Many families wonder whether it’s worth the time and trouble to complete the basic college financial aid application used by the vast majority of colleges (FAFSA) or the one used by more exclusive colleges (CSS Profile). While the FAFSA is an application for aid from the federal government, the CSS Profile is an application for aid directly from colleges and from scholarship programs. Give yourself time to consider schools and programs to send it to. 5. The CSS Profile uses “Institutional Methodology”, which takes a more rounded look at a student’s financial situation, looking at factors such as home value, non-custodial parent income, and medical expenses. Investing the money to see what aid you qualify for may be worth the cost. CSS Profile applications open on Oct. 1 each year. by Shannon Vasconcelos, former financial aid officer at Tufts University. having an income over 500,000 we assume we will not be eligible for financial aid. With college application season just wrapping up, many families’ thoughts are turning to financial aid. Spending money to get need-based financial aid is an unfortunate necessity. . The CSS Profile costs $9 initially then $16 for each school you apply to. On the application do you we Mark not pursuing financial aid. We are here to help. The Flexibility. October 2011 edited October 2011 in Financial Aid & Scholarships. Among these are top colleges and the Ivy League, so if you plan on applying to some of the best schools in the nation, it’s in your best interest to learn what the CSS Profile is and to make sure that you know what to expect when completing it. Highlights – Tour our CSS Profile Overview; Documents at the ready – You will need your most recently completed tax returns, W-2 forms and other records of current year income, records of untaxed income and benefits, assets and bank statements. The CSS Profile is a financial aid application that you fill out through the College Board. Hi guys, my dad was filling out the CSS for an early decision deadline and told me that he doesn't think we have a chance of getting any financial aid. The CSS Profile Has a Fee to File. It may seem ironic that an application for financial aid costs money, but yes, in fact, the CSS Profile does. Over 400 schools use the CSS Profile to determine their financial aid offers to prospective students. CSS Profile worth it? Helpful Tips and Resources. It’s also important to point out that, unlike the FAFSA application for federal financial aid, the CSS Profile isn’t free. They may earn very good incomes or have lots of investments or home equity. Need more information before getting started with your CSS Profile application? Seahawks506 2471 replies 55 threads Senior Member. The CSS Profile is a financial aid application used by 400 colleges and universities to award grants and scholarships. We do not want to appear to the schools we believe based our income that we need financial aid. Fortunately, the College Board does offer up to waive the fee for up to eight applications. While the FAFSA is free — thus the name Free Application for Federal Student Aid — the CSS Profile costs $25 for the initial application and submission to one college. Submit it along with the FAFSA. The CSS Profile isn’t free — it costs $16 for every school or scholarship program you send it to, unless you can qualify for a fee waiver. It might not be worth submitting it if it’s not required by your school. The CSS Profile also considers special circumstances that affect your ability to pay for school. We plan to file the FAFSA and the CSS profile at each school to which our daughter is attending. 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