<p>I completed the CSS profile and sent them to the colleges. I received an email confirming this but I never saw an actual dollar amount like I got with the FAFSA. </p>
<p>Can anyone explain??</p>
<p>The financial aid office of the college will take the results of your profile and use it to adjust your award based on all those things the FAFSA didn't ak you about...home equity, noncustodial parent income information etc. Depending on the school, they will pick and chose which info from the Profile they will use to reduce your need. Cost of Attendance - EFC = Need. Now the Financial Aid Office, armed with your Profile info, will adjust the formula to Cost of Attendance- (EFC+ determined contribution based on profile)= Need. The Financial Aid Office will then issue you an award later based on this newly calculated unmet need.</p>
<p>CSS Profile does not spit out a calculated EFC result for the user, unlike FAFSA which does at the end.</p>
<p>As I understand it, but this is kind of murky, there is a calculation made but only shown to the colleges. This calculation is made using the IM formula, which you can simulate at one of the many fine calculator web sites available.</p>
<p>Then, and this is still murky, the colleges often ignore CSS's calculated EFC and calculate it themselves individually using their own in-house wizardry-derived formula. In this case, the Profile merely gathers and transmits the raw data, and CSS's calculation is ignored. Also the IM calculator simulation is not accurate, because the college's custom formula is not being used.</p>