<p>Why the CSS Profile? Is the FAFSA not adequate? Why did a relatively small amount of colleges insist that parents file this Profile Form as well? Was it because FAFSA excludes home equity? I just don't understand why this is needed... does anybody?</p>
<p>It’s normally required only by schools that give out large amounts of their own money in scholarship aid. They want a more nuanced view of family finances in order to best determine where those private funds should be directed. It’s their money. They can ask whatever they want.</p>
<p>Would you say those schools using the CSS Profile meet a greater percentage of NEED than those who simply use the FAFSA? I know all the Ivies use the Profile Form. I’m going to check for a link between endowment amounts and the CSS profile. Given your explanation those institutions with the greatest endowments would give the most aid, and thus, would want more detailed information. Do you agree?</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s that simple. Some families do better with FAFSA; others with the Profile. However, the schools that use the Profile often pledge to meet 100% of student need (as defined by them, of course.)</p>
<p>I think the schools believe the more detailed information is necessary because they are not going to “gap” the student.</p>
<p>Most of the elite LAC’s promising to meet 100% of need also use the CSS Profile. My kids’ schools did.</p>
<p>No, it’s not as though schools giving more of their own money in grant aid need more information than colleges giving a somewhat lesser amount expect. …If that’s what you’re asking.</p>
<p>It really depends on the colleges’ own policies. The CSS Profile has a standard set of questions. All applicants answer them, and they are sent to the requested colleges. Some colleges may use all that information, others may use only some of it. For example, there are questions related to home equity. Some colleges factor that into their aid awards, some do not or do so on a reduced formula of their own. But the Profile itself does not make that determination. It’s merely a standardized method of delivering financial information – that different colleges then treat however they want to.</p>
<p>There are also supplemental questions that are sometimes specifically asked by certain schools. For example if College X is on your list of schools that will receive your Profile information, and that school wants to know what kind of cars you own, you will see a question to that effect at the end of the standard Profile questions. I had often heard the cars question referred to before I filled out my first Profile form, but I have never had to answer that question because my kid’s school doesn’t have it among their supplemental questions.</p>
<p>So the basic questions are standardized (although not necessarily used by every school that will receive your Profile), but the supplemental questions are tailored by the specific schools receiving the information.</p>
<p>I answered the car question.</p>
<p>I wanted to… but was never asked.</p>
<p>Well if there is the slightest chance that some college out there will meet 100% of our need. I’ll tell them anything they want to know about my car. Hell, I’ll give them the car!</p>
<p>We do not qualify for aid, hence I did not even bother, but now we got an email from Santa Clara asking to fill the CSS profile by Nov 15th!</p>
<p>Does it make sense for us to fill it - will they hold it against son if we do not?</p>
<p>Plus we live abroad, have benefits that are taxed and do not own any property in the U.S as of now.</p>
<p>As 'rent of 2 said the colleges that use CSS/Profile want a more “nuanced view” of your financial situation. There are actually questions which allow you to elaborate on an answer. Maybe your income last year was high because you were laid off at the end of the year and received severance pay, but don’t have a replacement job yet. Maybe you are taking care of an extended family - FAFSA doesn’t let you explain that. It does ask for a lot of financial/personal information, but I believe that most of the colleges that ask will provide better financial aid than the colleges that ask only for FAFSA.</p>
<p>pixeljig - Some colleges require the Profile in order to qualify for Merit (vs. Need) Scholarships. If you are not seeking merit $$, don’t bother.</p>
<p>BTW, save your copy of the both FAFSA and CSS/Profile. You’ll want them next year to reduce the brain damage.</p>
<p>LOL! Yes, Hat, too true!</p>
<p>I am doing my last one in a few weeks. Happy Days!!!</p>
<p>Pixeljig:</p>
<p>Santa Clara requires the CSS to be eligible for Merit money…</p>
<p>Congratulations, Mythmom! I have two more to go, but even that is starting to sound pretty good. Just two!</p>
<p>Although, I’m with Nightengale. For all the assistance we get, I’d give them the car! Not that our one car, an 18 year old Corolla with doors that don’t lock, windows that can’t roll up or down, degraded paint job, and t-shirts over the ratty seat-backs would do them much good… but if they wanted it, it would be theirs! (They can have the mutt and the TV set with rabbit ears too. ;))</p>
<p>rentof2, that sounds a little like my 12 yr old van, with a few dents, my girls laugh that my door lock wont work now (don’t know why yet) the knob fell off for the heat/cool, (but a tweezer works) fleece blankets covering permanent stains, and for some reason, a mechanic can’t find, the “check engine” light just stays on…but if I was a car, so would mine! : )</p>
<p>So, D won’t qualify for financial aid, and the school is asking for the CSS even for kids interested in merit scholarships. Is there some way to note that on the form, so we can skip digging up all the financial information that they won’t use?</p>
<p>not that i could find, same boat here. out of the various schools that requested it, most when called said didnt have to do it if no need based aid, but one insisted it would be needed for merit aid…so did it and had it sent to all anyway.</p>
<p>The CSS Profile was a big pain. S applied to 15 schools last year, and as I remember, 13 of them required the Profile (two were state schools and didn’t, although one of the state schools required its own additional form to fill out). It was even more difficult because of dh’s business, so that darn Farm and Business Supplement had to be filled out and all documentation sent along for it. It was interesting to see which colleges wanted the answers to which supplemental questions. The place s is now at (on a full-ride merit scholarship covering everything including personal expenses) wanted to know the answer to the car question, and was the only place that did, as I recall. </p>
<p>To renew his merit scholarship each year, we have to submit the FAFSA. That’s okay – because we are paying nothing for his college education, we have promised him each year’s EFC according to the FAFSA to pay for (at least some of) law or graduate school.</p>