[ High School and Self-Education Board ]
Posted by Lesley on 17:31 May 2
If a student has the academic credentials (National Merit Finalist, great SAT score, college prep transcript, extra-curriculia activities, etc.) that would qualify him/her for a given college's top academic scholarhip (full tuition and R&B), should a family file the FAFSA for need based assistance? In theory, a family could qualify for state or federal aid the student's first year and the college would offer only the amount necessary to make up full costs. If the family's income changed over the student's college career such that they no longer qualified for need based assistance and because the student never rec'd the "full ride" scholarship, then the family would be left paying college expenses. It seems it would have been better to have never filed for need based assistance and to have been awarded the prestigious four year full tuition/inc. R&B scholarship the student's freshman year.
Comments? Any experience w/ such a situation? Am I missing something? Any thoughts and help is much appreciated.