Should we apply for FAFSA if son is only going to community college?

YES! Absolutely apply for FAFSA regardless of where your son is going. Community college students are eligible for federal financial aid including Pell Grants (which don't need to be repaid) and federal student loans with better terms than private options. Many state grants and some institutional scholarships also require a completed FAFSA application, even at community colleges. The 2025-2026 FAFSA should be submitted as soon as possible since some aid is first-come, first-served.

Yep do it! My daughter got a pell grant for community college last year and we made about 65k. Its free money!

The answer is definitely yes - apply for FAFSA regardless of which institution your son will attend. With a household income of $72,000, your son may qualify for various types of aid: 1. Federal Pell Grants (don't need to be repaid) 2. Subsidized federal loans (government pays interest while in school) 3. State-specific grants (many states have special community college grants) 4. Work-study opportunities 5. Institutional scholarships (many require FAFSA) Also, if your son decides to transfer to a 4-year institution later, having established financial aid history will make that transition smoother. The new FAFSA for 2025-2026 calculates your Student Aid Index (SAI) rather than the old EFC, which may actually benefit families in your income range. Complete it as soon as possible after October 1st, as some aid is first-come, first-served.

My son went to community college and we didn't bother with FAFSA the first semester and it was a HUGE mistake! When we finally applied for the spring semester, he qualified for a $3,800 Pell Grant that we totally missed out on for fall. APPLY!!!!!

Absolutely apply! I was in a similar position with my daughter last year. Just make sure you have all your tax documents ready - 2023 tax return for the 2025-2026 FAFSA. The new FAFSA format is actually easier than the old one (thank goodness!). One thing to consider - if your son is undecided, he might transfer to a 4-year college later. Having the FAFSA already completed will make that transition much smoother financially. Most transfer scholarships also require FAFSA information. With your income around $72k, depending on your family size and other factors, he might qualify for some Pell Grant money and definitely for federal student loans which have much better terms than private loans if needed.

DO IT NOW!!! Srsly my nephew waited till March to apply and all the state grants were GONE already. Don't wait!!! First come first served for alot of the money!!

I tried calling the Federal Student Aid hotline to ask this exact question last month when my daughter was deciding between schools and kept getting disconnected or waiting 2+ hours. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that someone on here recommended and got through to a real person in about 10 minutes. They confirmed that YES community college students should absolutely submit FAFSA. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ They gave me so much good info about community college aid options I didn't know about!

lol at everyone saying its easy... took me 3 tries to get teh stupid fafsa submitted because the website kept crashing. but yea do it anyway its worth it.

One more thing to consider - if your son does well at community college, many 4-year schools offer transfer scholarships, but they often require FAFSA information even if the scholarship isn't need-based. Having a FAFSA on file keeps all those doors open. Also, with the new SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation that replaced EFC, some middle-income families are seeing better aid packages than in previous years. The $72k household income puts you in a range where some aid is definitely possible.

Just wanted to add my experience - we were in a very similar situation last year! My daughter started at community college with plans to transfer, and I'm so glad we filled out the FAFSA. With our income around $70k, she qualified for a partial Pell Grant that covered about 60% of her tuition and fees. The application process really isn't as scary as it seems - just make sure you have your 2023 tax return handy and set aside about an hour to complete it. The new FAFSA is much more streamlined than the old version. Also, don't forget to check if your state has any community college-specific grants or programs. Many states are really pushing community college attendance and have created special funding programs that require FAFSA completion. You might be surprised what's available! Good luck with everything - your son is making a smart financial choice starting at community college!

Definitely apply for FAFSA! I'm a community college advisor and I can't stress this enough - we see students miss out on thousands of dollars in aid every year because they assume community college students don't qualify. With your $72k income, your son will likely qualify for at least some Pell Grant funding, and possibly state grants too. Even if the award seems small compared to what university students get, remember that community college costs are much lower, so that aid goes further! Plus, many community colleges have their own emergency funds and scholarships that require FAFSA completion. The application opens October 1st for the 2025-26 school year, so mark your calendar. It's honestly one of the best investments of time you can make for your son's education.

Absolutely yes! I just went through this exact same process with my daughter last year. We had a similar income level and were hesitant about filling out the FAFSA for community college, but I'm so glad we did. She ended up qualifying for about $2,400 in Pell Grant money for the year, which covered almost all of her tuition at our local CC. The process really isn't as complicated as people make it sound - the new FAFSA format is much more user-friendly. Just have your 2023 tax return ready and it should take about 45 minutes to complete. Don't wait too long though - some state aid programs do run out of funding on a first-come, first-served basis. Even if your son is undecided about his career path, having that financial aid established will be incredibly helpful if he decides to transfer to a 4-year school later. Many transfer scholarships actually require FAFSA completion as well. You've got nothing to lose and potentially thousands of dollars to gain!

I'm new to this whole college process too and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea that community college students were eligible for federal aid like Pell Grants. My daughter is a junior in high school and we've been assuming we'd just pay out of pocket for community college since it's "cheaper." But reading about people getting $2,400-$3,800 in grants makes me realize we definitely need to plan ahead and fill out the FAFSA when the time comes. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so helpful to learn from families who've actually been through this process!

As someone who just went through this process with my oldest child, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to fill out the FAFSA for community college! We were initially hesitant because we thought our income was "too high" to qualify for anything meaningful, but we ended up being pleasantly surprised. With a household income similar to yours, my son qualified for about $3,200 in Pell Grant funding, which covered roughly 75% of his community college tuition and fees for the entire year. What really opened my eyes was learning that the financial aid isn't just about covering costs - it's about maximizing your options and keeping doors open for the future. A few practical tips from our experience: - Start gathering your 2023 tax documents now so you're ready when the FAFSA opens - Don't forget to check your state's deadline for aid - some states have earlier deadlines than the federal deadline - Many community colleges offer payment plans that work well with financial aid disbursement schedules Your son is making a smart choice starting at community college, especially while he's figuring out his career path. The money you save (even with aid) compared to starting at a 4-year university will give him more flexibility to explore different programs without breaking the bank. Best of luck with the application process!

I'm also completely new to this financial aid world and this thread has been so incredibly helpful! Reading everyone's real experiences with actual dollar amounts makes such a difference - it's one thing to hear "yes, apply" but another to hear "$2,400 covered almost all tuition" or "$3,200 covered 75% of costs." My son is also graduating this spring and planning to start at community college in the fall while he figures out what he wants to do. I was honestly intimidated by the whole FAFSA process and wasn't even sure it was worth it for community college, but now I'm convinced we absolutely need to do this. One question for those who've been through it - should we wait until we actually enroll at the community college to submit the FAFSA, or can we do it earlier? I want to make sure we don't miss any deadlines or first-come-first-served opportunities. Thank you all so much for being so generous with sharing your experiences - it means the world to families like us who are navigating this for the first time!

I'm also a newcomer to this whole financial aid process and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! My daughter is currently a high school senior and we've been debating whether to fill out the FAFSA since she's planning to start at our local community college next fall. Like many others here, I assumed that community college students wouldn't qualify for much aid, especially with our middle-class income. Reading all these real experiences with actual numbers has completely changed my perspective. Hearing about families with similar incomes getting $2,400-$3,800 in Pell Grants that cover a significant portion of tuition costs is eye-opening. I had no idea that federal aid worked this way for community college students! I'm definitely planning to submit our FAFSA as soon as it opens in October. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made what seemed like an overwhelming process feel much more manageable. It's amazing how much support and practical advice this community provides for families navigating this for the first time. Your stories have given me confidence that we're making the right choice by applying for aid, regardless of where our kids start their college journey.