CSS Profile Supplemental Questions about Cars - do they want custodial parent only?

Paying for College
1

Hi there!

I’m helping my son apply to colleges, filling out CSS Profiles, etc. One of his schools asked supplemental questions about what vehicles your parents drive (and what the student drives).

I’m sure this has been asked before but what about the custodial/non-custodial parent scenario where the supplemental questions appeared on the custodial parent’s CSS Profile? The question asks about primary and secondary vehicles of the student’s parents. Are they talking about the cars of the custodial parent only because of the CSS profile the questions appeared on? Or do they want cars for the non-custodial parent as well? The non-custodial CSS profile does not ask about the cars or have supplemental questions.

Thanks in advance!

2

If it is not listed on the non-custodial section, then where would then non-custodial parent answer the question?

3

Thanks for replying!
That’s my question. If the non-custodial parent doesn’t have supplemental questions on theirs, but the custodial parent’s does, and the questions ask what are your PARENTS’ (plural) primary and secondary vehicles, does it mean both parents or just the custodial parent? So confusing!
Thanks!

4

I think parents should tell schools that it’s too complicated of a form.

School outsource this form to the Collegeboard, which charges a fee for each school in which an applicant would like to send the form.

The fafsa should be enough. Does the fafsa ask about vehicles, I don’t recall?

5

Agreed. Definitely complex.

FAFSA didn’t ask about vehicles.

CSS Profiles mean they want to look in as many pockets as possible! :joy:

6

Does the CSS Profile offer contact information where you could ask this?

7

I called CSS. They said to contact the school directly because she didn’t know. Of course school was closed and deadline is tomorrow. Hoping I get an answer tomorrow. Figured I would ask this group so I could get it submitted sooner!

8

There’s something wrong with this since the Collegeboard creates the form yet claims not to know the answer. This is more reason for schools not to involve the Collegeboard with financial aid.

9

The custodial and noncustodial parents each fill out their own CSS profile with their own information. Both are submitted to the school.

1 Like
10

I would only answer the CSS Profile cars question for the custodial household, not the NCP household @thumper1 @kelsmom @belknappoint?

11

This is not a hard answer. The custodial parent completes all questions on the Profile. The non-custodial parent completes questions on the non-custodial parent form.

If the custodial parent OWNS the car that the non custodial parent uses, then that car would be on the custodial parent form.

@Yankeefan20 if you don’t like the questions on the Profile, you can apply to FAFSA only schools.

There is a help line for the Profile. Doing this form the day before it’s due isn’t probably the best idea. It has been online for submission since October 1.

12

Yes the college board has a helpline @Yankeefan20

13

It is your choice to apply to schools requiring the CSS Profile. No one is required to attend a Profile school and no one is required to apply for need based aid.

The Profile does delve deeper into your finances. But it is what it is.

14

I’m kinda new at this and my son added the school to his list at the last minute because they’ve been recruiting him heavily. Assuming positive intent that I did the CSS profile for the other schools months ago (fact) would have been more helpful. This new school wants CSS for BOTH parents. And if you read my other comment you’d see that I did call the CSS helpline and they punted to the school, which I am waiting to hear back from this morning.

15

The CSS process for divorced parents is not that intuitive, but if you Google it you’ll find what you need to do. I only knew to do that because of posts I read on CC. Basically the noncustodial sets up a separate CSS Profile account. It is linked to the custodial parent I assume by the student’s info like SSN. Neither parent sees the others financials. If a parent is remarried some financial info is required of the spouse. My ex said setting up his account was not difficult once we found the proper instructions.

16

Thanks! Yes, the CSS profiles are complete. My ex and I figured that part out. It was the supplemental questions on her profile that made us wonder who the car questions were referring to because it said “Parents’ Cars”.

1 Like
17

Ah ha! Glad you’re getting to the bottom of it! Good luck!

18

Thanks!

19

The College Board only administers the form. Each Profile college determines which (if any) supplemental questions are included and how the answers are used in determining need-based financial aid. Asking the college is the best way to get a correct answer to OP’s question. I’m no fan of the College Board, but that’s not where the answer to this question will be found.

1 Like
20

The supplemental questions are the same whether you are married or divorced. So, when they say “parents” cars, it’s because that’s the default question.

I still say…you only answer the questions on the profile form you are completing if you are divorced. List all cars YOU own. If you own the NCP’s car, then you would list it on your profile. Otherwise it’s not included on your form.

This should be easy to verify once you call the college. Please let us know what they say.