A lot of these ‘free tuition’ policies are more PR than reality because they use the CSS Profile rather than the FAFSA and hold the value of the primary residence and retirement accounts against the ...

Applying to college is an exercise in paperwork: recommendations, essays, the application itself, and the FAFSA — the form that determines whether your student is eligible for federal financial aid.

Completing the CSS profile can help you qualify for non-federal aid opportunities. This form, unlike the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) , is used by a limited number of colleges. It ...