What is the CSS profile for?

As an expert in financial aid and higher education funding, I can explain the purpose of the CSS PROFILE. The CSS PROFILE is a comprehensive financial aid application used by U.S. colleges, universities, and scholarship programs to distribute non-federal educational funds. It's a tool that helps institutions understand the financial needs of students by collecting detailed financial information from applicants and their families. The data provided in the PROFILE is used to determine eligibility for institutional aid, which includes grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and sometimes loans. The CSS PROFILE is distinct from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is used to determine eligibility for federal student aid. While the FAFSA is required by all colleges and universities that participate in federal student aid programs, the CSS PROFILE is used by a smaller subset of institutions, particularly for those that have their own financial aid formulas and want to offer aid beyond what the federal government provides. Here's the translation in Chinese: 作为财务援助和高等教育资金领域的专家，我可以解释CSS PROFILE的目的。 CSS PROFILE 是一个由美国大学、大学和奖学金项目使用的全面的财务援助申请，用于分配非联邦教育资金。它是一个帮助机构通过收集申请人及其家庭的详细财务信息来了解学生财务需求的工具。在PROFILE中提供的数据用于确定学生对机构援助的资格，其中包括助学金、奖学金、勤工俭学机会，有时还包括贷款。 CSS PROFILE与联邦学生援助免费申请（FAFSA）不同，后者用于确定学生对联邦学生援助的资格。虽然所有参与联邦学生援助计划的学院和大学都要求提交FAFSA，但CSS PROFILE由较小一部分机构使用，特别是对于那些拥有自己的财务援助公式并希望提供超出联邦政府提供的援助的机构。

The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE (often written as CSS PROFILE), short for the College Scholarship Service PROFILE, is an application distributed by the College Board in the United States allowing college students to apply for financial aid.