<p>The deadline for PROFILE is tomorrow, and I had no idea about that. But according to the deadlines in collegeboard, for various schools, the deadline was like may or april. Is PROFILE/CSS a supplement/complement to FAFSA?</p>
<p>My understanding is that CSS is a private company-FAFSa is govt</p>
<p>It is a supplement ONLY for the colleges that require it. You can check the fin aid page on a college's website to see if they require it.</p>
<p>Schools that require Profile (mostly private schools) generally use FAFSA for federal aid and profile for institutional aid. Profile is a lot more detailed than FAFSA and asks for some different information - for instance FAFSA asks for only custodial parent (and spouse) financial info while profile asks for bothe custodial and non custodial parent information.</p>
<p>You need to carefully check the deadlines at the schools you have applied to. April and May for rising freshmen sounds very late.</p>
<p>This is what I got for CMU, for example...</p>
<pre><code>* Financial aid deadline: 01-MAY
* Financial aid priority deadline: 15-FEB
</code></pre>
<p>that was from collegeboard. I suppose it was a mistake for me to not know about PROFILE. This really stinks, that my choices are even further limited. Any pity suggestions? >.<</p>
<p>If CMU is Carnegie Mellon Univ, they have their own fin aid supplement according to their website. They also require FAFSA and copies of tax returns. The forms to be completed can only be viewed and downloaded by using your Admission ID number. The main fin aid page does not give a deadline date. </p>
<p>suggestion - sign in and get started as soon as you can - tomorrow would be good.</p>
<p>That "deadlines" tab on collegeboard is really wrong, definitely go to the schools sites as others have said.
However, CMU does not require the PROFILE, just the FAFSA and their own finaid form and your tax forms.</p>
<p>Actually here is the 2008 form (their site is not the easiest to find things) and the deadline is Feb 15:
<a href="http://www.cmu.edu/admission/forms/08/FinAid_App.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.cmu.edu/admission/forms/08/FinAid_App.pdf</a>
But it obviously would be better to do it electronically to get it there in time.</p>
<p>Nice job, rlm919. I kept getting stuck at the Admission number request.</p>
<p>If you click on "Financial Aid Application" you get the online link and nothing else. If you click on "Admission Application" you get this page of downloadable forms.
Download</a> Forms
As I said it is not the best site. There should be a page with deadlines, not just the one at the top of the form. (But there probably is, I haven't found it yet.)</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <ul> <li>Financial aid deadline: 01-MAY</li> <li>Financial aid priority deadline: 15-FEB>></li> </ul> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>FYI to anyone who sees something like this...especially incoming FRESHMEN. If you want your financial aid package award in time to make a May 1 commitment to colleges, you really need to get the finaid forms done well prior to that time. </p>
<p>The FAFSA is available to file for the upcoming year on Jan 1 of that year, and the Profile is available in the fall prior. EVERYONE should be checking the finaid websites to see what their schools require and when. Some (as pointed out above) also have their own finaid forms. Best plan...get everything done as early as possible. </p>
<p>This info might be particularly valuable for current juniors who are getting started with the college process.</p>
<p>Maybe there should be a stickied thread at the top like thumpers preparing for finaid one. I have been amazed the last few weeks at the number of kids applying to really expensive schools that have completely missed their financial aid deadlines.</p>
<p>I'm guessing there "preferred" deadline refers to who gets the priority? I've definitely made a big mistake in being blind to all this important deadlines. Someone should definitely put up a sticky regarding the importance of deadlines and checking for them. I just hope that I receive aid even if I hand the form in (electronically) tomorrow sometime.</p>
<p>Could anyone also elaborate on the difference between "priority" deadline and regular?</p>
<p>silentsteps - stop asking questions and - I am going to yell at you now - JUST DO IT!!!!!</p>
<p>best wishes</p>
<p>swimcatsmom</p>
<p>I am willing to be $$s to donuts that the May 1 deadline is for returning (and possibly even transfer) students, while the Feb 15th deadline is for incoming freshmen especially since FA for returning students is usually handled after the incoming class admissions are completed.</p>
<p>Instead of worrying about priority and regular deadlines I agree with swimcatsmom to get your paperwork in NOW because especially at schools that do not have deep pockets, aid is given on a first come first served basis. </p>
<p>Get it in later and you may end up with a package that is "heavier" on loans. If they get to you when the $ runs out, you could also not be admitted if you "need" a lot of the college's $$.</p>
<p>My d goes to CMU and the finaid deadline for returning students is April 17. And they do not have deep pockets.
Collegeboard is good to get a start on the college search process but for details such as deadlines it is worthless.</p>
<p>thanks for the clarification rlm919. </p>
<p>So I guess OP really needs to get on his/her game and get their FA paperwork done.</p>