Financial Aid
College Planning
CSS Profile, FAFSA, and EFC: What Families Must Know
Rupesh RegmiMay 1, 2026 — 11 min read
In this blog
1. FAFSA vs CSS Profile in Plain English
2. What EFC and SAI Really Mean Today
3. How Colleges Actually Use EFC and SAI
4. What the CSS Profile Asks About EFC
5. Understanding the Student Contribution
6. What to Enter in the CSS Profile EFC Box
7. Common Myths About EFC and CSS Profile
8. How to Compare Aid Offers When EFC Differs
9. When and How to Appeal an EFC Based Aid Decision
10. Building a Smart College List with EFC in Mind
11. Next Steps
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