Help with the CSS Profile

Paying for College
1

<p>My parents are divorced, but we still live together in the same house, which I think is kind of weird. My dad has custody of me while my mom has custody of the other two kids and it's just so frustrating for me to fill out financial aid info because I don't know what to say for some parts. </p>

<p>I know for the CSS PROFILE my dad has to fill out the regular one and my mom the noncustodial one. (& they filed separate income taxes)</p>

<p>Anyways, for the household information, what do I/ my dad put for the number of people living in the household? What is my mom supposed to put?</p>

<p>My mom owns the house but my dad/I get to live here rent free since she got the house in the divorce, so what do I put for my "housing status?" "Own home, rent, etc"</p>

<p>Delving deeper into the house thing, if my mom owns the house, does my dad still need to fill out the profile section of "current market value of parent's home, amount owe on house, etc?"</p>

<p>Also, what is the predicted 2010 income for a parent that just lost their job?</p>

<p>Final question, what happens if I accidentally fill out something important incorrectly because I wasn't sure what to put? That's the part that is freaking me out..</p>

<p>Thanks guys =) Sorry for all the questions, just unsure.</p>

2

<p>How complicated! Whew.</p>

<p>I’m no financial aid expert, but if you were my kid I guess I’d just try to do this as simply and straightforward as possible:</p>

<p>In your “household” it sounds like there are two – you and your father. (Did he declare you a dependent on his taxes? I assume so.)</p>

<p>In your mother’s “household” there are three – your two siblings and your mother. (Again, assuming this is how the taxes are filed.)</p>

<p>I’m not sure what the options are for the question about the student’s parents housing status. Obviously your mother will answer “own home”, but for your father just pick whatever gets the closest. If that’s “rent” then pick that, put in “0” for the amount of rent he pays and explain that in the Explanations/Special Circumstances question at the end of the form.</p>

<p>It does not seem to me that your dad would fill out anything related to the current market value of the home, amount owed, etc, because your mother will be doing that. You don’t want it to be counted twice, plus your dad doesn’t own the home anyway.</p>

<p>For predicted income, I would probaby put what the parent can expect in unemployment benefits in 2010, and also explain that in Explanations/Special Circumstances.</p>

<p>I believe if you make every effort to be honest and answer the best you can (and sometimes real lives don’t fit so easily into forms, as we know!) that you will be fine. The Explanations question on the Profile will give you a place to explain your unusual situation. If a college wants to rearrange the information you provide in a slightly different way, they will do that and it’s okay because you will have provided them with the best information you could under the circumstances. What they do with it is up to them, but they will not expect you to completely understand how their internal process works.</p>

<p>Remember, if you just lay it out honestly and as best you can, then if they need any supporting documentation or anything you’ll be able to provide them that information and it will be consistent with what you already told them.</p>

<p>I know it’s hard not to worry, but I’m sure they’ve seen countless student family and financial situations that are unique and complicated. They’ll figure out how they want to evaluate it, and you can’t control that anyway. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>'rentof2 thanks for your answers! It’s just hard having to fill out everything by myself because my parents only understand basic conversational English and I have no idea how to translate all these terms and like stuff. </p>

<p>This brightened up my day =)</p>

4

<p>Yeah… English is my first and only language and I get confused by some of those questions too! There are a lot of knowledgable people on this board, so always feel free to post questions as you go through this.</p>

5

<p>'rents answers make sense! :)</p>

<p>As for the recent unemployment status…I think a parent has to be unemployed for 6 months before that really makes a difference. The assumption is that the parent will find a job within that time, but if he hasn’t, then it is an issue.</p>

<p>BTW…there are several families that I know who’ve divorced and still live in the same home for financial reasons. They can’t afford to provide for 2 residences - especially a second home that could accomodate child visitations.</p>