College financial aid application season is in full swing right now. If you are in the midst of it, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed with all the moving parts that make up the process. The College Scholarship Profile (a.k.a. CSS Profile) is an important part of that process at selected schools. And, it can create its own share of confusion for college applicants. The financial aid form, which is offered by the College Board — the same people who administer the SAT — became available for the 2013-2014 school year on October 1.
Following are some tips to help you sort out some of the more perplexing aspects of the CSS Profile:
Don’t Confuse the FAFSA with the CSS Profile.
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) assesses a student for federal aid from the government. However, the CSS Profile evaluates a student for institutional aid (i.e. funds that are within the individual school’s control to dole out). Virtually all schools will ask for the FAFSA for financial aid assessment. But only a handful of colleges (~10%) will ask for the CSS Profile to be completed, too. Be aware that the CSS Profile does not replace the FAFSA; it is incremental.
The methodologies that are used and the information required by FAFSA and the CSS Profile differ significantly from each other, as well. The CSS Profile delves into far greater detail than the FAFSA on the parents’ and student’s income, investments, and assets thereby allowing a far more personalized evaluation of a student’s financial needs. And, while the CSS Profile becomes available to fill out on October 1 of the preceding school year. The FAFSA doesn’t become available until later on January 1st.
The CSS Profile Has a Fee to File
It may seem ironic that an application for financial aid costs money, but yes, in fact, the CSS Profile does. While the FAFSA is free — thus the name Free Application for Federal Student Aid — the CSS Profile costs $25 for the initial application and submission to one college. Additional reports to other colleges cost $16. Fee waivers may be automatically granted based on the information provided in the CSS Profile itself. But such fee waivers are limited and only cover up to six schools.
Be Aware of Unexpected Deadlines
There is no single deadline for the CSS Profile. Instead, each school has a different set of deadlines. These deadlines more than likely don’t match up with the college’s admissions application deadlines, either. Most schools will have an “Early Filing” deadline which is the date by which they want to receive the CSS Profile from their Early Decision or Early Action applicants. These early deadlines can arrive as soon as November 1st leaving little time to fill out the CSS Profile. Which generally doesn’t even become available until October 1st.
Beyond the Early Filing deadline is the Priority Filing deadline. This is the date by which the schools want to have the CSS Profile filed by all non-early applicants. While applicants can file the CSS Profile after the Priority Filing deadline, schools tend to exhaust their funds over time. So, if you’re late to file, you may be out of luck in getting your fair allocation of institutional dollars. The lesson is to file as early as you possibly can, well in advance of whatever deadline you have to meet.
Your CSS Profile Login Is the Same as the One for Your SAT
The College Board is the group that manages the CSS Profile and the SAT. Because of this, they expect that you will use the same login credentials when you go to get information. You can also take action on either the CSS Profile or one of their standardized tests. This allows the College Board to correlate your financial aid information with the information that they already have on their database. Didn’t take an SAT or other College Board administered standardized test? No worries. You can simply register anew.
Check Each School’s Website Directly for CSS Profile and Financial Aid Guidance
The CSS Profile is a great way to provide your financial aid information just a single time that can then be used for multiple schools. But beware that just because the information is standardized does not mean that all schools use the same approach when it comes to the CSS Profile. For example, some schools may want the CSS Profile only from early applicants but not from those applying for Regular Decisions.
The CSS Profile may be required for domestic students but different forms are needed from international students. Also, it’s always a good idea to check the deadlines on the school’s actual website rather than relying strictly on what is reflected on the CSS Profile site. The bottom line is that nothing is generalizable when it comes to admissions or financial aid applications. So go to the school’s websites to get the information from the source!
Take the Time to Get the Required Documents Together
Completing the CSS Profile can be a daunting and overwhelming experience. However, with some forethought and organization, the task can become easier. Once you register, the CSS Profile provides you with a customized pre-application worksheet. Be sure that you look this over thoroughly to see what is being asked of you and what information you will need to gather.
The documents that the CSS Profile indicates that you will need to complete the exercise include:
- Current year’s (2012) federal income tax return(s), if completed
- Prior year’s (2011) federal income tax return(s)
- W-2 forms and other records of money earned in 2012
- Records of untaxed income and benefits for 2011 and 2012
- Current bank statements
- Current mortgage information
- Records of savings, stocks, bonds, trusts, and other investments
If you need to meet an Early Filing deadline, or one of your schools has an early Priority Filing deadline. You may need to estimate your information for the current tax year. Gather all of the pertinent documents that you need to make your estimates when you are pulling together your other required documentation. Remember that estimates are just that. They do not need to be exact. So, while you should try to be in the ballpark. Don’t fret if your estimate ends up not being 100% correct.
Filing the CSS Profile is a cumbersome, yet valuable exercise. But, one that we encourage all college applicants to complete if any of their schools require it. In spite of its complexities, it provides colleges that have institutional funds available the information necessary to assist students who need financial help in a more personalized and specific way.
Andrea Aronson
College Admissions Consultant
Westfield, NJ
