Originally Posted By: Anonymous
We're going through the application process with my son (not a recruited athlete). The financial aid application process is long and fairly complicated if you have anything other than w2 wages.
Yes, the process of filing for financial aid is somewhat like doing your taxes a second time - completing the FAFSA/EFC or secondary information required by an institution does take planning and organization.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous
For people who's Expected Family Contribution is at or above the cost of attendence for a school, there is no point in going through the hassle of applying for need based aid.
BOTN disagrees here. Some academic scholarships do require this type of disclosure so it is best to complete the forms in that manner. Never depend on your own EFC calculation to be the go/no-go decision on aid; let the university do the work on the evaluation.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous
Also, most (all?) schools now have a net cost calculator that can give you a fairly good idea of how much aid you might get - hint: don't expect to get anymore need based aid than that.
Again, this is good advice - using a university's on-line calculator will help gauge your financial responsibility in the overall funding equation.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous
Another thing to remember is that athletic aid reduces need based aid. So, if you we're expecting to get $10K in need based aid and you got a $10K athletic scholarship, then you can expect to no longer be getting any need based aid.
The order and priority of awards is university dependent.