ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

CSS Profile

Hey there kiddo!

A CSS Profile is simply a form that people fill out to apply for financial aid.

Here’s how it works: As we grow older, we want to go to college to get a higher education. But college can be expensive! To help pay for college, many students apply for financial aid. Financial aid is money that is given to students to help pay for college fees and tuition.

Now, there are different types of financial aid. One of them is called “need-based” financial aid. This means that the government or the college looks at how much money your family makes and decides whether you need financial assistance to pay for college.

To apply for this kind of financial aid, you have to fill out a form called a CSS Profile. When you fill out the CSS Profile form, you’ll have to answer questions about your family’s income, savings, expenses, and assets (things you own that are worth money, like a car or a house).

This information helps the college determine how much financial aid you may need to help pay for college.

So, to sum it up: A CSS Profile is a form that you fill out to apply for financial aid for college. It asks questions about your family’s income and expenses to see if you qualify for need-based financial aid.