<p>My school uses both FAFSA and CSSPROFILE and they both ask for student asset, specifically “the amount you have in cash, savings, and checking accounts as of today.” </p>
<p>I got a couple thousand dollars in a checking account as a graduation gift last year. I know fafsa takes 20 or 30% of that as going into paying for college. So I want to maximize aid and i’m thinking about where to spend it without wasting it. </p>
<p>Would it be a good idea to pay off stafford student loans (this is my second year) with it before submitting cssprofile and fafsa so i have a low asset or would that be a problem? like… the financial aid office might take the reduced debt into account and still give me less aid anyway? thanks!</p>