How exact do you need to be regarding asset value on FAFSA/CSS if you are full pay?

Yes, the school did that, and then they sent an all-student email saying that students who were eligible for the CARES money but had not filed FAFSA could still get the money by doing either x, y or z. I’m not sure that in this case actually laying eyes on the original passport (or whatever authenticating document) was required. Some of the kids really needed the money. The school was not going to make it unnecessarily difficult.