<p>If bio dad cannot be contacted (whereabouts unknown) & (most likely) he doesn't have any $$ to contribute anyway, how does that work w/the CSS Profile? It asks for info for bio dad & says app will be delayed if we don't give it. But, can't contact him!</p>
<p>I would ask the school's financial aid office what to do. My first inclination is to put him down as Deceased.</p>
<p>Thanks, OperaDad. We know he's not deceased, though. Just don't know exactly where he is (and there is zero chance he has any $ to contribute and we don't really want to ask about that).</p>
<p>Absolutely don't say he's deceased if he's not - that's fraud - and often very easy to verify. They might want affidavits from someone who has known your family and that there is no contact, like a guidance counselor, minister etc. Or that you've made a good faith effort to find him.</p>
<p>Thanks, Muffy333. No, I wouldn't say deceased, because he's not. </p>
<p>I'm wondering how much $$ people typically get (say, over the FAFSA amount)? The schools that son applied to that want the Profile are almost all huge reaches for him (or, so expensive that even w/financial aid they'd be an unlikely financial option). </p>
<p>Really don't want to initiate any indepth contact w/bio dad (he's got issues). May be worth foregoing any Profile $$. Just don't know how to assess--how much $$ Profile might provide (maybe percentage-wise, as compared to a random FAFSA amount?)?</p>
<p>Pick up the telephone. Call the financial aid office. Ask what documentation is necessary to demonstrate that you have lost all contact with the dad. They will have an answer for you because this is a fairly common occurrence. It is my understanding that usually a letter from the HS will suffice, but different colleges/universities will have different regulations.</p>
<p>It would totally depend on the school how much FA you can expect. Usually the more expensive privates require Profile to be completed. Public schools and less expensive privates usually only FAFSA (but I'm generalizing). You might want to call the FA office of each school and see if they can give you typical examples of the kind of aid a family like yours might get (some have this on their website) and ask how they would want you to prove you can't contact dad. Just apply to FAFSA only schools if you really need the aid and don't want to deal with the father. There are a lot of good ones!</p>
<p>i had to deal with this too. I put unknown for the father section and i called up each financial aid office of the colleges that required the CSS profile. Usually the colleges require a letter from a parent and a 3rd party explaining the situation. Some colleges like Cornell University also have a separate sheet to fill out which can be found on their website.</p>
<p>i went through this as well.</p>
<p>i sent a letter written by my mom and a letter written by my counselor explaining our situation. one school also required a form and a copy of my parents' divorce decree. </p>
<p>it was all pretty simple. the hardest part was deciding who was going to write the professional letter.</p>
<p>to quote the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy: don't panic. ;)</p>
<p>"Q: What if I don't know where the noncustodial parent is? I haven't seen or spoken to him in years.</p>
<p>A: Enter as much information as possible in Section NP. For address and occupation, enter unknown if you do not know where your father is or what his occupation is. </p>
<p>If you are required to file the Noncustodial PROFILE, please note that the College Board cannot waive the Noncustodial PROFILE requirement, as it is set by your colleges and programs. However, if you cannot locate your noncustodial parent, you should discuss this situation with a financial aid administrator at each college that requires information from your noncustodial parent. You may be requested to file a written request for a waiver of this requirement with your colleges and programs. Your colleges may ask for independent verification from someone who is an objective third party (counselor, teacher, social worker, or clergy). Your colleges always have the final decision on whether noncustodial parent information is required. You should not ignore requests for noncustodial parent information because your colleges are likely to consider your financial aid application incomplete if the information is not submitted, unless a college administrator waives the requirement."</p>
<p>BTW: my comment about putting down "deceased" was more to get the form to complete in the right way (sometimes programmers don't take into account all the options), and "deceased" seemed like the choice closest to your situation. I haven't looked at the form in years, so didn't know what the choices are.</p>