What You Need to Know About the CSS PROFILE Process

CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE is the financial aid application service of the College Board. More than 500 colleges, universities, graduate and professional schools and scholarship programs use the information collected on the PROFILE to determine eligibility for nonfederal student aid funds. The PROFILE is a fully Web-based application system that provides students a secure and efficient method for reporting their financial data to higher education institutions.

How to Register. PROFILE applications are customized for each student, based on information you supply during registration. Customization allows the PROFILE to respond to the unique needs of each applicant and provides a streamlined application process by asking only the questions that pertain to you, your family and your financial situation.

When to Register. You should register for PROFILE as soon as you're sure about where you are applying for aid. This should be at a minimum two weeks before the earliest college or scholarship program priority filing date you need to meet.

Tips for Completing the PROFILE

• Make sure you apply on time! Review the priority filing dates for all recipients to ensure the application arrives on time. Remember, colleges use PROFILE information to determine who gets limited grant dollars. Late filers must make do with what is left over and may lose eligibility altogether.
• Have your tax returns and financial documents handy. (Ideally, you'll have already completed your tax return for the most recent tax year.)
• You should leave plenty of time to fill out the form. Don't assume the entire application can be completed in one session. We recommend you start at least one week before intending to complete the form.
• Save time by using the pre-application worksheet.

What Happens After You Apply? After you submit your application, print the acknowledgment, which includes the data you entered on your application and your college list. The acknowledgment can be used to make changes to PROFILE information, and gives you information about the next steps in the process.

PROFILE data are analyzed and reported back to the colleges and scholarship programs. They then apply their own need analysis formulas to determine your family's ability to pay for education costs.

If you have questions about the CSS/Financial AId Profile...I am here to help.