Hi Daniela! Welcome to the community! I just went through this same process a few weeks ago and completely understand the anxiety of waiting for your SAI to appear. Since you mentioned finding that verification item in your "To Do" list, that's likely what was causing the delay! Once you complete those verification steps, the processing usually moves much faster - mine showed up within 2-3 days after I cleared a similar citizenship verification issue. One thing that really helped me during the wait was bookmarking the direct link to my Student Aid Report page so I could check quickly without navigating through all the menus. Also, if you haven't already, make sure your email settings in your studentaid.gov account are set to receive notifications - they'll send you an email as soon as your SAR is ready. The whole process is definitely more stressful than it needs to be, but you're so close now! Once that SAR appears with your SAI, you'll finally have the number you need to start understanding your aid eligibility. Keep us posted on how it goes!

Hi Daniela! I'm new to this community but just went through the FAFSA submission process myself last month, so I completely understand your anxiety about finding your SAI! Since you mentioned that you completed the citizenship verification in your "To Do" list, that was almost certainly what was holding up your processing. In my experience, once those verification items are cleared, the SAR typically becomes available within 2-4 business days. One thing I learned the hard way - even after your SAR appears with your SAI, don't be surprised if the number seems confusing at first. The SAI calculation is pretty complex and includes factors like parent assets, student income, and family size. If your SAI ends up higher than expected, remember that many colleges have their own institutional aid that can help bridge the gap. Also, once you get your SAI, I'd recommend making a spreadsheet with all your colleges and their financial aid deadlines. Some schools have priority deadlines for institutional aid that are separate from the federal aid deadlines, and you don't want to miss out on potential funding. You're so close to getting that number! Keep checking every couple of days and hopefully you'll see your SAR soon. This community has been super helpful for navigating all these financial aid questions!

As someone who just went through this exact same nightmare last month, I want to emphasize how important it is to act quickly on this. The FAFSA contributor system has been a disaster this year - I've seen so many families affected by similar issues where only one parent gets properly linked despite joint filing. The good news is that once you get through to an actual FSA agent (which sounds like you successfully did!), they can usually fix it pretty efficiently with a manual override. Just make sure you follow up with each school's financial aid office using that confirmation number - some schools are more proactive than others about checking for updated FAFSA information, and you don't want any delays in processing your daughter's aid package. The whole system is frustrating, but at least there are ways to work around these technical glitches when you know the right steps to take.

This thread is incredibly helpful! As someone currently dealing with a similar FAFSA contributor issue (my spouse's income isn't showing up properly), I wanted to add that it's also worth checking if your state has any supplemental financial aid forms that might be affected by these FAFSA errors. In our case, the state grant application pulled the incorrect information from our FAFSA, so we had to contact both the federal aid office AND our state's education department to ensure corrections were made to both systems. The timing can be tricky since state aid deadlines are often earlier than federal ones. Just another layer to consider when dealing with these technical glitches!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful to have found this thread! I'm currently facing the exact same MPN processing nightmare with my daughter - she completed her MPN and entrance counseling 5 weeks ago, and while everything shows as complete on StudentAid.gov, her school portal still displays "MPN - Unsatisfied Requirement." Reading through all the shared experiences here has been so reassuring to learn this is a widespread system issue affecting thousands of families, not something we did wrong. The practical advice shared throughout this thread is invaluable - especially learning that schools absolutely CAN do manual overrides despite what some offices initially claim, and the specific strategies like calling at 8 AM sharp and using urgent email subject lines. I'm planning to email her financial aid office today using the "URGENT: MPN Manual Override Request - [Student Name] - [Student ID]" format with complete screenshots from StudentAid.gov attached. If that doesn't work, I'll escalate immediately and try the early morning calling strategy with documentation ready to send in real-time. It's frustrating that the Department of Education hasn't communicated about these processing delays more proactively, leaving families to navigate this broken system on our own. But I'm so thankful for communities like this where we can share solutions and support each other through these bureaucratic nightmares. I'll definitely update this thread once I hear back from the school - hopefully adding another success story to help future families dealing with this same issue!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful I discovered this thread! I'm currently dealing with the exact same MPN processing delays with my son - he completed his MPN and entrance counseling 6 weeks ago, everything shows as complete on StudentAid.gov, but his school portal still shows "MPN - Unsatisfied Requirement." Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring to know this is a widespread system issue, not something we did wrong. The practical solutions shared here are exactly what I needed - especially the confirmation that schools CAN do manual overrides and the specific strategies like the urgent email subject line format and calling at 8 AM. I'm planning to email his financial aid office today using "URGENT: MPN Manual Override Request - [Student Name] - [Student ID]" with screenshots from StudentAid.gov attached. If that doesn't work, I'll try the early morning calling approach and escalate immediately if they claim they can't help. It's so frustrating that families have to become IT troubleshooters just to access education funding, but I'm grateful for communities like this where we can share solutions and support each other through these broken federal systems. I'll definitely update once I hear back from the school - hopefully with another success story to add to this thread!

To summarize the advice so far: 1. Having schools on FAFSA is good, but you need to contact each financial aid office for their specific policies 2. Enrollment generally happens when you pay a deposit AND register for classes 3. Consider requesting single-semester financial aid if possible 4. Gather all academic records now (transcripts, syllabi, course descriptions) 5. Understand the difference between closed school discharge (loans forgiven but credits lost) vs. transferring credits (keep credits but also keep loans) 6. Ask about mid-year transfer aid availability specifically 7. If needed, look into consortium agreements for potential transition periods The most important thing is open communication with all financial aid offices involved. Don't just rely on general information - get specific answers for your situation.

One additional thing to consider - if your son's university does close, make sure to document the closure date and circumstances. The Department of Education requires specific documentation for closed school discharge eligibility, and schools sometimes try to frame closures as "mergers" or "consolidations" which can affect your discharge options. Also, keep records of any tuition refunds or partial refunds you receive from the current school, as this can impact your financial aid eligibility at transfer schools. The timing of when you apply for aid at potential transfer schools versus when the current school officially closes can make a difference in your aid calculations.

I've been through this exact situation with my daughter two years ago! The custody rule is absolutely rigid - there's no wiggle room to choose based on income. Since your daughter lived with you, you're stuck using your income even though it results in less aid. However, here's what actually helped us: Document EVERYTHING about your ex's disability and financial inability to contribute, then request a Professional Judgment review. We provided his disability award letters, medical documentation, and a letter explaining that despite legal obligations, he physically and financially cannot contribute. The school reduced our EFC by about $4,000. Also check if your state has any grants for single parents or children of disabled parents that aren't tied to FAFSA. Some states have separate aid programs that consider these circumstances differently than federal aid does. Don't give up - the initial aid package is often just the starting point, not the final answer!

I went through something very similar with my stepson last year. The FAFSA rules around divorced parents are definitely frustrating, but they're based on where the student physically lived the most, not who would provide better aid eligibility. Since your daughter lived with you for the past 4 years, you're the correct parent to include. However, don't lose hope! Here are a few things that helped us: 1. Professional Judgment appeals really do work - we got our EFC reduced by about $3,500 after providing documentation of the non-custodial parent's disability and inability to contribute. 2. Look into your state's grant programs. Some have aid specifically for single parents or families with disabled members that uses different criteria than FAFSA. 3. Check if your daughter qualifies for any scholarships through organizations that support children of disabled parents. The key is being persistent with the financial aid office and providing thorough documentation. Many schools have additional institutional aid they can offer beyond what the initial FAFSA calculation shows. Good luck!