As another newcomer here, I'm really grateful for all the detailed insights everyone has shared! I'm dealing with a similar situation - my daughter is a junior in high school and my son just turned 23, so we'll likely be in the multiple-student scenario soon. What strikes me most from reading through this thread is how much the new FAFSA changes have created uncertainty, but also how generous this community is with sharing real experiences. @Javier Torres - it sounds like you got your answer about your 24-year-old son filing independently, which saves you the hassle of updating! @Emma Wilson's explanation about institutional vs federal aid calculations was particularly enlightening. I had no idea that colleges might still use their own formulas even when the federal calculation changed. One question for the group: for those who did update their FAFSA to show multiple students, did you find that most colleges were transparent about whether they still consider this factor in their institutional aid decisions? Or did you have to really dig to find out their policies?

As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this discussion closely and it's been incredibly informative! I'm currently helping my sister navigate a similar situation with her two kids potentially overlapping in college next year. What really stands out to me from everyone's experiences is how much the institutional aid policies vary between schools. It seems like the new FAFSA changes have created this confusing landscape where the federal calculation works one way, but individual colleges may still use their own methods. I'm curious - for those who successfully received additional institutional aid after updating their FAFSA to show multiple students, did you find that certain types of schools (public vs private, large vs small) were more likely to still factor this in? My sister is trying to decide whether it's worth the effort to update, and it sounds like the answer might depend heavily on where her kids are planning to attend. Also, thank you @Taylor Chen for the practical tip about calling during mid-afternoon and asking that specific question! That's exactly the kind of actionable advice that makes this community so valuable.

I'm in a similar situation with my son starting college this fall. One thing that really helped us was setting up a meeting with the financial aid counselor (not just calling the general office). They walked us through all our options and helped us understand the timeline for different types of aid. Also, if your daughter hasn't already, make sure she accepts those federal loans in her portal ASAP - there are deadlines for accepting aid, and you don't want to miss out on the subsidized portion. The unsubsidized loans don't have the same urgency but it's good to get everything locked in. For the Parent PLUS loan with credit concerns, you might want to apply sooner rather than later. If you do get denied, it opens up those additional unsubsidized loans for your daughter that someone mentioned, plus it gives you more time to explore other options. The whole process felt overwhelming at first but breaking it down step by step made it much more manageable.

One option you might not have considered is asking the school about their institutional payment plan options. Many colleges offer interest-free monthly payment plans that spread your balance over 10-12 months, which can make that gap much more manageable without taking on additional debt. The fees are usually minimal (like $25-50 per semester). Also, since your daughter has such a significant athletic scholarship, I'd strongly recommend having her (not you) reach out directly to her coach about additional funding opportunities. Coaches often have discretionary funds or know about sport-specific scholarships that aren't widely advertised. They have a vested interest in keeping their recruited athletes, especially if she was heavily recruited. Don't feel bad about being unprepared - this process is confusing even for families who think they know what they're doing! The important thing is you're asking the right questions now and there are still options available. Good luck!

Hi Emma! As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say thank you for asking such thorough questions - reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational for those of us who are also new to the FAFSA process! One small thing I wanted to add that I learned from my older sister's experience: make sure to save confirmation numbers and take screenshots at each step of the FAFSA submission process. She had a technical glitch during her submission one year and having those confirmation numbers saved her a lot of headaches when she had to prove what information was submitted. Also, I've heard that some families find it helpful to complete both applications during the same sitting (or at least the same weekend) while all the parent information is fresh in your mind - that way you're less likely to accidentally enter different numbers on the two forms. It sounds like you're being wonderfully proactive by starting to learn about this process now. Best of luck to you and your twins!

Hi Emma! Welcome to the FAFSA world - you're definitely not alone in feeling overwhelmed! As someone who just went through this process with my own twins last year, I can tell you that all the advice here is spot-on. One thing I'd add that really saved me time: before you start the actual applications in October, sit down with both of your twins and have them gather their own documents (Social Security cards, driver's licenses, any tax documents if they filed). Even though you'll be providing most of the financial information as the parent, having them involved in the process helps them understand what's happening and makes them feel more ownership over their financial aid. Also, don't be surprised if the schools send you slightly different financial aid award letters with varying formats - it can be confusing to compare offers between institutions. There are some great online calculators that can help you compare the true cost after aid. You're asking all the right questions and starting at the perfect time. The fact that you're being so thoughtful about this process now means you'll be well-prepared when October rolls around!

This thread has been super helpful! I'm dealing with the same situation for my daughter's junior year FAFSA. The new streamlined process is definitely confusing at first, but it sounds like it's working as intended. For anyone still worried about this - I found that the Department of Education has a pretty good FAQ page about the FAFSA Simplification changes that explains the direct data exchange process. It's buried in their website but worth finding if you want more official confirmation about why the process feels so different this year.

I'm going through this exact same process right now for my son's sophomore year and had the same panic! After reading through all these responses, I feel so much better. The direct IRS data exchange thing makes total sense once you understand what's happening, but man do they need to communicate this better upfront. I was convinced I'd somehow skipped half the application. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is such a lifesaver during FAFSA season!

This thread has been so educational! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my daughter and I both lost our jobs due to company layoffs in January, and I'm about to file SAI appeals for my twin sons who are seniors. Reading about the different ways schools can calculate income adjustments (30% reduction vs. complete removal) is incredibly helpful. I had no idea there could be such variation in how schools handle identical circumstances. I'm definitely going to ask each school specifically how they plan to calculate the adjustment and push back if one seems unreasonably conservative compared to our actual financial reality. Thank you Miles for sharing your experience and everyone else for the practical advice - this gives me hope that persistence will pay off!

This entire conversation has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm a parent of a high school junior, so I'm just starting to learn about the financial aid process. The fact that two schools can look at identical documentation and come to completely different conclusions about aid eligibility is honestly shocking to me. Miles, your experience really highlights how important it is to advocate for yourself and not just accept the first answer you get. The difference between a 30% income reduction versus complete removal for a job loss is huge - and it makes perfect sense that would lead to different Pell Grant amounts. I'm definitely going to bookmark this thread and come back to it when we start our FAFSA journey next year. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - especially the tip about asking schools to explain their specific calculation methodology. It's clear that persistence and asking the right questions can make thousands of dollars difference in aid packages!