<p>FAFSA- will give an EFC- however- PROFILE may give a different EFC- and if the school has its own forms, they may cement the PROFILE EFC.
PROFILE EFC, as it takes into account home value and all parents, custodial or not, is usually higher than FAFSA EFC, sometimes,* much* higher.</p>
<p>The way the zipcodes are drawn- my area encompasses heavy industry ( manufacturing)- as well as commercial shops as well as view homes. So even though I live much closer to the industry and have no view, my taxed assessment increases every year and has for decades, because * the land* the house sits on is very valuable ( to someone who would tear it down and build a condo]</p>
<p>I have always just used the tax assessment- minus the mortgage and a tad more for prep- but we already have taken out more on our mortgage specifically to pay for our oldest college-
Using the housing index would benefit us immensely, as would choosing a school that only used FAFSA.</p>
<p>Our taxes are due April & October- increases in assessments come out in July- appeals are due 60 days after you receive your increase- funny how they time it in the summer when people are too busy to do the legwork.
Im still trying it- but I have tried it before and been turned down.</p>
<p>[Its a great time to buy “if” you are coming from an even higher priced area-](<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003824885_homesales07.html”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003824885_homesales07.html</a>)</p>
<p>Our experience has been that schools vary in their assessment of PROFILE EFC. D only applied to one school using PROFILE. While they used the FAFSA EFC to determine need- they did not take into account other expenditures shown on PROFILE to lower it below FAFSA EFC ( medical expenses etc)
However- other schools seem to - according to reports from friends and neighbors.</p>