<p>USC’s deadline for the CSS is today (Feb 2nd). With my father working abroad, it has been difficult gathering financial information in time for the deadline. Although I was able to estimate based on last year’s tax documents, there have been a lot of changes in my family’s financial situation.</p>
<p>I’ll be making a lot of corrections after my father files taxes by this April, I’m sure. From scoping around, I heard that corrections to the CSS have to be made by hand and faxed to USC. Since I’m also applying to Stanford and Yale, but their CSS deadlines are later, would I be able to minimize the correction process if I only send the CSS to USC today? How will sending the CSS separately to each campus affect how colleges look at my profile?</p>
<p>I don’t know the answer to your question about how colleges would look at your application - but that’s what I would do. File the CSS for USC, and then when you need to send it to other schools you can make changes then before you send it. Although those changes won’t be reported to USC.</p>
<p>you’ve probably already made your decision but here is the answer-
File your estimated CSS to USC when/before it is due.
Gather final info as soon as you can - It’ll be easier for you if you can get this done before Yale and Stanford’s deadline.<br>
When you go to the college board website and log in there is a button on the left hand side that allows you to “submit to additional institutions”. When you’ve entered the NEW schools (Yale, Stanford) you will have the opportunity to make updates/corrections to the form. You must do this all at one sitting. You can’t save it and come back to it. When you submit and pay to have it sent, Yale and Standford will have the up-to-date info.
USC will NOT get the updated info so easily. Call USC and ask how they prefer you handle this. Generally the method seems to be: print out the USC version of the CSS, cross out and update the info and mail/FAX the paper to USC.</p>
<ol>
<li>I don’t think one college cares when/what you sent to another college as far as the CSS is concerned but I have no official knowledge of this</li>
</ol>
<p>You might want to encourage your father to get his taxes done MUCH earlier than April this year. If he doesn’t complete his taxes until April 15, you won’t get your final financial aid award in time to make a decent decision about college matriculation by May 1…because any financial aid package awarded to you using estimates will be ESTIMATED by the college. They will not give you a definite package until you update your Profile (and FAFSA) to reflect your 2009 taxes.</p>
<p>And yes…when you make those changes…some schools DO adjust their financial aid awards (and yes…downwards if necessary).</p>