<p>Wanted to add…</p>
<p>I see that your D got the full OOS tuition scholarship to Auburn. That is a very nice school. Very beautiful. Friendly students. We enjoyed our visit there. :)</p>
<p>I can’t wait to visit. We are attending the Presidential Scholar’s Day in February, and I hope she likes the school enough to consider it a viable option.<br>
My wife kind of thinks we should just let D decide and not worry about money. I’m not sure if D has a firm grasp on just how much $28,000 a year is and if it is worth paying that much to go to a school she really likes. This is assuming that we can somehow find a way to pay for it without ending up in the poorhouse. Maybe the CSS Profile will work out more in our favor since it takes into consideration other factors not in the FAFSA.
I should add that Auburn keeps telling us there is money for General and Departmental schollys, so hopefully she will get some more $$$. Then our school has a scholarship program and she will get some money through that (probably not a lot, but every little bit helps.) I just feel everything will work out somehow and she will end up at a school she was destined to attend and will enjoy it. I don’t think you can NOT have a good time in college. I would do it all over again if I had the chance!</p>
<p>you can apply for scholarships that aren’t associated with any colleges! don’t forget that! try fastweb or ***** for contest info. also, you can do work study. i would recommend calling wakeforest about your circumstances as well and asking what other financial aid programs they have in place that can help you; you can also always haggle with the financial aid package by describing your circumstances. goodluck though!</p>
<p><<maybe the=“” css=“” profile=“” will=“” work=“” out=“” more=“” in=“” our=“” favor=“” since=“” it=“” takes=“” into=“” consideration=“” other=“” factors=“” not=“” fafsa.=“”>></maybe></p>
<p>I am not sure the CSS Profile works out to a student’s favor. Maybe if a school wants the student bad enough, but from what I have read, the CSS Profile is more detailed, asking for information on assets than what the FAFSA does. I’ve seen cases where a school expects a family to sell a business or investment property in order to fund the education.</p>
<p>CSS Profile can actually help some students. It all depends on the family situation & what information the individual school uses.</p>
<p>You are correct, the Profile does ask for more info about assets and that methodology should be better for us. Plus I agree, it can give schools a little more latitude in giving out aid.</p>
<p>*I can’t wait to visit. We are attending the Presidential Scholar’s Day in February, and I hope she likes the school enough to consider it a viable option. </p>
<p>My wife kind of thinks we should just let D decide and not worry about money.** I’m not sure if D has a firm grasp on just how much $28,000 a year is and if it is worth paying that much to go to a school she really likes. This is assuming that we can somehow find a way to pay for it without ending up in the poorhouse.** Maybe the CSS Profile will work out more in our favor since it takes into consideration other factors not in the FAFSA.*</p>
<p>Just keep this in mind. If you pass up a scholarship, you can’t get it back. </p>
<p>If after a year or two, your family finds the pricey school unaffordable, what will you do? There have been posts about such a situation. These families mistakenly think that they can contact the merit school later and take the scholarship. Often a person can do it the other way around…accept the scholarship school, and then transfer after 2 years. </p>
<p>I think if I was going to making such a decision, I would insist that the family immediately start living as if we were currently having to come up with such money and see how difficult that is (while keeping in mind that this would go on for 4 years). </p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that if going to the pricey school requires incredible frugality, what will you do if a car breaks down, a major appliance needs replacing, or some other major expense or family emergency occurs during that 4 years? </p>
<p>Frankly, we’ve never been able to go 6 months without some big expense (we just had a new roof put on, too. 
)</p>
<p>If you start now, by May 1st you may have your decision. :)</p>
<p>However, if you’re wife is right, and money shouldn’t be a worry, then no problem. :)</p>
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<p>Mustang: What this poster says is true, but I’m not a fan of this approach. For starters, almost all of these outside scholarships are small potatoes compared to the cost of college. Most are one-year scholarships, meaning the hunt must begin anew every year. They are time-consuming for the student, with no assurance of payoff. And worst of all, most schools will use them to reduce your aid package, meaning your EFC is unchanged.</p>
<p>More than 95% of all scholarship dollars are awarded by the colleges themselves. When looking for scholarships, go where the money is. ;)</p>
<p>I’m wondering why it only took my husband a short time to fill out the CSS Profile. The FAFSA was a piece of cake, of course. But, I warned him that I read here where the Profile takes a lot longer. I thought I read where it asked about people’s CARS and how old they were or something on those lines. My husband didn’t see that at all. It just asked what we thought our house was worth. Is there something he’s missing? Why does it seem to be taking so long for others here??? We only have one salary, one house and no other assets. Could that be the difference? Just curious! I want to make sure we submit it correctly.</p>
<hr>
<p>LasMa wrote:</p>
<p>Mustang, nice one @ PROFILE. It took me a week!</p>
<p>2leashes–there are optional questions that only some colleges require to be included. the cars question is one of these, so it makes sense that you might not see it. Also, if your monetary situation is not complicated, there’s no reason it should take long to complete. It took me probably about an hour back when i was doing it. As long as you have the papers handy (tax forms, retirement accounts, etc) I don’t think it will necessarily be that long. (I do spend most of my time searching for stuff.:))</p>
<p><a href=“I%20do%20spend%20most%20of%20my%20time%20searching%20for%20stuff.”>quote=garland</a>
[/quote]
x2 - I fill out the forms while my wife searches for the needed paperwork. Always a special “bonding” experience for us both.</p>
<p>Some colleges say they will meet the need and parents contribution is sliding scale and have been increasing their aid to students for middle income families. Do those schools also expect a parent to meet the EFC on the FAFSA? The amount is very high and takes into account hardly any factors. (Still have to finish the CSS profile)</p>
<p>*Mustang: What this poster says is true, but I’m not a fan of this approach. For starters, almost all of these outside scholarships are small potatoes compared to the cost of college. </p>
<p>Most are one-year scholarships, meaning the hunt must begin anew every year. They are time-consuming for the student, with no assurance of payoff. </p>
<p>And worst of all, most schools will use them to reduce your aid package, meaning your EFC is unchanged.*</p>
<p>Absolutely true! And the point that it would reduce your small amount of aid, is true. </p>
<p>You have a big EFC. The way to reduce that is to accept a scholarship that covers so much (like full tuition), that the remainder (room, board, books, misc) is less than your EFC. </p>
<p>I think your D did apply to 1 or more ivies. If she gets accepted to one of the ivies that doesn’t really use EFC like other schools, then your EFC will likely be less, too.</p>
<p>*Some colleges say they will meet the need and parents contribution is sliding scale and have been increasing their aid to students for middle income families. </p>
<p>**Do those schools also expect a parent to meet the EFC on the FAFSA? The amount is very high and takes into account hardly any factors. <a href=“Still%20have%20to%20finish%20the%20CSS%20profile”>/B</a> *</p>
<p>Typically, yes. And a private school that uses CSS Profile may believe you can pay more.</p>
<p>There are certain factors that colleges don’t care about. They don’t care if you have high debt (unless they’re from medical bills). They don’t care if you have a high mortgage. They don’t care about things that they feel are a lifestyle choice.</p>
<p>So, if you have a high EFC, you will likely be expected to pay AT LEAST that much - if not more. </p>
<p>The exceptions are in the above post.</p>