Financial Aid - CSS Profile Q - SR160A

[My5Mouseketeers]

How do you answer the question "Enter the amount your parents think they will be able to pay for your 2013-2014 college expenses"?

Is that without loans? living comfortably? if you low-ball it, do they just disregard it? If you give a high number, will you pay that amount even if you would qualify for more?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

It's just a place holder. If I recall correctly, it really has nothing to do with what you will be expected to pay (which is a whole lot more than you will expect).

 

[js]

The the pp stated, it has nothing to do with what the colleges think you can pay (not the other way around as they are asking LOL).
I think I put $0 or $100 for my dd, which I knew was going to be laughed at since the college tells you what they think you can pay.
You can find lots of helpful answers about this whole process at
collegeconfidential.com

Good luck!

 

[DVC Daisy]

The the pp stated, it has nothing to do with what the colleges think you can pay (not the other way around as they are asking LOL).
I think I put $0 or $100 for my dd, which I knew was going to be laughed at since the college tells you what they think you can pay.
You can find lots of helpful answers about this whole process at
collegeconfidential.com

Good luck!

A second for Collegeconfidential.com. It is an awesome site with a ton of information.

Personally, I think that question is there to spice up the people in the FA Offices jobs. Gives them something to laugh about I would not expect your answer to be anywhere close to what the Colleges answer to be

 

[js]

A second for Collegeconfidential.com. It is an awesome site with a ton of information.

Personally, I think that question is there to spice up the people in the FA Offices jobs. Gives them something to laugh about I would not expect your answer to be anywhere close to what the Colleges answer to be

As the mother of a college freshman in a private college and a freshman ds at an Independent School, I only have this to say about the bolded part of your post:


which makes me feel like:

To the OP, good luck with the forms and the college search! Go to collegeconfidential and we (and them) are here for any you need along the way!

 

[DVC Daisy]

As the mother of a college freshman in a private college and a freshman ds at an Independent School, I only have this to say about the bolded part of your post:


which makes me feel like:

To the OP, good luck with the forms and the college search! Go to collegeconfidential and we (and them) are here for any you need along the way!

YUP - Mom of a College Senior at a private college here. The school had the prestigious distinction of making the "top 25 most expensive colleges in the US" list. I feel your pain NOT a list you want your kid's college to be on

We were thisclose to hitting the $60K mark for tuition, board & books this year.

 

[js]

YUP - Mom of a College Senior at a private college here. The school had the prestigious distinction of making the "top 25 most expensive colleges in the US" list. I feel your pain NOT a list you want your kid's college to be on

We were thisclose to hitting the $60K mark for tuition, board & books this year.

Scripps? (We have a family friend that goes there that's why I'm asking. Her mom is also a Pres. of a University in CA, but not Scripps).
We are about $55K and so glad I wasn't on your list LOL

Have you been back to collegeconfidential? Once my dd got into her school, she is in PA, (she applied ED so we knew last year about 2 weeks before Thanksgiving) I' haven't been back. My ds is a freshman in HS so giving myself a year off this year and then once next year comes, the focus on schools begin but he is much different than my dd (who is an excellent student). My ds is a student/athlete but usually not in that order

 

[DVC Daisy]

Scripps? (We have a family friend that goes there that's why I'm asking. Her mom is also a Pres. of a University in CA, but not Scripps).
We are about $55K and so glad I wasn't on your list LOL

Have you been back to collegeconfidential? Once my dd got into her school, she is in PA, (she applied ED so we knew last year about 2 weeks before Thanksgiving) I' haven't been back. My ds is a freshman in HS so giving myself a year off this year and then once next year comes, the focus on schools begin but he is much different than my dd (who is an excellent student). My ds is a student/athlete but usually not in that order

Very close - I am totally impressed!!!! I have a DS, so although he had taken a couple of classes there, he goes to one of the other 5Cs.

I have not been on Collegeconfidential in a long time, but it is an absolutely amazing site. Kinda like the DIS for college parents.

DS is also a student-athlete, but luckily in that order There is some info for athletes on CC. Some of it can be very informative, some, not so much.

Just FYI - in case you did not already know - one thing to pay attention to NOW as a parent of a student-athlete are the NCAA requirements. I found that most HS counselor are not informed as to what is required. You need to make sure your student takes the needed classes in HS if they have any desire at all to play a sport in college.

It truly is a small world!

 

[My5Mouseketeers]

Thank you for the info (and support). I think I will put down $10,000 just because it seems reasonable and hope that it is less that 40K. This is the first of our 5 kids to go to College. Scary financial stuff

 

[LostSock]

Put $0!!

Me pre-marriage...EFC is $0.
My husband pre-marriage....EFC is $0.

Married couple with same income, EFC=$5000 for each student.

Their logic?
Getting married and moving out of your family's house into your own means you have an extra $10k laying around.

You know they government said they expanded the student aid programs? Really it just meant we had to take out government loans for the first time! rawr. I hate college costs. So glad I'm graduating in May!

 

[TLuvsD]

Love College Confidential.

Go get a copy of Paying for College without Going Broke. It has saved us serious money...really walks you through the FASFA and CSS forms. It's only about $13...we just bought the new edition. D is a freshman, DH plans on buying the new edition every year.