How does FAFSA classify associate's degrees for First Gen scholarship eligibility?

I think associates degrees count as college on the FAFSA so he probably won't be first gen. My brother went through this last year

The official FAFSA guidelines are clear on this: Associate degrees DO count as college completion. When answering the parent education level questions, you should select "College or beyond" if either parent has an associate degree or higher. The First Generation qualification typically requires that neither parent completed any degree beyond high school. However, there's something important to note - some individual scholarship programs have their own definitions of "first generation" that differ from FAFSA. Some scholarships consider students first-gen if neither parent has a bachelor's degree, even if they have associate degrees or certificates. My advice: Answer FAFSA accurately (college or beyond), but still apply for first-gen scholarships through individual programs that use the bachelor's degree definition.

i filled this out wrong last yr and had 2 go back and fix it!! the fafsa ppl were no help over the phone, spent literaly 2 hrs on hold and then they hung up on me lolol

This is actually a complicated question! The FAFSA itself defines college completion as having any degree beyond high school, which includes Associate's degrees and many certificate programs. HOWEVER! This is where it gets tricky - the definition of "first-generation" varies WIDELY depending on who's asking and for what purpose. For FAFSA completion itself, you need to answer honestly that you have education beyond high school. BUT for scholarship applications, many programs use their own definition where "first-generation" means neither parent has a BACHELOR'S degree. So while your son might not be considered first-gen by the strictest definition, he may still qualify for many first-gen scholarships that use the "no bachelor's degree" standard. Bottom line: Be accurate on FAFSA (say "college or beyond"), but don't give up on first-gen scholarships! Research each scholarship's specific eligibility criteria.

I'm going through the exact same thing!!! My husband has an associate's degree in criminal justice but never went for his bachelor's. Our daughter's college has their own "first-gen" scholarship that they said she can still get because their definition is "neither parent completed a 4-year degree." But on the actual FAFSA form itself, we had to list him as "college or beyond" because that's what they consider an associate's degree. It's so confusing how everyone uses different definitions!

guys... do certiifcates even count? i thought it was only degrees that count as college. the certificate isn't a degree so maybe just report the dad's associate's??

Financial aid advisor here. Let me clear this up. For FAFSA purposes, both an Associate's degree and certificate programs beyond high school are classified as "college or beyond." You must answer the parent education level questions accurately based on this definition. However, for scholarship purposes, particularly those targeting first-generation students, the definitions vary widely: 1. Federal TRiO programs define first-generation as neither parent having a bachelor's degree 2. Many institutional scholarships use the "no bachelor's degree" definition 3. Some private scholarships use the stricter "no college completion of any kind" definition My recommendation: - Answer FAFSA questions accurately (college or beyond) - Ask each college's financial aid office specifically about their first-generation scholarship definitions - Search for scholarships using terms like "first-generation" AND "parents without bachelor's degree" The landscape of first-gen scholarships is evolving, with many programs recognizing that students whose parents only completed associate's degrees or certificates still face many of the same challenges as traditional first-gen students.

I went through this exact situation with my daughter two years ago! My husband has an associate's in IT and I have a certificate in dental hygiene. We had to mark "college or beyond" on the FAFSA, but she still qualified for several first-gen scholarships at her university and through private organizations that define it as "no bachelor's degree." One thing I learned - don't just look at the big national scholarships. Check with your son's high school counselor about local community foundation scholarships too. Many of these smaller, local scholarships are more flexible with their first-gen definitions and have way less competition. My daughter ended up getting three local scholarships totaling $8,000 that all considered her first-gen even though we had to mark otherwise on FAFSA. Also, when he applies to colleges, have him mention in his essays or applications that he'll be the first in your family to pursue a four-year degree. Admissions officers understand the distinction and it can still be a compelling part of his story even if the technical FAFSA definition doesn't classify him as first-gen.

As someone new to this community, I'm finding this discussion incredibly enlightening! My wife has an associate's degree in early childhood education and I completed a certificate program in HVAC, so we're facing this exact same dilemma with our son who's a high school senior. What's really helpful is seeing how many people have successfully navigated this situation. I'm particularly encouraged by the stories of students who still received significant scholarship money even after having to mark "college or beyond" on their FAFSA forms. I'm definitely going to start that spreadsheet approach that everyone keeps mentioning - it seems like the key is really understanding that each program has its own definition rather than assuming they all follow the same criteria. One thing I'm wondering about is whether there are any resources or websites that specifically compile scholarships using the "no bachelor's degree" definition of first-generation? It would be amazing if there was a centralized place to find these opportunities rather than having to research each one individually. Has anyone come across anything like that in their search process? Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences here - this thread has been more helpful than hours of trying to figure this out on my own!