<p>Hey guys, I need some advice. Would it be advantageous for me to fill out and submit a CSS PROFILE to U of M ASAP? I'm hoping to receive some financial aid, and I want to maximize my chances of doing so. </p>
<p>Would it increase my chances of receiving more money from U of M if I submitted the PROFILE early, or is so little a difference between submitting it now and January that I'd be more prudent to wait until my parents file their taxes?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>If your parents tax information is predicted to be very close to the same, yes you can submit it early and just adjust once the taxes are done. I doubt there’s much of an advantage at that point, but we did do ours early. More importantly, try to have your parents get their tax returns complete as early as possible this year. You want to have your FAFSA in as early as possible BUT there is a 1 in 3 chance you’ll be asked to verify it by sending in that actual return, so don’t estimate.</p>
<p>In general, they don’t give you aid notices THAT much earlier by submitting early. In our case we did it in order to be able to plan our finances. So the benefit is personal to your family, not from the school.</p>
<p>Wait – exception – if you are in state and if your family have a very low income and IF you did not report same in the app (where they ask for a rough estimate of family income) then yes, it might help to submit the CSS based on last year and then update it.
That is because scholarships such as Michigan Tradition ($10,000) are often depleted by Jan - Feb. and may be “need informed.” (Eg. they are also merit based but they do also consider your resources.)</p>
<p>Ok thank you! So if I submit my PROFILE early, I’ll be able to edit it after my parents do their taxes, if it’s different, right?</p>
<p>Yes but not electronically. You can submit a revision by mail with CSS. FA also will adjust your CSS to match the real tax return once you’ve completed FAFSA. Just estimate as accurately as possible : )</p>
<p>Ah okay, so there’s no need to correct your PROFILE if you submit a FAFSA right after you do taxes? It’ll automatically correct it?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Um, best practice is to write to FA and ask them if they’d like YOU to correct it or if they’ve already done so. Never assume : )</p>