Hello All
Right now my son applying to US university and I must do my part of job – fill financial part of CSS profile. I never did it before and my situation is little bit special so I got several questions.
I’m expat, we living not in my native country and I renting our apartments. I haven’t any house in ownership anywhere. If in CSS profile I will put amount that paying for rent, will university request documents about it – tenancy contract or something else?
Also my son have sibling who going here to private school (now he in Grade 2). That is single possible option, public schools here are for Arabic speaking muslims only and that is not our case. That school cost me a lot of money. If I will put this amount in CSS profile, will university request some documents from school?
My deadline to complete CSS profile is 1 November, so I have very little time to be prepared. Big thanks in advance for any advice.
What question number on the Profile asks for the amount of rent you pay?
I wasn’t correct. About amount of rent is question from one of forms from university itself. But about private school is one of questions from CSS profile
You need to answer the question on the Profile about Private school tuition…but you also need to understand that most colleges don’t care much about this expense because it is viewed as a choice.
If you are hoping you need based aid will be higher because of private school costs for a younger sibling…I would suggest…don’t count on this happening.
Thank you for the answer. As I wrote in my case I haven’t any choice, private school is single possible option for me to give my child any education. For sure that is right of university to take it into account or not. But if they will accept it what documents can they require as confirmation?
Confirmation of what? They can require whatever they want to require.
Did you get a receipt when you paid your private school bill? What records do YOU have that show that this bill was actually paid in the amount you will be saying.
Most of the CSS figures are self reporting like bank account balances and value of the home. Any school can ask for backup of anything reported. If you are taking the amount you paid for private school tuition off a webpage, print a copy of it.
It’s not going to be enough to copy a webpage from the school you are paying for…because that is NOT documentation that YOU paid the bill. You would need a receipt or statement from the school that shows that YOU were the one paying the bills…if the colleges ask for proof.
There are many expats who have schools for their kids funded by their employers either in total or in part. OR you could have relatives paying some of the school bill. OR your kid could be receiving a scholarship or fee waiver.
You need to have documention that supports YOU have paid the amount you say you are paying.
You also need to understand that while this is a question on the Profile, there are plenty of colleges that do not consider this expense in their institutional need based aid calculation.
@thumper1 I paying for the schools some amount every month, that way is more easy for me. So for year that is batch of random amounts bills, and part of them already loosed. Several weeks ago I hadn’t idea that may be will need those bills for future.
If they will ask a receipt or statement from the school have you idea what are compulsory requirements for that document usual? How should it look like?
Just ask the school for confirmation of what you pay in full for the year in question. A letter is fine, on official letterhead, signed by the right person. We understand your explanation this isn’t truly a discretionary choice. But colleges may categorize it as such.
Some colleges familiar with this problem may help a little. But as thumper points out, you cannot count on it.
@lookingforward Big thanks for clarification!