Should I file FAFSA before my son commits to trade school or military? Unexpected early graduation question

my daughter did something similar a few years back. you should definitely fill out the FAFSA regardless of whether he goes trade school or military!! Even military folks can use education benefits + FAFSA together for better coverage. For trade schools, yes they accept FAFSA but not all of them, you need to check if they're "Title IV eligible" which means they can take federal aid. But DONT WAIT! The new FAFSA is weird and has lots of glitches this year. Better to apply and have it ready.

Wait so your son is skipping senior year completely? Is that even allowed? I thought you needed 4 years of high school to graduate no matter what. Are you sure this will work for college applications? My cousin tried to graduate early and the college made him go back and finish proper.

Financial aid advisor here! This is actually a common question. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you can submit the application starting October 1, 2024. You don't need to know which school your son will attend before submitting - that's a common misconception. When you fill out the FAFSA, you can list up to 20 schools that will receive his information. For trade schools, make sure they're Title IV eligible (which means they can accept federal financial aid). You can check this on the Federal Student Aid website. If he joins the military, having a FAFSA on file could still be beneficial as he might want to take classes during service or use benefits like the GI Bill later on in combination with other aid. The most important thing is to submit as early as possible after October 1st, as some aid is first-come, first-served. You can always add or remove schools later through the student aid website.

This happened to us!!! My son graduated early too and we weren't prepared AT ALL for the financial aid stuff. We ended up missing out on so much aid because we didn't understand the deadlines. The FAFSA deadline is different from college application deadlines!!! And some schools have their own financial aid deadlines that are DIFFERENT from the FAFSA deadline!!! It was a NIGHTMARE and cost us thousands!!! Do not wait until he decides! File the FAFSA in October and you can add schools later as he decides. TRUST ME.

The most important thing to understand is that FAFSA now uses the Student Aid Index (SAI) to determine eligibility instead of the old EFC system. Your SAI will be calculated based on your family's financial information. For trade schools, you'll need to confirm they have a Federal School Code, which means they're eligible for federal student aid. Not all trade programs qualify. If your son joins the military, he should still complete the FAFSA as there are education benefits that can work alongside military benefits. For example, he might qualify for a Pell Grant that wouldn't need to be repaid, separate from military benefits. You'll need to provide tax information from two years prior when you apply (so 2023 taxes for the 2025-2026 application). Start gathering these documents now.

lol dont stress. my kid changed her mind like 5 times before settling on a school. just do the fafsa and put down any schools hes thinking about. you can change it later. military probably wont need it but trade schools for sure.

One thing nobody mentioned yet - even if your son joins the military, many servicemembers take college classes during their service. They get tuition assistance from the military but it doesn't cover everything. Having FAFSA on file can help with books, supplies, etc. My nephew is in the Army and uses both his military benefits AND Pell Grant money from FAFSA.

My brother went to trade school and they had weird finanacial aid deadlines that were different from regular colleges. Some programs start at random times of the year not just fall semester. So u might need to check with the specific trade schools about WHEN to submit fafsa for their programs

Don't forget that the FAFSA submission process now requires both the student and the parent to create FSA IDs. This trip up a lot of families. You and your son should each create your FSA ID now, even before October, so you're ready to go when the application opens. Also, the Student Aid Index (SAI) might affect trade school eligibility differently than 4-year colleges. Some trade programs have lower tuition but higher materials costs, which can impact how aid is distributed. Be sure to talk directly with the financial aid office at any trade school he's considering to understand how their specific aid packages work.

I spent DAYS trying to get through to someone at Federal Student Aid last year when we had issues with our FAFSA. The website kept crashing and the phone lines were always busy. We finally got help using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it got us through to an actual human at FSA in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Just sharing because the FAFSA rollout was a disaster last year and I'm guessing this year won't be much better. If you run into trouble getting answers about your son's unusual situation, it might save you some headaches.

To answer your follow-up questions: 1. To check if a trade school is Title IV eligible, you can search for the school on the Federal Student Aid website (studentaid.gov) using the "School Search" tool. If they have a Federal School Code, they can process federal aid. 2. Military training programs themselves don't qualify for FAFSA, but many servicemembers take classes at colleges/universities during their service that do qualify. The military's tuition assistance program can be used alongside federal aid in many cases. 3. For trade programs with non-standard start dates, you should still submit the FAFSA as early as possible. The school's financial aid office can help adjust your aid package based on when your son's program actually begins. As for the October FAFSA opening - be aware that in recent years, there have been significant delays and technical issues with the FAFSA launch. Last year, the form wasn't actually available until January despite the October "official" opening date. Have a backup plan and keep checking the studentaid.gov website for updates.

Just wanted to add one more thing that helped us when my daughter graduated early - create a spreadsheet or document to track all the important dates and requirements for each path your son is considering. For trade schools, note their application deadlines, financial aid deadlines, program start dates, and whether they're Title IV eligible. For military options, track enlistment deadlines and any education benefit timelines. Having everything in one place made it so much easier to stay organized when we were juggling multiple options. Also, don't forget that some trade programs have prerequisite courses or certifications that might need to be completed before starting - factor that into your timeline too. You're doing great by asking these questions now instead of waiting until the last minute!

One thing I wish someone had told me when my son was in a similar situation - if he's leaning toward trade school, try to visit the financial aid offices in person if possible, especially for programs that aren't at traditional colleges. I found that trade school financial aid counselors were way more helpful face-to-face than over the phone, and they could walk us through exactly how their aid packages work with FAFSA. Also, some trade schools have their own scholarships and grants that are separate from federal aid, but you might miss out on them if you don't know to ask. They don't always advertise these opportunities widely. When we visited welding programs, one school mentioned a $2,000 scholarship for early applicants that wasn't even on their website! The early graduation timeline is actually kind of a blessing in disguise - you have more time to research and compare options than families scrambling during senior year. Use that extra time to really dig into the financial details of each path he's considering.

Another thing to consider - if your son is thinking about trade school, look into whether the programs he's interested in qualify for state-specific financial aid in addition to federal FAFSA. Many states have their own grant programs for vocational training that can really help cover costs, but they often have earlier deadlines than federal aid. Also, since he's graduating early, make sure to get official transcripts sent to any schools he applies to as soon as his summer school credit posts. Some trade programs fill up quickly and process applications on a rolling basis, so having all his paperwork ready to go can be a real advantage. One last tip from our experience - if he's considering military service, he might want to look into whether any of the trade programs he's interested in offer college credit that could transfer later when he uses his GI Bill benefits. Some programs are set up specifically to give veterans a head start on related degree programs. It could be a win-win situation where he gets hands-on training now and a degree pathway for later!