1. CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE
Be sure to select the academic year for your planned enrollment timeframe by clicking on the correct link.

2. Why create an account?
Creating a College Board account is fast, free and easy. Your account lets you register for and complete the PROFILE application. You can also manage your personal college list, save your scholarship searches, and keep track of your college costs and more.
If you do not already have a College Board account, click on the blue Sign Up button and you will be guided through account creation. Be sure to write down and save your Username and Password as you will need them each time you access your PROFILE application.
If you have forgotten or misplaced your username or password, click on the link in the sign in section to request either your username that can be ed to you or to create a new password.

3. Items you will need to complete PROFILE:
2015 federal income tax return, if completed
2014 federal income tax return
W2 forms and other records of money earned in 2015
Records of 2014 and 2015 untaxed income
Current bank statements and mortgage information
Records of stocks, bonds, trusts and other investments

4. The topics on this page are available by clicking on the Help Desk icon on the opening page of PROFILE online. See screen shot on next slide.

5. Registration has to be completed in one sitting – data will be saved only if you finish this section and hit submit.
Secure site – confidential data is protected
PROFILE fees and payment information provided

6. You do not have to enter a social security number but if you have one, we strongly recommend that you provide it. Most colleges and programs use the SSN as the main student identifier in their campus systems – the SSN is used to match student records, such as the PROFILE, in their system. If this field is left blank, or an incorrect SSN is entered, important processes that must be completed to consider a student for financial aid will be delayed. The SSN should match the one on the student’s SS card. All information entered on the PROFILE, including the student’s SSN, that passes between your computer and the College Board is data encrypted. It is then stored on a secure server, protected by a firewall, and is communicated only to the financial aid offices at the colleges and programs you request on the PROFILE.

8. Point out tax filing status – “will file”
Point out tax filing status – “will file”. Families that have not yet filed a 2015 tax return will be instructed to refer to prior year tax returns along with check stubs/automatic deposit advice to estimate income and taxes paid for 2015.

9. Enter the colleges, universities and programs to which you want PROFILE reports to be sent – you may search by CSS Code, location or college name

11. There are two parental marital status questions – biological/adoptive and those completing PROFILE. Marital status of biological/adoptive parents determines whether Noncustodial will be required by colleges.
Note tax filing status – if the filing status is “will file..” this means that parents will be asked to estimate income, taxes paid, etc. because no tax return has been filed.
Parents’ country of residence determines whether the student is presented with domestic or international versions of PROFILE questions.

12. After completing the 21 registration questions, students are presented with a summary of the questions and the answers given. Be sure to review this summary carefully and correct any errors before proceeding on to the application.

13. Students will receive a confirmation and CSS ID once the registration section is submitted.
At this point, you can print out the PROFILE pre-application worksheet and instructions to complete offline. The pre-application worksheet can serve as a reference when completing the PROFILE application online.
When completing PROFILE, you can save your data and exit and return at a later time.

14. This page lists helpful tips for progressing through the application smoothly.

16. Include your parents and yourself, even if you don’t live with your parents. Include other children if they will get more than half their support from your parents. Include other people only if they now live with your parents and now get more than half their support from your parents. Do not include other people your parents support but who do not live with your parents. Do not include other people who live with your parents unless your parents provide at least half their support. The information collected in the parents’ household section assists in calculation of aid eligibility.

17. Wording of instructions is tied to reported tax filing status: if parents have not filed, instructions will tell them to “estimate”; if have filed, instructions will tell families to “enter”.
Note here that “0” is a valid answer when that is the correct response or when the question does not apply.
Include info about what to do if corrections are needed, can’t update online. Need to send copy of updated acknowledgement to school or copy of tax returns.

18. If you have already filed a tax return, use the actual figures from the completed return rather than estimating. Tips on estimating are provided for those who have not yet filed a 2015 return.

19. PROFILE collects income information for a three year time span – you have just answered questions about current year income. These questions ask about your income in the previous year.

20. This page asks for the amount of income you expect to receive in the upcoming year.

21. This section asks questions about the assets of the parents
This section asks questions about the assets of the parents. If a numeric question does not apply, enter a zero. You may not leave a numeric field blank. For example, if your parents do not own real estate other than their home, the answer to the question about value would be zero.
If a non-numeric question does not apply, you may leave it blank.

23. Child Support paid is an item that is subject to federal verification
Child Support paid is an item that is subject to federal verification. Parents may be asked to document the amount of child support paid.

24. This section of PROFILE collects data about the student applicant.

26. The student is asked for expected year income and may estimate based upon anticipated earnings from work during the summer and academic year.

28. List all family members you reported earlier in parents household information – only those who live in your parents household and for whom your parents provide at least 50% of their support.

29. This explanation section provides space for families to tell the colleges and programs applied to about circumstances affecting the family such as unemployment, illness or other events that affect the family’s ability to contribute to educational expenses.

31. This section displays all the questions and answers on your PROFILE – please review carefully to ensure you answered each question correctly. Once PROFILE is submitted, these answers cannot be changed online.

32. This page displays the itemized charges for PROFILE and the amount due along with payment instructions.

33. Save a copy of this receipt for your records.

34. Using your username and password, you can log into your College Board account and check the status of your PROFILE application.
Note the submit date and the date your PROFILE report is sent to the colleges you listed.

35. Other Helpful Resources
CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® Student Guide
Customer Service Center:
Your High School Counselor/College Advisor
Financial Aid Office of the college you applied to