Hey Emily! I went through this exact same situation two years ago when my family had major income changes. Just wanted to add a few practical tips that really helped me: For the investment reporting - I found it helpful to take screenshots of all account balances on the same day I planned to submit my FAFSA, just so I had consistent documentation. Don't stress about daily market fluctuations - the financial aid offices understand these numbers change. Regarding the professional judgment appeals, I'd recommend starting to gather documentation NOW even before you submit your FAFSA. Things like: termination letter from your dad's employer, unemployment benefit statements, recent pay stubs if he's found new work, and a letter explaining the timeline of events. Having this ready will speed up the appeal process at each school. Also, when you contact schools about professional judgment, ask specifically about their deadlines and whether they have a standard form. Some schools I applied to had a simple one-page form, while others required a full financial hardship packet. Knowing what each school needs upfront saved me tons of time. One last thing - keep detailed records of every conversation you have with financial aid offices. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking which schools I contacted, when, what they requested, and follow-up dates. It was a lifesaver when managing multiple appeals. You're being super proactive by asking these questions - that's exactly the approach that will help you maximize your aid!

Hi Emily! I'm new to this community but going through the FAFSA process for the first time too, so I totally understand your stress! Reading through all these responses has been super helpful for me as well. Just wanted to add one thing I learned from my school counselor - when you're doing the professional judgment appeals, it's really important to submit them to ALL the schools you're considering, not just your top choice. Even if a school seems like a backup option now, you never know how aid packages will compare once everything is finalized. Some schools that weren't initially on my radar ended up offering much better aid after considering our family's changed circumstances. Also, I've been keeping a folder (both physical and digital) with copies of all the documents I'm sending to each school for the appeals. That way if they lose something or need me to resend it, I don't have to scramble to get everything together again. The whole process is definitely overwhelming but it sounds like you're approaching it the right way by asking questions and being thorough. Good luck with your FAFSA submission!

Definitely list both! I made this same decision with my daughter two years ago and I'm so glad we included multiple schools. The FAFSA lets you list up to 10 schools at no extra cost, and it won't hurt your aid eligibility at all. Here's what I learned: each school creates their own aid package independently using your FAFSA data, so more options = more opportunities to find the best deal. We were shocked when her "safety" in-state school offered significantly more merit aid than we expected, while her dream out-of-state school's package was disappointing. Also, don't forget that you can always remove schools from the list later if she decides not to apply somewhere, but adding them after submission takes extra steps. Better to include them all upfront! The key is to submit early since some state and institutional aid is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to pay attention to each school's FAFSA priority deadline, not just the federal deadline. Many schools have their own earlier deadlines for institutional aid consideration - sometimes as early as February 1st. Missing a school's priority deadline could mean less institutional grant money available, even if your FAFSA is still processed. Also, keep in mind that some states have limited grant funding that gets distributed early in the cycle. For example, if you're in California, the Cal Grant program has specific GPA and deadline requirements that could affect your daughter's eligibility at in-state schools. I'd recommend creating a calendar with all the relevant deadlines for each school you're listing - both FAFSA deadlines and any additional financial aid form deadlines. This way you won't miss out on any opportunities for aid that could make either option more affordable.

wait add the schools to the 2024-2025 FAFSA? isn't that for next year? shouldn't you be adding them to the 2023-2024 FAFSA if he's transferring in the middle of this school year?

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who works in a college financial aid office - we actually appreciate when families add schools early to their FAFSA, even if they're uncertain! It helps us plan our workload and ensures we can give proper attention to each student's file. For mid-year transfers specifically, we recommend reaching out to the financial aid office as soon as possible after adding the school to your FAFSA. Many schools have different deadlines and processes for spring transfers, and some institutional scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, don't forget to check if any of the potential schools participate in state grant programs that might have different deadlines than federal aid. Good luck with your son's decision - transferring can be stressful, but having financial aid packages ready will definitely help make the choice clearer!

For anyone finding this thread later with the same issue: This is a known problem with the 2025-2026 FAFSA contributor system. The Department of Education updated their systems in late 2024, requiring strict matching between: 1. The exact email address listed in the student's application 2. The FSA ID associated with that exact email 3. The legal name matching exactly in both systems Any discrepancy between these three elements will prevent parent contribution access. Also note that contributors MUST have their own FSA ID - they cannot use the student's login information under any circumstances.

Just went through this nightmare myself last month! Another thing to check - make sure you're not using any browser extensions that might be interfering. I had to disable my password manager and ad blocker before the FAFSA parent contribution portal would work properly. Also, if you've been logging in and out multiple times trying to fix this, clear your browser cache completely before trying again. The FAFSA system seems really sensitive to cached login data from previous sessions. Hope this helps someone avoid the headache we went through!

I went through FAFSA verification as a first-generation college student and completely understand the panic! Here's what helped me get through it successfully: **What they typically need:** - Verification worksheet (your school will provide this) - Tax transcripts from IRS (request online at irs.gov - they're free!) - W-2 forms for you and parents - Sometimes proof of benefits received (SNAP, TANF, etc.) **Pro tips that saved me:** 1. Start TODAY - don't wait even one more day 2. Create a folder (physical or digital) for all verification documents 3. Make copies of everything before submitting 4. Submit everything at once rather than piecemeal 5. Email your financial aid office to confirm receipt **The reality check:** Verification sounds scarier than it is. About 30% of FAFSA applicants get selected, and it's often random. Your $14,300 EFC won't automatically increase unless there were actual errors in your original application. I was terrified I'd lose my aid, but my package actually stayed exactly the same after verification. The process took about 2 weeks total once I submitted everything. You have 3 weeks which is plenty of time if you start gathering documents now. Don't let the horror stories psych you out - most verification cases resolve smoothly without any drama. You've got this! 💪

Hey Elliott! I totally get the panic - I was in the exact same boat last year when I got that dreaded verification email. But honestly, it turned out to be way less stressful than I built it up to be in my head. Here's what actually happened with my verification: - Got the email in late March (similar timing to you) - Submitted everything within 10 days - Heard back that I was approved in about 2 weeks - My aid package didn't change at all The documents I needed were pretty standard: verification worksheet from my school, tax transcripts (ordered free from IRS.gov), W-2s, and that was basically it. No bank statements or anything crazy. One thing that really helped me was calling my financial aid office the same day I got the notification. The advisor walked me through their specific requirements and even gave me a checklist. They deal with this stuff all the time and were actually really helpful. Your EFC of $14,300 isn't anything unusual that would flag you for extra scrutiny - you're most likely just in the random selection pool. And honestly, 3 weeks is plenty of time if you start gathering documents this week. Try not to let the horror stories freak you out too much. For every nightmare story, there are probably 50 students who went through verification with zero issues - we just don't hear about those because they're not dramatic enough to post about! You've got this! Start with requesting those tax transcripts today since they can take a week to arrive, and you'll be way ahead of the game.