Should I fill out FAFSA if my family has high income? Worth it?

YES! Always fill out the FAFSA regardless of income. Here's why: 1. Many merit scholarships require a FAFSA on file even though they're not need-based 2. Some schools won't consider you for ANY institutional aid without it 3. You might be surprised - the new SAI formula for 2025-2026 has changes that affect middle/upper-middle income families 4. Unsubsidized federal loans are available regardless of need (and have better terms than private loans) 5. Family finances can change unexpectedly (job loss, medical expenses) and having a FAFSA already on file makes adjustments easier It takes about 30-45 minutes with the new simplified form. Definitely worth doing!

trust me dont bother, my parents make 200k and we got NOTHING. total waste of time doing all that paperwork jsut to get denied. the whole system is rigged anyway

I was in the EXACT same situation (parents income ~$165k) and thought FAFSA was pointless for us. BUT my dream school ended up offering me a $15k/year scholarship that required a FAFSA on file! Found out later they use it to verify enrollment status and other eligibility factors even for non-need scholarships. Also, even if you don't get grants, having access to federal loans is wayyyy better than private loans if you need them. Lower interest rates and more flexible repayment options after graduation.

I work in financial aid at a university and I ALWAYS tell families to file the FAFSA regardless of income. Here's what most people don't realize: - The federal methodology for calculating your Student Aid Index (SAI, formerly EFC) takes many factors beyond just income into account - number of kids in college simultaneously can DRAMATICALLY change your aid eligibility - Many schools won't even CONSIDER you for their institutional scholarships without a FAFSA - Some states have grant programs with higher income thresholds than federal programs - Having access to federal student loans provides a safety net even if you plan to pay out of pocket The new streamlined FAFSA for 2025-2026 takes much less time than before. File it and don't leave money on the table!

Lemme tell you about my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE!!! My parents made about $190k when I started college and I thought EXACTLY like your dad - "waste of time, won't qualify for anything." WRONG!!! I applied to 8 schools and the private ones all required FAFSA for MERIT scholarships!! My dad nearly cost me $22,000/year in merit money because he didn't want to "share his tax info with the government" (even though the IRS already has it LOL). Fill. It. Out. Period. End of story. Even if you get zero federal $$$, many schools won't even LOOK at you for their own money without it.

been trying to reach federal student aid for days to ask this exact question - the wait times are INSANE and i keep getting disconnected. so frustrating!!!

my brother didnt do fafsa his first yr and regretted it so much!!! some random scholarship he got required it and he couldnt accept the $$. dont make that mistake!!

One more thing I forgot to mention - if your parents are planning to help pay for your education, they should look into Parent PLUS loans, which require a FAFSA on file. While your family income might disqualify you from need-based aid, Parent PLUS loans have more favorable terms than many private education loans. The application process is straightforward once the FAFSA is completed.

i still think its all a waste of time the whole systems rigged for the super poor or the super rich like always

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm definitely going to fill out the FAFSA now. Seems like there are lots of reasons beyond just federal grants, and I don't want to miss out on merit scholarships. I've talked to my parents and they've agreed it makes sense to complete it. Really appreciate all the insights!

Great decision, Gabriel! You're making the smart move. Just a few quick tips as you get started: 1. Have your parents' tax returns handy - the new FAFSA can actually pull data directly from the IRS now, which makes it much faster 2. Don't forget to list ALL the schools you're applying to in the FAFSA - you can add up to 20 schools 3. Submit it as early as possible after October 1st - some aid is first-come, first-served 4. Keep copies of everything for your records You'll probably be surprised at what opportunities open up just by having it on file. Best of luck with your college applications!

As someone who just went through this process last year, I can't stress enough how important it is to fill out the FAFSA! My family's income was similar to yours (~$180k) and I initially thought the same thing - why bother if we won't qualify for need-based aid? But here's what I learned: even if you don't get federal grants, many schools use FAFSA data for their own institutional scholarships and merit aid programs. I ended up getting a $12,000/year merit scholarship from my state university that I almost missed out on because I delayed filing my FAFSA. Also, the 2025-2026 FAFSA is so much simpler than previous years - it took me less than 30 minutes to complete with the new streamlined form. The IRS data retrieval tool makes it super easy too. Don't let your family leave money on the table! Even if there's just a small chance of getting aid, the time investment is minimal compared to the potential benefit.

Just wanted to chime in as another newcomer to this community! I'm in a very similar situation - my family's income is around $170k and I was having the exact same doubts about whether to fill out the FAFSA. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea that so many merit scholarships require FAFSA on file, or that schools use it for their own institutional aid programs. The fact that multiple people here have shared real examples of getting significant scholarships despite higher family incomes is really convincing. I'm also relieved to hear how much simpler the 2025-2026 FAFSA is supposed to be. My older sister filled one out a few years ago and complained about how complicated it was, so I was dreading the process. But if it really only takes 30-45 minutes now, that seems totally worth it for the potential benefits. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - you've definitely convinced another family to file! Better to spend an hour filling out forms than to potentially miss out on thousands in aid.

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community but found this thread really helpful as I'm in a similar boat. My family makes about $195k and I was also on the fence about FAFSA, but after reading all your experiences I'm definitely convinced to fill it out! One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my college counselor - some states have their own grant programs that have different income thresholds than federal aid. For example, I'm in California and the Cal Grant program can sometimes help middle-income families depending on your specific situation and the schools you're applying to. Also, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who shared their real dollar amounts - it's so helpful to see actual examples rather than just general advice. The $12k and $15k scholarships mentioned here really put it in perspective. Even if the chances are small, those amounts would be life-changing for my family's college budget! Going to start my FAFSA this weekend. Thanks again for all the insights!

Hi everyone! I'm new here but this thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you all for sharing your experiences! I'm in a very similar situation with my family making around $175k, and I was honestly leaning toward skipping the FAFSA until I read through all these responses. What really convinced me were the real examples people shared - hearing about actual dollar amounts like the $15k and $12k scholarships that required FAFSA on file is eye-opening. I had no idea that merit scholarships often have this requirement, and my guidance counselor never mentioned it when we discussed my college plans. I'm particularly interested in what Isabella mentioned about state universities offering institutional aid that requires FAFSA. I'm applying to several state schools and a few privates, so it sounds like I definitely need to get this done to keep all my options open. One quick question for those who've been through this recently - should I wait until my parents file their 2024 taxes, or can I get started with estimates? I want to submit early like Omar suggested, but I don't want to mess anything up by using preliminary numbers. Thanks again everyone - this community is amazing for getting real advice from people who've actually been through this process!

Hi Gabriel! I'm new to this community but wanted to add my perspective as someone who was in almost the exact same situation last year. My family's income was around $180k and I initially had the same doubts about filling out FAFSA. What really surprised me was discovering that many schools have "middle-income initiatives" specifically designed for families like ours who make too much for traditional need-based aid but still struggle with college costs. These programs often require a FAFSA on file even though they're not technically need-based. I ended up getting a $10,000/year grant from a private university through one of these programs - money I would have completely missed if I hadn't filed. The school's financial aid office told me they use FAFSA data to identify eligible families for these middle-class support programs. Also, something I wish I'd known earlier - if you have siblings who might be in college at the same time in future years, having FAFSA data on file makes it much easier to demonstrate your family's financial picture when multiple kids are in school simultaneously. The aid calculations can change dramatically when you have two kids in college instead of one. Definitely fill it out! The new simplified form really is much easier than the horror stories you might have heard about previous versions.

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and found this thread at exactly the right time. My family is in a very similar situation - we make about $190k and I was completely on the fence about whether FAFSA was worth the effort. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening! I had absolutely no idea that so many merit scholarships and institutional aid programs require FAFSA on file regardless of need-based eligibility. The real examples people shared here - like the $15k, $12k, and $10k scholarships - really put it in perspective. That's potentially tens of thousands of dollars that could be left on the table just for not filling out a form! I'm especially grateful for the practical tips about the new streamlined FAFSA taking only 30-45 minutes and the IRS data retrieval tool making it much simpler. My older cousin went through this process a few years ago and made it sound absolutely terrible, so I was really dreading it. The point about unsubsidized federal loans having better terms than private loans is also something I hadn't considered. Even if we don't need loans initially, having that option available could be really valuable if our financial situation changes. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - you've definitely convinced another family to file! Going to get started on mine this week.

Hi Gabriel! I'm new to this community but your post really resonated with me - I was having the exact same debate with my parents about whether to fill out FAFSA with our family income around $180k. After reading through all these responses, I'm convinced we absolutely need to do it! The examples everyone shared about merit scholarships requiring FAFSA on file were eye-opening - I had no idea that was even a thing. The thought of potentially missing out on thousands in aid just because we didn't want to spend an hour on paperwork seems ridiculous now. What really convinced me was hearing from people like Samuel and Isabella who shared specific dollar amounts they received despite similar family incomes. A $15k or $12k scholarship would make such a huge difference for our college budget! I'm also applying to a mix of state and private schools, so it sounds like having FAFSA on file will keep all my options open for different types of institutional aid. Thanks for starting this thread - it's been incredibly helpful for those of us navigating this process for the first time! Definitely filling mine out this weekend. Good luck with your applications!

Hi Gabriel! I'm new to this community but your question really hit home for me - my family is in almost the exact same situation with an income around $185k, and I was having the same debate about whether FAFSA was worth the hassle. After reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I'm completely convinced now that we absolutely need to fill it out! I had no idea that so many merit scholarships and institutional aid programs require FAFSA on file regardless of whether you qualify for need-based aid. The real examples people shared here - like the $15k, $12k, and $10k scholarships - really put it in perspective. That's potentially life-changing money that could be left on the table just for not wanting to spend an hour on paperwork! I'm also relieved to learn how much simpler the 2025-2026 FAFSA is supposed to be. My older brother went through this process a few years ago and made it sound absolutely horrible, so I was really dreading it. But if it really only takes 30-45 minutes now with the IRS data retrieval tool, that seems totally manageable. The point about unsubsidized federal loans having better terms than private loans is also something I hadn't considered. Even if we don't plan to need loans initially, having that safety net available could be really valuable. Thanks for starting this thread - it's been incredibly educational for all of us newcomers navigating this process! Definitely filling out my FAFSA this weekend.

Hi Gabriel! I'm new to this community but your question really resonated with me. My family's income is around $190k and I was having the exact same internal debate about FAFSA - wondering if it's worth the time and effort when we clearly won't qualify for need-based aid. After reading through all these responses, I'm completely sold on filling it out! The examples everyone shared about merit scholarships requiring FAFSA on file were totally eye-opening. I had no clue that so many institutional aid programs have this requirement regardless of financial need. When you think about potentially missing out on $10k-15k+ per year just because you didn't want to spend 45 minutes on paperwork, it's really a no-brainer. I'm also applying to a mix of state and private schools, so it sounds like having FAFSA on file will keep all doors open for different types of aid opportunities. The point about federal loans having better terms than private loans is smart too - even if we don't plan to need them initially, it's good to have that option available. Thanks for starting this thread - it's been incredibly helpful for those of us navigating this process for the first time! The community here is amazing for getting real, practical advice from people who've actually been through it. Definitely tackling my FAFSA this weekend now!

Hi Gabriel! I'm new to this community but your post perfectly captures the dilemma I was facing with my own family. We make about $175k and I was having the exact same conversation with my parents - they kept saying it would be a waste of time since we won't qualify for need-based aid. But after reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I'm completely convinced we need to fill it out! The thing that really got my attention was learning that so many merit scholarships require FAFSA on file regardless of financial need. I had absolutely no idea this was a thing, and my school counselor never mentioned it when we discussed my college plans. The real examples people shared here - like the $15k, $12k, and $10k scholarships - really put it in perspective. When you think about potentially missing out on that kind of money just because you didn't want to spend 45 minutes filling out a form, it seems like such an obvious choice! I'm also applying to both state and private schools, so it sounds like having FAFSA on file will keep all my options open for different types of institutional aid programs. The point about federal loans having better terms than private loans is smart too - even if we don't plan to use them, it's good to have that safety net available. Thanks for starting this thread - it's been a game-changer for so many of us navigating this process for the first time! This community is amazing for getting real advice from people who've actually been through it. Definitely filling out my FAFSA this weekend now!