Is it OK to tailor the CSS Profile and the Certification of Finances differently for each school?

unobtanium · January 2015

You know, because the generosity of different colleges varies.

thumper1 · January 2015

No it is not ok to "tailor" your financial aid application forms for different schools. The reality is that your income and taxes paid for 2014 should be the same for EVERY college regardless of when you submit the forms.

"Tailoring" the Profile for different schools....nope.

Certificate of finances? What are you going to do? Tell a school you have more money available or less money available? The certificate of finances verifies that you have sufficient funds to cover any costs associated with going to college here. The COLLEGE determines what your family will need to be paying based on the (undoctored) Profile. The certificate of finances simoly verifies that you have the funds covered.

The only thing that might change...but it could be your assets...if you submit for different schools on different days. But if you reduce your assets, it has to be because you spent the money on something...not just because you feel like doctoring up a form for a specific school.

But reality check...it is much easier to do the FAFSA and Profile once, and submit it to all of your colleges....with the same information.

I'm not sure what you hope to gain? Keep in mind that many schools will ask for documentation of what you have put on these forms. The will want to see documents to support family income. They will want to see documents to support the amounts you say you can pay on that Certificate of Finances.

Complete the forms honestly. Colleges frown on dishonesty. They frown on folks who are gaming their systems in any way. You run the risk of losing any aid offered if a dishonest form is found out. And with that, your offer of admission can be rescinded.

If you plan to be dishonest, please don't apply to colleges here. Find a place that is affordable elsewhere.

mom2collegekids · January 2015

What you are suggesting is that for schools that are more generous, you're going to claim that you have less money....and for schools that are less generous or are need-aware, you're going to claim that you have more money.

that is dishonest.

thumper1 · January 2015

To the OP...you have a few other threads going. Most mention Cornell as your go to school. You have asked about "non-traditional" ways to pay a $60,000 a year bill. You have asked about applying for scholarships from U.S. companies.

You say your family can afford $20,000 a year. Is that what they can pay, or is that what Cornell will compute they can pay. There is a difference. Cornell will expect them to pay what Cornell computes.

I will venture an opinion...scholarships sponsored by U.S. companies are very unlikely to award scholarships to students from other countries. Where exactly are you looking?

Your family contribution to Cornell will be based on your family income and assets. And your income and assets to some degree.

If you don't think you can afford Cornell (or any other school) then you also need to look at schools you CAN afford.

unobtanium · January 2015

@thumper1‌ Thanks for the opinion. Anyway, will it look bad on my CSS if my family borrow money to pay for college? I REALLY want to go to Cornell

happymomof1 · January 2015

The CSS shows what your family income and assets are now. Make it as accurate as possible for the current situation.

If your family needs to borrow money later to help pay for your education, that would be reflected in the CSS filed in a future year.

thumper1 · January 2015

You are an international student, right? Ypu will have to have very firm documentation of any money you intend to borrow...from anyone...as you will need to show that you can fund your college costs in order to get a visa to study here.

How much money would you need to borrow, and do you have a source for that money? I know you "really" want to attend Cornell, but really, if the costs are prohibitive...you need to look elsewhere too. Remember, you will need to pay those loans back...and you might need them for all four years. Will you be able to secure them for all four years?

So...that loan money would need to actually be IN your parent account, or some legal document showing that this money has been approved as a loan would need to be in evidence. Otherwise...how is the college or the INS guaranteed that you can actually meet your costs.

I don't believe the CSS Profile has a line for "borrowed money".

The colleges use the Profile to calculate what the college believes your family can pay for you to attend. Then the colleges determine what amount of aid they will give you.

intparent · January 2015

"Tailoring" the CSS Profile and Certification of Finances sound like "lying" to me...

unobtanium · January 2015

Thanks for the info. I wasn't clear of how this system works

Is it OK to tailor the CSS Profile and the Certification of Finances differently for each school?

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