As the Federal financial aid deadline creeps up (June 30th), I've received a lot of questions about which form needs to be completed by students or their parents.

The confusion centers around the difference between the FAFSA form and the CSS Profile.

In a nutshell, the FAFSA form is used primarily for Federal financial aid, though some schools also use it in lieu of creating their own financial aid forms. The CSS Profile on the other hand, is used by approximately 600 private schools and scholarship programs, and typically includes more factors than the FAFSA.

To find out if you need to complete the CSS Profile, you should contact your school or check the CollegeBoard's list of participating schools. Unlike the FAFSA, deadlines for the CSS Profile vary by school.

If you've completed the CSS Profile for a specific school, we'd love for you to share your experience in our forum.

To get more tips and pointers on saving and paying for college, sign up for our free weekly newsletter.