<p>An online calculator shows FAFSA EFC about $20,000 lower than the CSS EFC. That is $32,000 per FAFSA and $52,000 per CSS. Which one will schools use for a Financial Aid package?</p>
<p>They will use the FAFSA EFC for federal aid (basically none or, depending on the school’s COA, loans only with a 32K EFC). Schools that require CSS will use it to determine any institutional aid. So unless the school COA is more than the EFC there will not be much, if any, aid. But remember that each CSS school uses the CSS information differently, so the calculator will not necessarily be accurate (unless it was the school’s own calculator).</p>
<p>As Swimcats says…if the school uses the Profile, the school will use that type of family contribution. If they are a FAFSA only school, they will use the FAFSA EFC. The Profile does NOT give an EFC. Schools use that information on the Profile to determine what your family will pay and also what institutional aid they will give to you.</p>
<p>The schools will look at FAFSA, and some will look at CSS/PROFILE, and then they will decide how much aid they want to offer you, and the amount may or may not resemble what you’ve seen using the online calculator.</p>
<p>Since you only have 3 posts a quick look showed where you’re considering. You will likely be offered nothing more than an unsubsidized Stafford loan at your schools of interest.</p>