new school about any special transfer scholarship opportunities!

I went through this exact same situation with my daughter last year! She had her Associate's from community college and was transferring to a 4-year school. The "high school diploma" selection is definitely correct - I made the mistake of overthinking it too and almost selected "some college" which would have been wrong. One tip that helped us: after you submit the FAFSA, download a copy of the Student Aid Report (SAR) when it becomes available. This way you can double-check that all the information processed correctly before the schools receive it. Sometimes there are processing errors that are easier to catch early. Also, don't forget to update her student status to reflect her transfer student level (sounds like she'll be a junior based on the other comments). Good luck with the process!

I'm a new community member here and just wanted to say how helpful this thread has been! My son will be in a similar situation next year - he's finishing up his Associate's degree at community college and planning to transfer. I've been dreading the FAFSA process but reading through all these responses has really clarified things for me. It's so reassuring to know that other families have navigated this successfully. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for when we start our FAFSA next year!

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter who transferred with her Associate's degree, I can confirm everyone's advice is spot on! Definitely select "high school diploma" for that question. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure to keep all your FAFSA confirmation emails and document everything. When my daughter's aid package seemed lower than expected, we had to provide additional documentation to prove her transfer status and credit hours. Having all our FAFSA paperwork organized made that process much smoother. Also, if your daughter is transferring mid-academic year or has any unique circumstances, don't hesitate to reach out to the financial aid office at her new school directly. They're usually much more helpful than trying to get through to Federal Student Aid, and they can often clarify school-specific questions about transfer students that the FAFSA itself doesn't address clearly.