College tuition in the United States now averages well over $35,000 a year when you add tuition, fees, and room and board. Four years can land north of $140,000. For most families, that means financial aid isn’t optional — it’s the plan. The two forms below are how that plan starts.
The kinds of aid available
There are three buckets to keep in mind:
- Merit-based scholarships — tied to academic, athletic, or artistic achievement.
- Need-based aid — built specifically for middle- and lower-income families.
- Federal and state grants and loans — some you repay, some you don’t.
Almost every dollar in those buckets requires the FAFSA. Many also require the CSS Profile.
FAFSA — the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Every U.S. college and university uses the FAFSA. Students complete it for the first time in the fall of senior year, then again every year they’re enrolled. It’s a seven-section form covering:
- Student demographics
- Parent demographics
- Dependency status
- Detailed financial information
A useful feature: the IRS Data Retrieval Tool can pull your tax information straight into the form, which cuts the manual entry and reduces errors.
There’s no fee to file the FAFSA.
CSS Profile — for many private and Ivy League schools
Most private universities, religiously affiliated schools, and the Ivy League also require the CSS Profile, which is more detailed than the FAFSA. Expect to share more about parental education, employment, home ownership, and assets. There’s a “Special Circumstances” section worth using if your family is dealing with something the form’s standard fields don’t capture (medical bills, job loss, etc.).
The CSS Profile is $25 for the first school, $16 for each additional. Fee waivers are available for families with household income under $100,000.
Before you start filling either form
Have ready:
- Most recent federal tax return
- Bank and brokerage statements
- A list of the colleges you’re applying to
A small but important note: when you fill these out, do it on a private network rather than a coffee-shop Wi-Fi, and save your work inside the application rather than to your local downloads.
We can help
Dade Prep families — reach out to your Student Advisor or visit our Cap Corner program to walk through these forms together. You can also call our office at (305) 969-9448.