Will my son lose financial aid if he commits to college before FAFSA release?

congrats on your son getting accepted! but DON'T commit without seeing the financial package first. my nephew did this last year and got basically nothing when the aid finally came through even though his friends with similar situations got decent packages at the same school

This is a common concern, but most reputable schools will honor their standard financial aid policies regardless of when you commit. The May 1st deadline is standard across most institutions and unfortunately often comes before FAFSA processing completes for many families this year due to the FAFSA delays. Here's what you should do: 1. Contact the financial aid office directly and explain your situation 2. Ask for written confirmation that committing early won't impact aid eligibility 3. Request an estimate based on prior year information if possible 4. Ask if they have a special policy for this year given the FAFSA delays Most schools want to maintain their yield rate (% of accepted students who enroll) so they typically won't penalize early commits, but it's always best to get this in writing.

u shouldnt worry so much lol. my daughter commiteed early to NYU last yr and still got her full aid package like 3 weeks later. schools dont care when u commit they just want u there!!

Financial aid counselor here. The truth is that it depends on the school. Most reputable colleges will honor their standard aid formulas regardless of when you commit, but there are some important nuances: - Merit scholarships might have earlier deadlines than need-based aid - Some schools have limited aid funds that are first-come, first-served - Your FAFSA SAI score determines federal aid eligibility, which remains the same no matter when you commit - Institutional aid policies vary widely by school I strongly recommend calling the financial aid office and asking these specific questions: 1. "Will committing before receiving my financial aid package affect my need-based aid eligibility?" 2. "Is your institutional aid first-come, first-served or guaranteed based on need formulas?" 3. "If we commit now and find the aid package insufficient, what's your deposit refund policy?" Get everything in writing if possible. This year has been especially challenging with the FAFSA delays affecting everyone.

I'm in literally THE EXACT SAME SITUATION with my daughter right now!!! She got into Northeastern and they want her deposit by May 1, but we haven't seen a PENNY of financial aid information yet. The anxiety is killing me. I've been calling their financial aid office almost daily and keep getting "we're still processing" or "check back next week." It's absolutely maddening. How are we supposed to make such a huge financial decision without all the information?? The whole system feels rigged.

This happened to us last year with my son. We committed to his school before aid came through, and unfortunately, the package was much lower than we expected based on the net price calculator. The school basically said "take it or leave it" because we'd already committed. We ended up having to take out way more Parent Plus loans than we planned. I wish we had waited or at least gotten something in writing from the financial aid office that the early commitment wouldn't affect aid.

@OP Yes, we did try to appeal. We submitted all the documentation showing our financial need, but they only increased the aid by about $2,000 per year, which barely made a dent. My advice would be to really push for some kind of estimate or guarantee before committing. The $500 deposit is nothing compared to being locked into four years of higher-than-expected tuition.

my sisters kid had to commit to rutgers before they got fafsa but the school told her they guaranteee the aid wont change! but she had to ask for that promise in an email, so maybe just email them and ask for the same?

btw What school is this for ur son? some schools r way better with aid than others js

@OP - University of Michigan typically has a very reliable financial aid process, but they're also known to run out of certain institutional grant funds later in the season. Definitely contact them ASAP and express your concerns. If you're an in-state student, their aid tends to be more generous than for out-of-state. One option some families use: commit with the deposit to secure the spot, but continue to work with financial aid and be prepared to withdraw if the package makes attendance impossible. Yes, you might lose the deposit, but it protects your son's spot while you wait for the official numbers.

@OP Most schools process aid packages as they receive FAFSA information and will notify you as soon as your package is determined. However, some schools do batch their notifications, especially for incoming freshmen. The best approach is to call Michigan's financial aid office directly and ask about their specific notification timeline. One more thing to consider: If your son's SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) is already available on studentaid.gov, you could share that number with Michigan's financial aid office. Sometimes they can provide a rough estimate based on that figure, even if they haven't processed your full package yet.