CSS NCP profile for schools that don't require it like Vanderbilt

Paying for College
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I’m a little confused about the process for the NCP profile. If my ncp fills out the form, does it automatically get sent to every school? Am I able to choose not to submit the ncp profile to schools like Vanderbilt and UChicago because they don’t require it? My ncp’s income and assets are very high and they would likely prevent me from getting any financial aid. And he isn’t all that willing to pay, so I was wondering if it was possible not to include his financial info.

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Here is the list of CSS Profile schools, you can sort by which ones require NCP financials. Verify this info on each school’s site.

https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx

You pay to send CSS Profile to each school, so you control the info that is sent. For U Chicago, you can complete their own form, rather than pay for CSS Profile. Basically, you have to go to every school’s FA page to see the requirements. Applying for Aid | College Admissions

Both Vandy and Chicago reserve the right to collect NCP financial info.

Note this year the definition of custodial parent for fafsa (and therefor CSS) is the one who provides the most financial support, not the one the student lives with the most. That doesn’t sound like it would make a difference for you, but in case it does.

Have you run the net price calculators of the schools on your list? You can run them with and without bio-dad’s financial info to see the difference.

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Thank you! Yes, I have run the calculators and it’s basically the difference of having to pay only a coupe thousand dollars or having to pay full tuition.

What does it mean by they reserve the right to collect NCP financial info? In what situations would they ask for that? Is it random or based on something else? What are the chances that they would ask for it?

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I can’t answer that but both their websites say they could ask if they decide too.

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Does your non-custodial wealthier parent pay support for you? As noted, the custodial parent is now the parent who provides the majority of your support. If 50/50, I believe the parent with the higher income wins. @kelsmom

Are you sure the parent where you would be paying less actually IS your custodial parent now…with the new guidelines?

Schools will request non-custodial parent info if they feel it will provide a more complete picture of your parent finances in terms of supporting college.

Also…in March, you wrote this:

I have no idea who my NCP is and have never had contact with him.

So…why is there a concern now about the NCP form? Did you apply for a NCP waiver? If your father is not on your birth certificate and you have never had contact with him, I’m having trouble understanding your need to complete a NCP Profile.

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This is how what is now termed “parent of record” is determined for FAFSA (starting with 2024-25):

  1. The parent of record is the parent who provided the greater portion of the student’s financial support during the 12 months immediately prior to filing the FAFSA.
  2. If neither parent provided support in the 12-month period in #1, the parent of record is the parent who provided the greater portion of support during the most recent year that the student received financial support from a parent.
  3. If both parents claim an equal amount of support, then the parent of record is the parent with the greater amount of income and assets (updated from “or” to “and” on the final FAFSA).

Support is the key here. It doesn’t matter with whom the student lives anymore … it’s the parent who provides more financial support. It might or might not be the parent the student lives with, and it might or might not be the one who earns more money.

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What happens if one parent has higher income, but the other parent has higher assets?

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I assume it’s based on income in that case. That’s most likely a not-Pell-eligible situation, so it’s not directly addressed in training materials I have seen.

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