<p>DD is our one and only and we're trying to do everything correctly. I read a previous message about the PROFILE at collegeboard.com. Please, be patient with me as I have some questions. What's the difference in the PROFILE and the FAFSA form? Should we submit both? I thought we were doing so well with this entire application process, but I'm feeling sick to my stomach and nervous all over again. I feel like everyone knows something I don't! I checked the sites for the schools to which my daughter applied and I see on the instructions to complete the FAFSA ... nothing said about PROFILE. </p>
<p>Also, I have read in some of your messages about having postcards mailed back to you to ensure letters of recommendation, etc. were received. Did you simply buy the pre-stamped postcards at the post office and self-address them to be returned to you when the college receives them? </p>
<p>Snicker if you must, but we've never been through this, and thankfully we'll never have to go through it again. It's quite a process, isn't it? Thanks for any info you smarter-than-I folks care to share! :)</p>
<p>The PROFILE is a PRIVATE service run by college board to collect financial information above and beyond what is in the FAFSA, ONLY for colleges which subscribe to the service. Most of the high end, need-blind or 100% need private colleges require the PROFILE. State universities do not, and the vast majority of private colleges don't require it either -- in part because the PROFILE is a way that private colleges can collect financial information that won't show up in the FAFSA (value of home equity, income of noncustodial parents, etc.), use that to recalculate an EFC that generally requires a higher family contribution, and still claim to meet 100% need. </p>
<p>You do NOT need to do the PROFILE unless and until you have at least one college that requires it. Again - the vast majority of colleges do NOT require it. In general, you would not have to do the PROFILE before the first of the year, but you need to do it earlier for ED and some EA applications. To find out which colleges require it you can either go to the college web site and look up financial aid - or you can go to the CSS Profile web site and search their list to see if the college your kid wants is one that requires the PROFILE. </p>
<p>It costs $18 to submit a PROFILE form, per college, so you should only send it in to colleges that you are sure your D is applying to. However, if you submit to college A and later want to send to college B, there is a $5 service charge for the separate submission -- so once you have a firm college list, it is more cost effective to do one submission to all colleges.</p>
<p>The FAFSA is a separate process, and FAFSA forms are not available until the first of the year - most colleges want to have them in early February. You absolutely have to fill out the FAFSA to get financial aid anywhere - it is the form the federal government uses to determine grant, loan and work study eligibility, and no college will give you money, no matter what the PROFILE says, without a FAFSA on file. The first "F" in FAFSA stands for "free" -- it is the one thing you will do this year toward getting your daughter in college that will not cost you any money. </p>
<p>The postcard return thing is a good idea, but not absolutely essential. You can also just make a point of calling or checking online to make sure that the colleges have received everything. The main point is that you do need to CHECK -- you should never assume that college A. has received everything just because everything was supposed to have been sent on time.</p>
<p>I used index cards for the return address postcards, and ran them through my printer, (I was acting as secretary for DD!), with her address in both the "to" and "from" address, and the words, "X college has received a x (recommendation, transcript, etc) from X" on the back, then I put stamps on them. They went into the pre-addressed stamped envelopes given to teachers for recommendations. I will certainly do this again with kid #2. I neglected to do this with a few things from kid #1 and some teachers never sent the recs, or they were never received. My DD had to make several frantic phone calls to get it all squared away.</p>
<p>Or, you can send the apps certified, return receipt requested. The postal carrier gets a signature from the person who receives the mail and sends it back to you.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the clarification. I am thrilled that we don't have to worry about the PROFILE. DD submitted her common application online, so I think I'll have her enclose the postcards in the teacher and counselor recommendations that are sent to the colleges. As much as I like her counselor, I have a feeling she can drag her feet on some things. We want to be sure those things are received. Thanks again!</p>
<p>If you think it would help, you sure could contact the schools to make sure they have received the Common APP. So glad you have gotten this far, and so happy for you that the Profile is not required for you! S1's school requires it and S2's ED school requires it. Not very fun! Have you gotten your pin # for the FAFSA on-line yet? You can access it through <a href="http://www.fafsa.ed.gov%5B/url%5D">www.fafsa.ed.gov</a> and the link to the pin site. Good luck!</p>
<p>Oh, yes, the FAFSA pin. You need one and so does your DD. Get them early. We knew she needed one, but didn't know I needed one, too, (Didn't find out until we were almost done inputting all the info, then couldn't send it right away - had to apply for my pin) and there is a three day delay until you get one from the time you apply, so get it early. Keep it somewhere safe. I seem to recall that after we got ours they sent us a card with the info on it, but don't recall how long it took, etc., Write down the info - number and password, etc., and keep it in a safe place.</p>
<p>You're doing great, Splashmom. Also, be aware that some colleges have 'preferred' dates for finaid or merit submission of financial materials. Take these seriously! Just slog through each website to get the dates, and don't be after to call the college if you have a question. Your next homework will be getting your 2005 taxes done ASAP (after you get your 1040's) so that you will have the real (not estimated) values to submit if requested.</p>