Even though the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) does not officially open until October 1st, students can proactively create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) account at https://studentaid.gov/.
As a part of this process, students will be assigned an FSA ID number. This number will be of critical importance to students throughout the aid process in that it serves as their electronic signature.
This account also allows students to apply for federal financial aid via the FAFSA. States, individual colleges and universities, and private scholarship programs rely on the information provided in FAFSA so students should consider this form as important as their applications for admission.
Like the FAFSA, the College Scholarship Service (CSS) profile is used to assess a family’s income and assets and helps to calculate their Expected Family Contribution (EFC.) Primarily used by private colleges and some state universities, schools use the CSS profile to determine institutional grants, scholarships, and state aid.
According to the CSS program, ‘each year it provides access to more than $9 billion dollars in aid to thousands of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.’
For more information on this program, and to set up a CSS account, please visit: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/.
Understanding, organizing, and applying for financial aid can be complex and time-consuming, and Acuity College Counseling is available to assist students and their parents as they plan and prepare to complete these essential forms.
