<p>Do we need CSS, or filing FAFSA is sufficient?
Many private schools need CSS and we need money for school.</p>
<p>Also, I am divorced from my S biological father since he was born, and his biological F never participated in his raising; however CSS is requesting a non-custodial form. My S is in touch with his father who lives in a diff country, but we are not sure if he is capable of filing the form on time. I am concerned...
Why does it have to be so complicated?!
Pls give recommendation.</p>
<p>If you want financial aid, you need to provide the schools with whatever information or forms they ask for, or discuss a waiver of forms with the financial aid staff at the school.</p>
<p>It is “complicated” because you want someone else to give you money. The organization gets to call the shots as to how it allocates its money.</p>
<p>It’s complicated because of that, and because the school has a limited supply of funds and wants to give it to applicants who have the most financial need to attend. If the school had an unlimited endowment, they probably wouldn’t be so rigorous.</p>
<p>You said your son was in contact with his father; are you sure that he can’t get the form back in time? The form isn’t overly complicated, and depending on the father’s financial situation (if he’s a regular working guy or some kind of Saudi oligarch or something else) it shouldn’t take too long to fill out. I believe he can even file it electronically so he shouldn’t have to mail it or anything. </p>
<p>You probably can’t get a waiver for something like that. The only other good news that I can think of is that most schools don’t ask for that form anyway.</p>
<p>As calmom says, you need to fill out the CSS if the school asks for it. For some schools, FAFSA is sufficient, for other schools it is not. Your son’s father will need to fill out the non-custodial form, particularly if he and the son are in contact. It is possible to get a waiver, but not all schools will accept it, and it’s usually given in cases when the child has no contact with the noncustodial parent and/or no way of getting in touch. </p>
<p>Start early and work with your son and his father to impress on them the importance of completing the necessary paperwork. If you can’t get it filled out then your son either has to forgo financial aid at some schools or only apply to FAFSA-only schools (or try to get a waiver, but again, I don’t even know if it would be possible in this case).</p>