Service
Financial Aid,
FAFSA & CSS Profile
Financial aid is first-come, first-served at many schools. Missing a deadline or making a mistake on the CSS Profile can cost a family tens of thousands of dollars. We help get it right.
What this includes
- Financial aid timeline: when to submit FAFSA and CSS Profile at each school on the list
- FAFSA walkthrough: which parent's information to report, what counts as an asset, common mistakes
- CSS Profile guidance: the additional questions, institutional methodology differences, and what each school actually looks at
- Net price estimates by school: what a family is actually likely to pay after grants, not just the sticker price
- Merit aid strategy: identifying schools where the student's profile earns significant scholarships
- Appeal guidance: what to do if the aid package comes in lower than expected
Key dates and facts for 2025–2026
The FAFSA and CSS Profile both open October 1 for the upcoming application cycle. Most institutional CSS Profile deadlines fall between January 1 and March 31, but many schools award aid on a rolling basis — which means submitting in mid-December puts a family meaningfully ahead of one that waits until March.
The FAFSA simplification that took effect in 2024 changed how assets and income are weighted. Families who filled it out the same way they always have may be leaving money on the table. We help make sure the form reflects the actual financial situation accurately and in the most favorable way the rules allow.