<p>What is the diffence (if any) between FAFSA and financial aid given by colleges, based on the college forms and the CSS profile?</p>
<p>FAFSA uses federal methodology and its primary purpose is to establish your eligibility to the federal grants, loans and workstudy out there. Even colleges that use FAFSA exclusively, often "tweak" the EFC. Profile and the college forms have additional question not covered by FAFSA. They want to know your home equity, money in your sibling accounts, any other sources of money. They also may take into account private tuition for siblings and events that have occurred recently that may change your financial picture. Your EFC is your EFC, and unless you left off or made a mistake on the FAFSA, it does not change. The number generated by PROFILE or the college's own forms have some flex to it which you can explain via letter or in the space provided. It is very valuable to let FAFSA know that you had to pay $15K for grandmom's relocation to a nursing home and for an aid, and the private schools using that form may well take that amount into full consideration.</p>
<p>thanks for clearing that up :)</p>