FAFSA vs CSS Profile
The FAFSA vs. the CSS Profile: What’s the Difference and What Do You Need to Know?
With the average costs of college getting more and more expensive every year, it’s becoming less common for students and their families to pay for higher education out of pocket. In fact, according to a 2014 statistic from the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 85 percent of college students receive some form of financial aid to assist with the costs of college. And while most people think “financial aid” and “student loans” are synonymous, financial aid is actually a larger umbrella category—one that includes scholarships, grants, and dollars from work-study programs, along with student loans. The first step to receiving this money is to fill out the necessary paperwork, which may include the FAFSA and/or the CSS profile. In this post, we discuss the differences between these two forms, talk through their purposes, and provide some advice on which form(s) you need to submit.
Understanding the Differences Between the FAFSA and the CSS Profile
FAFSA stands for “Free Application for Federal Student Aid.” The FAFSA is the form that colleges, states, and the federal government use to determine a student’s eligibility for federal aid. Examples of federal aid include federal/public student loans, Pell Grants, and work-study programs. If you or your student require or desire these types of aid, you will likely have to fill out the FAFSA. In addition, different states and schools also use the FAFSA to determine eligibility for their own scholarships or grants. You will not be able to receive any public aid without submitting the FAFSA.
The CSS Profile is different. CSS stands for “College Scholarship Service,” which is the financial division of the College Board. The College Board is the nonprofit organization that administers the SAT, AP tests, and other types of standardized testing. The CSS Profile is only required for students seeking financial aid at participating colleges or universities. You can view a full list of these participating institutions for the 2019-2020 school year on the College Board website. In general, only private colleges or universities require aid-seeking students to submit the CSS Profile. Just as government organizations and public institutions use the FAFSA to determine student eligibility for financial aid, private institutions use the CSS Profile to assess eligibility for internal scholarships, grants, and loans.
How to Fill out the FAFSA or the CSS Profile
Both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile are meant to determine eligibility for financial aid that is need-based. “Need” relates to the student’s financial situation, as well as the financial situation of their family. As such, the FAFSA and the CSS Profile are largely used to collect information about a family’s assets, household income, and other factors that might impact need.
So, say a student is filling out the FAFSA. Based on how much money the student’s family makes and what sort of assets the family holds, the government will calculate an expected family contribution amount. The family is expected to come up with this amount of money to pay for the student’s college expenses. The remainder will likely be covered under some sort of financial aid—whether from the federal or state government or directly through a public college or university.
The same basic idea holds true for the CSS Profile, though this form is a little more in-depth about the information it asks for. Where the FAFSA focuses almost exclusively on income and assets, the CSS Profile will collect information on other factors that might impact the ability of a student’s family to pay for college—such as recent major medical expenses. Another difference is how the two forms handle families that have been affected by a divorce. With the FAFSA, only one parent needs to provide income and asset information. With the CSS Profile, if a student’s parents are divorced, both parents will need to fill out the form separately.
Other Facts to Know
If you are planning to fill out the FAFSA and/or the CSS Profile, keep the facts below in mind to make sure you are following all the rules and guidelines required for the process:
Opening Dates: Both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile become available to students on October 1, one year before the semester in which the aid will first be needed. So, for students planning to start college during the 2020-21 school year, the forms will become available on October 1, 2019.
Deadline Dates: The FAFSA deadline is fixed, no matter which school the student plans to attend. This form is always due by June 30 after the school year for which the student is seeking aid. For students seeking aid for the 2020-21 school year, that means the FAFSA opens on October 1 this year and stays open until June 30 next year. With that said, students are advised to fill out the FAFSA sooner rather than later. Filing earlier will only increase a student’s chance of getting aid. The CSS Profile has different deadlines depending on the school. You can check these deadlines online. Again, though, students would do best to file sooner rather than later.
Eligibility: The FAFSA has several basic eligibility requirements and is only open to United States citizens or “eligible noncitizens.” Since the CSS Profile is intended for non-government aid, the eligibility requirements aren’t quite as strict. Any student, including U.S. citizens and international students, can submit the form.
Cost: Any student can fill out and submit the FAFSA for free. The CSS Profile, meanwhile, costs $25 to submit to one school and $16 apiece to submit to additional schools. Certain students, depending on their parents’ income, may be eligible for a CSS Profile fee waiver.
Submissions: Once the application is open, you can find, access, and fill out the FAFSA by visiting FAFSA.gov. You may also print the document, fill out the form manually, and mail it to “Federal Student Aid Programs” (the mailing address is posted online). The CSS Profile can only be filled out and submitted online, at cssprofile.collegeboard.org.
Finally, remember that financial aid is distributed annually, rather than for a full four-year college period. Students or student families wishing to receive aid for each year of college must fill out the FAFSA and/or the CSS Profile each year as well.
Get Help Filling out Your FAFSA or CSS Profile at Right Path College & Career Planning
The FAFSA and the CSS Profile can be confusing for students and their families. The forms are dense, lengthy, and filled with legalese that isn’t always easy to parse. In fact, both forms have a lot in common with the tax return, which many American families seek help from professionals to complete each year.
At Right Path College & Career Planning, we can provide FAFSA help and CSS Profile help in Traverse City, Michigan and Waxhaw, North Carolina. Every year, we work with students and their families to walk through these forms, explain the information that is being requested, and fill out each field accurately. Whether you are confused by what the CSS Profile is asking or just want the peace of mind of knowing that you have filled out the FAFSA as accurately as possible, we can help.
To learn more about Right Path College & Career Planning, or to schedule a CSS Profile/FAFSA help session in Traverse City or Waxhaw, contact us today.