<p>So we fill the Fafsa and for some colleges the CSS profile. What have parents used for advice on how to fill these out and not lose on potential aid? Are there any online websites that help us on these forms besides their own instructions. I want the most for my two kids in college do not want to pay back all equity on my house for college! Has anyone used CPN for fee? Please help TY</p>
<p>See
[FinAid</a> | Financial Aid Applications | Maximizing Your Aid Eligibility](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Maximizing Your Aid Eligibility - Finaid)</p>
<p>yolie3000 -</p>
<p>Some of the best experts on FAFSA and CSS Profile are right here in the Financial Aid Forum. Don’t be afraid to take your questions there.</p>
<p>But truly, the best place to start is by determining how much you really are ready, willing, and able to pay for your kids’ educations. What do you have available from current income? What do you have available from savings? Are you willing to take on some college debt? How much do you expect your kids to chip in with their own earnings, savings, and student loans. Then set that as your budget, and help each of the kids identify one or more institution that will serve them, and that is affordable without any aid other than federally determined aid (and for most families that will just be the federal student loans). It really truly is OK for you to set a firm budget limit, and remove unaffordable institutions from consideration.</p>
<p>What sort of ‘advice’ are you looking for? The questions on both forms are quite clear. For most families, college will cost some amount of money. If you are unwilling or unable to pay, you need to be honest about this with your children and yourself.</p>
<p>I have heard of many parents filling their form out incorrectly so I am simply asking if there are any sites to help the parent through this process. Thank you to all who offered websites to help me. And I will also ask here at cc when I hit a bump in the road and am unsure of the question. You guys helped me a lot.</p>
<p>My first is in college now (city university and pretty cheap) and we did not qualify at all. Now with 2 in 2013 I expect to qualify for some and want to do it right. My second wants IVY league and this may break us but we will apply for reach, and safeties then decide the best for all of us in the end.</p>