That's fantastic news that the schools are being understanding! It really helps to hear some positive outcomes from this whole FAFSA mess. I'm a newcomer here but have been following all the FAFSA delay stories with growing anxiety about my own daughter's application. She submitted in January and we're still waiting for processing. Hearing that you got confirmation in writing from the schools gives me hope that when her FAFSA finally processes, we won't be completely shut out of aid opportunities. Thanks for sharing your experience and congrats on getting through this stressful process!

Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and going through the same stress with my son's FAFSA. Submitted in December and just got processed last week after 3+ months! It's really encouraging to see Dylan's success story and how responsive the schools have been. I was terrified we'd miss out on aid, but after reading everyone's advice here, I called his top 3 schools yesterday and they were all very understanding. One even told me they're seeing this with 80% of their applicants this year. Hang in there - it sounds like most schools are really trying to work with families affected by these delays!

I'm a college student who just went through this process myself! One thing that really helped me was understanding the difference between "qualified" and "non-qualified" education expenses. Qualified expenses are things like tuition, mandatory fees, and required books/supplies. Non-qualified would be things like room and board, parking passes, or optional equipment. If you're having trouble accessing the 1098-T through the student portal, most schools have a specific section called something like "Tax Documents" or "1098-T Forms" - it's usually separate from the regular financial aid info. You might need to look under "Student Accounts" or "Billing" rather than "Financial Aid." Also, just a heads up - some schools are slow to post these forms, so don't panic if it's not there yet in late January. They have until January 31st to get them out. And if your son received any work-study income, that gets reported separately on a W-2 from the school, not on the 1098-T. Hope this helps ease some of the stress! The whole process seems way more complicated than it actually is once you get the hang of it.

I'm a tax preparer and see this confusion every year! Here's a quick checklist to help you stay organized: 1. **Get the 1098-T first** - This is your roadmap. It shows tuition paid vs. scholarships/grants received. 2. **Simple rule for taxation**: - Loans = Never taxable - Grants/scholarships = Only taxable if they exceed qualified education expenses 3. **Who files what**: - Your son reports any taxable scholarship income on his return (even as your dependent) - You claim education credits on your return since he's your dependent 4. **Don't forget to maximize credits** - The American Opportunity Credit can give you up to $2,500 back, and part of it is refundable even if you don't owe taxes. 5. **Keep records** - Save the 1098-T, receipts for required books, and payment records. One more tip: If the school's financial aid office isn't helpful with tax questions, try the bursar's office or student accounts department instead. They usually handle the 1098-T forms and understand the tax implications better. The first year is always the most overwhelming, but once you have the 1098-T in hand, most tax software will guide you through the education sections step by step!

As someone completely new to the world of student loans, this entire discussion has been absolutely eye-opening and honestly a bit infuriating! I can't believe that financial aid offices aren't required to present all these options transparently from the start. The fact that Parent PLUS loans at 8.05% are available but families are being steered toward 14% private loans first is shocking - we're talking about potentially $50,000+ in extra interest over the life of the loan! I had no idea about credit unions offering better rates, loan aggregators like Credible and Earnest, or specialized programs like airline cadet opportunities. Reading everyone's real experiences here has taught me more practical information than any official financial aid guidance I've seen. It's scary to think how many families probably just accept whatever their school recommends without knowing to shop around or ask about federal alternatives first. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread and going into any financial aid conversations armed with specific questions about Parent PLUS eligibility, credit union options, and industry-specific programs. Thank you all for sharing your hard-learned lessons - this kind of real-world advice could literally save families from decades of unnecessary debt!

This thread has been absolutely incredible for someone like me who's just starting to understand student loans! I'm honestly shocked that there's such a massive gap between what financial aid offices tell families and what's actually available. The difference between 14% Sallie Mae loans and 8% Parent PLUS loans is absolutely staggering - we're talking about tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary interest payments! I had no clue about credit unions offering student loans, loan aggregators like Credible, or specialized programs like airline cadet opportunities. It's really eye-opening (and frankly disturbing) how much families have to research on their own to avoid being steered into the most expensive options. Reading everyone's real experiences here has been more educational than any official financial aid guidance I've encountered. I'm definitely saving this entire conversation and going into any loan discussions armed with specific questions about Parent PLUS eligibility, credit union rates, and industry partnerships. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge - this kind of practical advice from people who've actually navigated these challenges is invaluable and could save families from decades of avoidable debt!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I was literally about to call my school's financial aid office in a panic because I thought something went wrong with my application. I've been filing the FAFSA for 3 years now for my grad program and always relied on seeing that loan eligibility confirmation at the end. It's honestly pretty poor user experience design to remove information that students have come to expect and rely on, especially without any clear communication about the change. Thanks everyone for confirming this is just a display issue and not an actual eligibility problem!

Just adding my voice to confirm this is happening to everyone! I submitted my FAFSA for 2025-2026 two weeks ago and had the exact same experience - no loan eligibility amount shown on the confirmation screen, which definitely freaked me out initially. I'm a second-year PhD student and have been relying on those Direct Unsubsidized loans, so seeing nothing about loans was alarming. After reading this thread and calling my university's financial aid office, they confirmed it's just a system display change and my $20,500 annual loan eligibility is still intact. Really wish the Department of Education had communicated this change better - would have saved a lot of students unnecessary stress! For anyone still worried, definitely reach out to your school's financial aid office for peace of mind.

Don't give up hope! I went through this exact situation with my son two years ago. SAI of 8500, no Pell Grant, but he ended up with a great aid package. Here's what worked for us: 1) Applied to multiple schools (in-state publics were most generous), 2) Immediately contacted financial aid offices after getting packages to explain our SNAP/free lunch situation, 3) Most importantly - filled out every single scholarship application we could find, both through schools and external organizations. My son ended up with enough aid to cover most of his costs. The SAI is just the starting point, not the end of your story!

I'm in a similar boat with my daughter! We got an SAI of 7800 and no Pell Grant either, even though we're on SNAP and WIC. It's so confusing how these different programs don't align. Reading through all these responses is really helpful though - sounds like there's still hope for decent aid packages from individual schools. I'm definitely going to look into state grants and plan to appeal to schools with documentation of our benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this thread is a goldmine of information!