So - 16-17 will be the first year that I will have two kids in college. Do I need to complete a separate FAFSA and CSS Profile for each child? How does this work? Would love tips from experienced parents out there – need to maximize financial aid!!
Yes.
Thanks
If you complete the fafsa for one, at the end it will ask if you have other children and if you say yes, it will import all the parent info to a new fafsa form. If you do not complete and submit the form kfor the first child, sadly it will not.
The majority of the information is the parent section. Students will have different school codes, bank balances, income.
Does the CSS Profile also ask about another child in college at the end too, or do you just do a separate one?
Don’t know. I’m blessed with two kids at fafsa only schools!
I am guessing that you do not currently know both schools. The application for FA for your second child is likely due earlier than your application for the older child - this is because you know the school your older child is attending, but you are still seeking FA to accompany admissions applications. So, while your older child’s FAFSA and CSS Profile may not be due until say May Day, it is likely that your younger child, still applying to several schools, may need to get FAFSA and CSS Profile Applications done by the end of January or February.
Additionally, the questions asked in the CSS Profile can differ substantially between schools. The easiest example of this I recall was that when our older child was applying to several schools, he had to complete the FAFSA and Profile. When he was deferred at his early admission school, he had to apply to several other schools, that asked for many additional questions that his first school had not cared about - like age and purchase price of our family automobiles (I have been told, the thinking behind this was they didn’t want an applicant to “hide” assets by purchasing collectible cars like a DeLorean or a Mazzarati). Theoretically, applicants for FA at his first school, where he applied EA, could shelter assets in collectible cars since they didn’t ask that question.
Second and Third Years, we only had to answer the CSS profile questions that the school he was attending wanted, and these were not due until May. But last year, we had to go back again to answer lots more questions again for D’s applications, and we had to get the applications in by early Feb as decisions/aid notices were done in late Mar/April
The process is , IMHO, easier for the second child, but that is mostly because your familiarity has increased, and it is less intimidating.
Thanks… Yes, my younger daughter is still in the application process and a few schools require CSS…so I guess I can send Fafsa and CSS to the younger daughters schools for FA calls and then later to the older D’s. Yes, it is less intimidating this time, but such a process. Thanks for your reply.
Hmmm… Just checked and D1’s school only requires CSS the first year, so just FAFSA! One step easier… Now to finish those forms!
You should get your FSA ID for FAFSA for you and both your kids now, before you file FAFSA in January. They are not using the PIN signature system anymore. Now everyone has to have a username and password.