<p>Wondering if anyone had a sense of how much more $$ a CSS Profile app could produce for a student (I know it obviously varies based on the individual, but maybe a ball-park sense?)?</p>
<p>Profile requires contacting bio dad of son (lots of issues). That's a can of worms that is almost not worth opening, for just a minimal amount of $$. In fact, once I saw that, pretty much decided to dispense with Profile -- unless there is something signficant to be gained?</p>
<p>Some schools require PROFILE to be eligible for aid.
THe school my eldest attended required PROFILE and their own forms along with FAFSA.
They met 100% of need, our costs were our EFC.
PROFILE was only * worth it* if the schools required it.
We didn't go out looking for schools that required PROFILE, but the aid package was much more than if she had attended a public school that only used FAFSA.</p>
<p>My daughters college required Profile. Since she got merit aid of about $12,000 a year, for four years, I guess you could say it was worth it!</p>
<p>If your school requires profile you will not be considered for aid if you do not file it. Impossible to give a ball park figure. For a student with one level of income and assets it might produce $0. For a student with a different level of family income and assets it may produce $30k. There is no 'ball park figure'. Just like the average aid on a website is meaningless. If student A gets $30k and student B gets $0, their average aid is $15K. Student B still gets $0.</p>
<p>Obviously if a school does not require profile then you should not (and, I believe, can not) complete it for that school.</p>
<p>Thanks, that does answer my question. 4 schools son applied to require it, so we'll just have to bite the bullet & fill it out. Good to know there's at least a possiblity of something coming of it.
Thanks again.</p>
<p>DD's school required it for merit awards, too. She, too, got a generous $12,000 per year. It was definitively worth it although a real pain.</p>
<p>Ours will probably be 'delayed' (acc'd to the website) because bio dad is not able to be located.</p>
<p>bummy,</p>
<p>Contact the college(s) to find out what is needed to obtain a non-custodial waiver if you are not able to locate bio dad and you/child has had no contact (child support payments consitute contact) and it can be corroborated by a third source (eg: guidance counselor).</p>
<p>Hmm...thanks sybbie. We've had occasional emails. Very occasional support (a few hundred $ maybe 2x a year). But exact geo location is still unknown. Sounds like there has to be 'no contact' whatsoever.</p>
<p>It might be worth bailing on these few colleges. They are uber-reaches, anyway (financially & admission-wise). Have to think about it.</p>
<p>"My daughters college required Profile. Since she got merit aid of about $12,000 a year, for four years, I guess you could say it was worth it!"</p>
<p>to whomever wrote that - fill me in. I thought Profile was for need-based aid only? Did your kid's school require this before considering merit aid as well? I was under the impression that merit aid is not based on need but on merit.</p>
[quote]
** Participating Institutions and Programs
The following colleges, universities, and scholarship programs use PROFILE, Noncustodial PROFILE, and/or IDOC as part of their financial aid process for some or all of their financial aid applicants. Please contact the institution for more information.
[/quote]
**</p>
<p>I can fill you in too...my son's undergrad school required both the Profile and FAFSA for entering freshmen for consideration of both MERIT and need based aid (except for a few select scholarships that had a separate application entirely). No Profile/FAFSA...no aid...of any type...period. After freshman year, if the aid was merit only, the student only had to complete the FAFSA (so the school could be certain that the student wasn't eligible for federal aid). Profile only had to be filed if circumstances changed (we refiled for son's senior year because little sis entered college that year too).</p>
<p>So...check with the schools. Some DO require that the finaid applications be completed for merit aid as well.</p>
<p>Also, some schools will not award institutional aid to students in subsequent years who did not apply for it as a freshman. Check that too.</p>
<p>I guess it really is case by case. All of my daughter's merit offers had no FAFSA or profile.</p>
<p>USC also doesn't require Profile or FAFSA if you're ONLY seeking merit aid and no need-based aid. Some of the other schools S had been considering wanted some financial paperwork but since he ultimately chose USC, we didn't need to submit any financial paperwork. Annually, he has to submit two pages confirming that he's still on track to graduate and would still like continued merit aid from USC and National Merit.</p>
<p>Santa Clara gave S merit awards with no financial paperwork either, as did UAz. They said if we wanted any possibility of any additional (need-based) funding, we needed to complete other paperwork.</p>
<p>Not filling out Fafsa or CSS profile unless the schools absolutely require it for merit aid. Personally, and I may be wrong, I think that schools that see it before they send acceptances can be biased against the applicant when offering merit money.</p>
<p>Ex. Brandies offered son #1 15K which given his stats were way below what others I've seen on cc get for merit, even though he had top credentials-valdictorian, high ACT, leadership, 13 Ap's etc. ... They told me on the phone he would not receive merit until they got the fafsa/profile. Other top schools he applied to also required it for aid but I did not call to verify.</p>
<p>I will be calling the top three choice schools my son (#2) is applying to and see if it is required for merit. (Merit should be based on merit/academics and not need.) The early action schools he has heard from provided merit aid without any basis of fafsa/profile.</p>
<p>I agree that calling each school is a good idea for merit aid situations. Unless I was told incorrect information when I called, I will not have to complete the CSS at any of the schools she applied to. I will only have to do FAFSA for Vanderbilt since we are in state and we must complete that in order for her to use the Tennessee Hope Lottery Scholarship which is $5K per year.
We will not qualify for need based aid.</p>
<p>We got acceptances before we sent in financial information. Many schools require FAFSA or profile for merit or financial aid. We did not get finaid for any school for either of our kids but did get merit aid.</p>
<p>i would say the profile is worth it as it aided me in getting 95% of my costs to attend school covered.</p>
<p>As you can see, it varies widely as to how worthwhile it is for the individuals involved. The starting point is to know what the schools your student is applying to requires. It also helps to have some idea of whether your family MAY qualify for ANY possible need-based aid (which you can get an estimate of by going to one of the many on-line free calculators). School policies vary widely--there are many schools which don't require any forms if the student only wants to be considered for merit aid, but check with each school to avoid surprises and disappointments. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>