<p>If we are looking for merit awards and the CSS asks how much parents are willing to contribute towards the student's total costs, are we supposed to lowball the number in hopes of receiving any those merit awards? </p>
<p>If the FAFSA EFC is quite high, do we still put that number in the CSS forms "willing to contribute" amount? What if there is a potential job situation on the horizon? Do we explain somewhere?</p>
<p>How about if we want student to build credit history and "have skin in the game" so to speak? Do we still indicate that we are willing to pay full costs since we are "able to do so?"</p>
<p>Can we change the amount we are willing to pay for different institutions, i.e., report a different number to each school on the list depending on percentage of cost we are willing to pay?</p>
<p>Thanks for any clarification on this question on the Profile.</p>
<p>Put what you are willing to pay - don’t try to lowball. The schools will look at what you’re willing to offer to get a sense of whether they are making an offer that will work. One FA officer I spoke to said in his experience most higher income families seem to low ball (same families manage to come up with more when the bills come due), while lower income families often estimate higher than they should. In your case, if you know how the potation job situation will impact your willingness to pay, it would be reasonable to indicate what you would pay if it happens (if it is in fact likely to happen).</p>
<p>Thanks for the quick reply CTScoutmom!</p>
<p>If the schools are need-blind, why would it matter what we are willing to pay? Can this impact merit awards we are hoping for?</p>
<p>It doesn’t really matter what you put. The schools will base aid on what *they *think you can pay based on your income and assets, not on what you say you are willing to pay.</p>
<p>Swimcatsmom is right…but just for the sake of “this is what I do” type conversation, I use my federal EFC. If it’s “true” merit scholarship money it’s going to be awarded regardless of need…otherwise it’s “need based financial aid in the form of tuition discounting” in my opinion.</p>