<p>We received an e-mail requesting more information... e-mail states that
"At least one of the colleges to which you are applying for financial aid asked the College Board, through its Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC), to collect additional documents, such as tax returns, from you and your family. The financial aid office will use these documents to confirm information from your financial aid application (CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® and/or Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and to better understand your family's financial circumstances..."
We are supposed to log on get the information on
* Required documents,
* Submission deadlines, and
* Specific directions on how and where to submit your documents.</p>
<p>Has anyone else gotten this e-mail after submitting FAFSA</p>
<p>i got it today, and im very confused about this part:
"The last day that the College Board will accept IDOC packets is January 25, 2008. Packets received after January 25, 2008 will be returned unprocessed."</p>
<p>January 25 was definitely two weeks ago...</p>
<p>EDIT: the consensus on another thread on CC is that it was most likely an error by collegeboard regarding the deadline</p>
<p>Certain privates use this IDOC service for obtaining financial records. It probably makes it easier for the colleges, I'm guessing, that everything is collected, checked and scanned, then sent electronically to the colleges. Much cleaner for the financial aid offices than their handling thousands upon thousands of pieces of sensitive financial documentation. the IDOC also claims that nothing sent to them is retained - everything is shredded. I also thought the 1/25 date was a little odd, and agree it's just an error.</p>
<p>I was wondering the same thing. Only one of my d's schools requires it - maybe that's a sign that she's being considered. Or do they go through the whold FinAid thing even if they know they're rejecting a student ???</p>
<p>I was concerned about the January 25 deadline as well. I tried calling, but didn't get through. I went through to print out the requirements and cover page and the deadline for my d's schools is March 1. </p>
<p>I also believe that certain schools who accept the CSS Profile pay a fee to CollegeBoard to use the IDOC service. Not all schools who utilize the CSS use the IDOC. Nine of her schools required the CSS, but only three use the IDOC; the others require us to mail returns, etc. to them individually.</p>
<p>I can't imagine they expect everyone to mail things in after the deadline.</p>
<p>I'm also wondering about the meaning of the IDOC message. Said that Dickinson was requesting the info and that it must be sent by 4/15. I assume that date is well beyond the date by which they send out admissions decisons. Any ideas as to what to make of all this?</p>
<p>I called several times and finally got through. They apologized and said that the date should have read January 25. 2009, but it appears that most schools have a March 1 deadline.</p>
<p>We got an email with a date correction today. IDOC is linked to filing Profile, not FAFSA.</p>
<p>I don't think you need to rush to get this in way ahead of time, but do it as soon as you've done your taxes. And allow time for snail mail!</p>
<p>There's no significance to the IDOC request in terms of likelihood of admission. It's just the way some colleges have chosen to collect the information, and their financial aid website will always say whether they use IDOC. </p>
<p>I'm just surprised that we don't have to pay College Board for this service! There's a first :)</p>
<p>My daughter and I also recieved this email. They later sent another with a deadline correction. Initially I was weary because they asked for her SSAN and her DOB. Checking thru the Collegeboard websit proved its legitimacy. After logging in we did see which college was requesting her info and it was a school she was already accepted into EA. The advantage, they say, is that you send them the requested info, taxes and such, and they will provide it to the requestng universities. If you applied to more than a couple of them, it will save you time and postage of sending it out to all of them individually.</p>
<p>*Let me clarify. Whoops. If the school requires IDOC and you send your information to the school instead, will you be penalized with your financial aid?</p>
<p>Also, my parents don't have their 2007 taxes done yet, but I put in the estimates for FAFSA and submitted them... but I'm going through some of the threads and it sounds like I should submit to them the 2006 taxes right now instead and then give them the 2007 taxes when they are finished? I am REALLY confused.... Please help!!</p>
<p>I just realized that a lot of my school required the CSS by 2/1. I've submitted the FAFSA already, but completely forgot about CSS. Am I not going to get any financial aid?! I'm quite worried now...</p>
<p>If anyone is the least concerned or confused about the financial aid application process at any given college/university, I would suggest picking up the phone and speaking with a financial aid counselor. Every college has slightly different procedures and it's best to get it correct.
The deadlines listed in the profile are usually "suggested" deadlines, but again, I would check with the individual school. I think they are there to basically encourage people not to wait until the last moment. I would also like to think that it helps the process if you make a little effort to get stuff in as soon as possible. The admissions decision notification often will hinge on having an aid package to offer as well, so the way I see it, the sooner numbers are in, the sooner they can put that acceptance/aid package together!!</p>