<p>I knew applying to college would cost a ton of money. But now I'm freaking out - not only do actual applications and score reports cost money, but the CSS profile costs money! So, for each college, there is a $60 fee, $10 score report, and a $16 CSS profile fee. Is there anything else that I'm missing? Does FAFSA cost money? I assume that it is free because it is a free application for federal student aid. It seems a bit creepy to me that CSS costs money, seeing as it is an application for FA...</p>
<p>To apply for aid, do I just file CSS and FAFSA?</p>
<p>You need to file CSS for private schools, FAFSA for everybody, and generally send copies of your parent’s tax filings from the 2009 year and estimate/final values for the 2010 year. Always check on the school’s FA website for their procedure, because each school is different.</p>
<p>So, I went to the CSS website and the 2010-2011 schoolyear form is available. I’m applying for college for the 2011-2012 year. When do I fill out the forms?</p>
<p>It will go up in early October. Schools list a deadline for when they want the profile - it depends on whether you apply early or regular. For regular, I believe it’s by Feb 1st.</p>
<p>Although Cornell asks for it by like Jan 5th or some ridiculously early date, and they hardly mention it.</p>
<p>I totally understand where you’re coming from. I spent $700+ on my whole college process. </p>
<p>Was it worth it? Absolutely, and absolutely not. </p>
<p>If the fees are intimidating, request fee waivers, especially for the SAT.
One word about ACT however: you have to send every single school your score separately. So if you want to send your score to, say 10 colleges, then that is 10 separate billings on your credit card. </p>
<p>The SAT, however, does it all at once: you send your score to 10 colleges, it is billed once and only once and it goes for ALL 10. just a tip!</p>
<p>I don’t think we qualify for a fee waiver. Though I’m low-income, and I get the brochures for Questbridge and the likes, I don’t meet the guidelines. My parents are willing to help out, though, and some of the colleges like Colby and Grinnell are free.</p>
<p>If you’re low income, you may qualify for free or reduced cost lunch at your school. It’s a simple filing process. You would then be eligible for a fee waiver. Or your counselor could check the last box and explain that your family is low income. Also, if you do go for Questbridge, the counselor can note that as proof of your low-income status, as well.</p>
<p>No problem. When costs for applying to colleges approach or exceed half a month’s mortgage or rent, a low income family really can’t afford to pay it. If you are low income, then the fee waiver should work for you.</p>
<p>it’s a FANTASTIC opportunity.
i have a friend going to stanford because of it.
i absolutely cannot stress the astonishing opportunities questbridge offers.</p>
<p>I totally agree about the fee waivers for both ACT and SAT. (I think that some states will also give partial or full fee waivers for the AP exams).</p>
<p>If you select the schools that you want to send the score reports to before you take the test, you don’t have to pay an extra fee. I think that if you do it that way, the first four are free. </p>
<p>The FAFSA can be filled out free of cost on their website, so you shouldn’t have to worry about that.</p>
<p>Also, contact your prospective colleges about the application fee. Some schools will waive those application fees for low income students.</p>