College · Family Resources

Apply to the colleges you want,
not the ones you can afford to.

Application fees add up fast, and students who qualify for waivers often never ask. Check the indicators that fee waiver forms look for, then track every college: its fee, the waiver route that fits and whether it shows as waived. The guide adds up what waivers cover and flags any college you are still paying that might waive.

Add a studentWhat you get

Students

The worked example is made up: a student who qualifies through free school meals and an SAT fee waiver, applying to five colleges with $190 of $250 in fees covered, and a student with no indicator yet. Records save on this device only.

Loading the student form. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

College · Family ResourcesFree

What you finish with
A record per student with the indicators that apply; each college with its fee, waiver route and status; four steps that make waivers go through; totals for fees, waived fees and fees still paid; flags for no indicator, waivers requested but not showing, waivers not yet requested and colleges being paid that might waive.
Who it is for
High school juniors and seniors applying to college, their families and the school counselors who confirm waivers.
Format
Browser guide with a saved record per student. Prints the record, every student as a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Family Resources space in Caveat College.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Check which indicators apply; one is usually enough.
  2. Tell your school counselor you are requesting waivers.
  3. Add each college with its fee and pick the route that fits.
  4. Answer the fee waiver section in the application platform.
  5. Before submitting, make sure each application shows the fee as waived.

Add a student

The routes to a waiver

Four ways a fee gets waived1Application platformAnswer its fee waiver questions; a counselor may confirm.2SAT fee waiverCollege Board passes on waivers to colleges that take part.3NACAC formA counselor signs the request; send it to each college.4Ask the collegeMany admission offices waive on request or have a code.Before submitting, check each application shows the fee as waived, not owed.Four ways a fee gets waived1Application platformAnswer its fee waiver questions; acounselor may confirm.2SAT fee waiverCollege Board passes on waivers tocolleges that take part.3NACAC formA counselor signs the request; sendit to each college.4Ask the collegeMany admission offices waive onrequest or have a code.Check each application shows $0 owed.
Routes and rules change each year. The platform’s help page and the college’s admission office have the current ones.

What the indicators are

Fee waiver forms ask about signs of financial need that schools already know: eligibility for free or reduced-price meals, family income within the federal guidelines for those meals, an SAT or ACT fee waiver, programs for students from lower-income families, public assistance, subsidized housing, foster care or homelessness. A counselor can also confirm hardship that none of those cover.

Privacy

Nobody needs your family’s finances to grant a waiver, only the indicator. This page keeps everything in your browser, and the record uses a first name. The application platforms keep the waiver answer with your application.

Sources

  1. Common App. Fee waiver help: eligibility indicators and counselor confirmation (commonapp.org).
  2. College Board. SAT Fee Waivers: benefits for eligible students, including college application fee waivers (collegeboard.org).
  3. National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Request for Application Fee Waiver form (nacacnet.org).
  4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines, updated each July (fns.usda.gov).

The worked example is made up, including the colleges and fees. Each platform and college sets its own waiver rules; check them each year. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.