As we all know, college is expensive. So, I got thinking. Since admissions and financial aid decisions are completely separate, could we just not pay to send the CSS Profile and IDOC until we actually get in. That way, we just send them in to the schools we actually get accepted to and get our financial aid. Would that actually work? If not, if I have a common app fee waiver is there anyway I can send these financial profiles waived? (The income isn’t low enough to automatically receive CSS waiver–but still low enough where it’s a burden) Thanks in advanced.
Check the deadlines for the schools. If you are applying during the regular decision rounds, you may not find out if you are accepted until late March, and then you won’t have a financial aid package until late April. You may miss the deadline for priority aid filing.
I think it would be a better idea to cut down on the number of applications and sent the CSS to the schools you are really interested in.
Really? Check your deadlines. If you want to get a financial aid award in time to make your May 1 matriculation decision, I suggest you file your financial aid applications now. They became available in October…so you are already a bit late to the queue.
There are some kinds of aid, even institutional aid…that are limited and are awarded on a first come first serve basis.
If you wit until acceptances…which for regular decision might not be until April, it is highly unlikely you will have a financial aid package before May 1. Plus…you will have likely missed deadlines for consideration for institutional aid at many colleges.
Contact each of the places on your list, and ask if they offer waivers for CSS. Some might.
click on “fee waivers” for info
I think you can send up to 8 free CSS profiles if you used a SAT fee waiver or family makes under certain income.
If you do not get your applications in on time, if you need institutional aid, you will not get it.
You need to no go on to the college board and start filling out the CSS profile. If you can get fee waivers for the first 8 schools, each additional school will be $16. I would recommend that you ask your parents/family members to forgo any Christmas, Hanukkah as contribute the $16 per school so that you can get your applications in on time. If this is not an options, I recommend that you try to do as many odd jobs as possible to earn the money to pay these fees.
Most schools do have the ability to waive the CSS profile fee, they refer you back to the college board. What you want to do is ask them is for an alternate set of instructions