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Audio Intro by Paul. (The dude that knows everything about Financial Aid)
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The FAFSA and CSS PROFILE are the two primary forms required to apply for financial aid. We have created the following two guides that prepare you to answer the FAFSA and PROFILE forms, identifying common mistakes and opportunities to maximize your financial aid eligibility.
1. Guide to filling out the FAFSA 
This is the first form you should fill out. Our guide is 12 pages long, and requires
Adobe Acrobat Reader. We recommend that you print this document out. Before you start, make sure you
have access to your tax returns for the previous year, most recent W-2 forms (probably from last year),
most recent bank statements, and records of your investments.
2. Guide to filling out the CSS PROFILE
Approximately 20% of private colleges require the CSS PROFILE (view list).
Ideally, the PROFILE should be filled out after the simpler FAFSA form. However,
if you are required to file the PROFILE before you are able to file the FAFSA, be sure to save a
copy of your PROFILE worksheet so you can provide similar answers to the same questions. Colleges
understandably find two wildly divergent answers to the same question unsettling. This guide is 28 pages long, and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.
3. Additional Guidance
As you complete the financial aid worksheets, you can
further optimize your FAFSA and CSS PROFILE answers using
TuitionCoach subscription services. As a subscriber, you can learn about
smart asset management and other advanced techniques. You can do a sensitivity analysis
for the financial aid questions (for example, how will changes in your income and assets affect your expected family contribution?).
Additionally, subscribers receive tools to determine the best funding options, how to evaluate and negotiate financial aid offers from colleges,
and more. If you're looking for more basic advice about financial aid, including a college cost calculator, a glossary, and frequently asked questions,
you can sign up for our free member account. Sign up here!
