<p>I know there are two forms- the CSS and FAFSA but I have no idea on what to do with them. I know that I have to fill them out and send them in but are they BOTH for financial aid?? Can someone please tell me what these forms actually do and I've heard of different deadlines for each- can someone also clarify that? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>FAFSFA is required for virtually all colleges. It makes you eligible for government grants, loans and workstudy which often makes up the first layer of your financial aid. It calculates an EFC which tells you what the government estimates your family should contribute for college. It does nothing more than that, and determining how much govt money you can have, since colleges have no obligation to use that number for anything.<br>
Some colleges, particularly the state schools, use only the FAFSA in coming up with aid packages. Most private schools require more information.</p>
<p>PROFILE is the app that most schools use to give out their own funds. It asks more questions and takes more things into consideration. Colleges also use their own apps, though PROFILE is personalized to a degree. You need to know which school you are applying to for PROFILE since the questions vary by school. A college will tell you whether it wants PROFILE or its own app in addition to FAFSA.</p>