EEEK! BIG mistake on the CSS

<p>Just to lighten things up for you all. </p>

<p>Son has been waiting for FA package from two schools, both CSS schools. Nothing. Finally, this week I called and talked to a counselor at one who pulled his file. She said after looking at his file it was marked NO FA needed. But then she noticed that the EFC was under $5000. SHe checked the CSS - it showed our house as being valued at 2.5 million dollars, that's about 15 times what it is really worth and that we only owed $450 on the house, when in fact we owe well over $100,000. </p>

<p>Somehow, the wrong numbers wound up in the CSS -- I checked my copy of the CSS and it had the right numbers. She told me she had seen this before, but never with numbers so wildly out of whack. Fortunately, we just had refinanced the house and I was able to e-mail a copy of the full appraisal so she was able to correct it immediately. </p>

<p>Same thing at the other school, they both will have FA packages to us early next week.</p>

<p>That’s just scary! Did you call the CSS people? What did they have to say about it?</p>

<p>I didn’t call CSS since both schools were able to change it on their own, but the first school told me they had seen this before and have never figured out how it happens.</p>

<p>Hmmm…there have been recent posts re very high Profile EFC’s (as compared to FAFSA EFC’s ) where there seem to be no significant assets or other contributing factors. Makes me wonder how often it happens and how many people don’t question the FA package they received because of it! Seems like the colleges would be pretty irate about this if it’s a computer error as it could be costing them enrollments!</p>

<p>So maybe the message is if your financial package looks off, CALL, have them check the numbers, do what ever takes.</p>

<p>Also, demand your money back.</p>

<p>^^</p>

<p>Good idea…</p>

<p>There have been 1 or 2 other kids who’ve posted that have lowish incomes/no assets and high CSS expectations from schools that meet need. I wonder if they had the same problem??? Hmmmm.</p>

<p>^I do too! As I remember, they were advised to ask the schools to explain the Profile EFC and it seems that would be an excellent suggestion! Thanks for posting about this lololu.</p>

<p>Lololu – Thanks for posting this – and congratulations for keeping a copy of your profile entry.</p>

<p>I wonder how many others have been affected by this, and whether CSS is looking into the problem? If not, they should be.</p>