| Every year, tens of millions of students and their | | | | This game as I have described it is a lot like poker. |
| parents struggle to complete the required FAFSA and | | | | Your cards are actually your income and your assets. |
| CSS Profile forms. These forms are required if the | | | | The higher cards in a poker deck such as the Ace, |
| family wants to receive financial aid. They ask for all | | | | King, Queen, and Jack are the equivalent of higher |
| kinds of personal, financial, and even religious | | | | income and assets. Lower poker cards like 2, 3, and |
| information. It can be a very invasive process. What | | | | 4 represent lower income and assets. |
| most parents don't understand is that they are | | | | In Poker, the hand with the highest cards at the end |
| playing a Game conceived by the Federal | | | | of the game wins all the time, except if you are |
| Government and run by the colleges. Rarely do the | | | | good at bluffing. In the College Financial Aid Game, if |
| colleges explain the rules in advance. In fact, this | | | | the parents are holding high cards, they loose and the |
| game is very much like a game of Poker. | | | | colleges win. The parents have to pay the colleges or |
| For most people, the first few times they play a | | | | will receive less in financial aid. |
| game, such as poker, someone explains the purpose | | | | If the parents are holding or appear to be holding the |
| and the rules to follow. They are helped until they | | | | low cards, they win. That means that the colleges will |
| understand and can play on their own. After a while, | | | | offer them a great deal in terms of financial aid, and |
| the new player may attempt to learn how to play | | | | this will include grants and scholarships. The key to |
| the game well enough to win more of the time. If | | | | playing this game is knowing the rules and learning |
| the player is really serious, they will seek out books, | | | | the strategies that will make you appear as if you |
| articles, and software to sharpen their skills. The | | | | have low cards. This means knowing how to appear |
| strategies they learn will give them confidence in their | | | | as if your income and assets are diminished. |
| abilities and they will start to win more often. | | | | The colleges do not play a friendly game. Their rules |
| The College Financial Aid Game is different though. | | | | are tough. They are allowed to count your income |
| The rules of the game were created by Congress | | | | and assets even in ways the IRS does not. For |
| and the U.S. Department of Education. Each college | | | | income, your Adjusted Gross Income is what counts. |
| gets to add in their own additional rules or change | | | | Your deductions and expenses are your problems. |
| the rules to benefit that college. The game is aimed | | | | For assets, most are considered fair game. There are |
| primarily at the parents. Where can they go to learn | | | | 153 different strategies that can be used to level the |
| about the game? Playing this game means filling out | | | | playing field for you. When playing their game, it is in |
| the forms and pressing Submit. For most parents, | | | | your best interest to learn the rules of their game |
| there is only a once a year opportunity to play. | | | | and to learn the strategies that will help you to win! |