Another great tip from Mark Kantrowitz on The Choice blog this week for families debating whether or not to apply for aid out of fear that doing so will hurt their student’s chances of admission:
“If you need financial aid to afford the college, then apply for financial aid. If you do not apply for financial aid, you will struggle to pay for the college. Don’t assume that you can handle one year without assistance and then apply for financial aid in subsequent years. Some colleges will not award institutional grants to students who did not apply for financial aid the first year, unless there is clear evidence of a change in the family’s financial circumstances.”
Jo in okc says
Johns Hopkins is a school that says explicitly that in order to get aid in subsequent years you must apply for aid as a freshman.
I was really surprised when I saw the notice.