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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Wow, reading through all these experiences is both eye-opening and terrifying! I'm new to this whole process (first year college student) and my mom just submitted her Parent Plus application 3 days ago. Based on what everyone is sharing here, it sounds like I should mentally prepare for at least a 3-4 week wait minimum. The lack of transparency from FSA is really concerning - you'd think they'd at least send periodic status updates or give realistic timeline estimates on their website. I'm definitely going to proactively call my financial aid office next week to ask about emergency payment options before we get closer to any deadlines. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and advice - this thread is way more informative than anything I've found on the official government websites!
Welcome to the Parent Plus loan waiting game! You're smart to be preparing mentally for the long haul based on everyone's experiences here. Three days in, you've got time to be proactive which is great. Definitely call your financial aid office early - I wish I had done that from the beginning instead of waiting until I was panicking about deadlines. Also make sure your mom checks that all her info matches exactly across her FSA ID, credit reports, and the application itself - some people mentioned name discrepancies causing extra delays. Keep us posted on how it goes!
I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My mom's Parent Plus loan application has been stuck at "processing" for 26 days now with absolutely zero communication from FSA. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and infuriating - reassuring because clearly this isn't just us, but infuriating because the system is so broken! I had no idea the processing delays were this widespread this year. My payment deadline is coming up fast and I'm definitely going to call my financial aid office tomorrow to ask about emergency payment deferrals based on everyone's advice here. It's honestly unacceptable that they can't give us any realistic timelines or status updates beyond "processing." This thread has been more helpful than hours of searching the FSA website - thanks for posting this Dylan!
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As a follow-up on your options: with an SAI of 8700, you're probably right that you won't qualify for Pell Grants in the 2024-2025 award year. However, I'd recommend these steps: 1. Schedule a budget counseling session with your financial aid office 2. Ask specifically about supplemental loans (like the PLUS loan for graduate students if applicable) 3. Check whether your school offers any income-share agreements as alternatives to private loans 4. Look into any department-specific scholarships in your major 5. Consider whether adding a part-time campus job could help bridge the gap Many schools have resources they don't widely advertise, so being persistent with your financial aid office can sometimes uncover additional options.
Thank you so much for this detailed advice. I've got a much better plan now. I'm going to try that Claimyr service to reach FAFSA first to confirm my federal options, then schedule a budget counseling session with my school's financial aid office to discuss these other possibilities. Really appreciate everyone's help!
Hey Sean! I just went through something similar last year. One thing that really helped me was applying for departmental scholarships - a lot of departments have small $500-2000 scholarships that don't get many applicants because people don't know about them. Also, check if your school has a food pantry or textbook lending program to cut down on other expenses. Every little bit helps when you're trying to stretch that loan money! And definitely don't overlook work-study if it's available - those jobs are usually pretty flexible around your class schedule.
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UPDATE: Success! I used Claimyr to get through to a FAFSA agent this morning and they were super helpful. Turns out my stepdad's SSN was entered with a transposed digit in the original FSA ID creation. The agent helped us correct it and verify his identity on the spot! No paper form needed after all. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
That's great news! Glad you got it resolved before your deadline. Sometimes one small typo can cause so much trouble in the system.
Awesome! So glad you got through to someone who could help. Those transposed digits are such a common problem!
Congratulations on getting it resolved! This is such a helpful thread for anyone dealing with FSA ID verification issues. It's amazing how something as simple as a transposed digit can cause so much stress and delay. Your experience shows that sometimes persistence with getting through to a human agent is the key - they have tools and access that can fix these issues immediately rather than going through lengthy paper processes. Thanks for updating us with the solution, it will definitely help other students and families who run into similar problems!
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i got an error when i tried to do mine and had to call the fafsa ppl. waited TWO HOURS and then got disconnected!!! had to start over the next day. SUCH a pain
If you ever need to reach Federal Student Aid by phone again, you might want to try using Claimyr. It holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me hours of wait time when I had issues with my daughter's verification process. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ
Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this process recently! The 90-day window is accurate, but I'd recommend completing your portion within a week or two of returning from your trip if possible. While the technical deadline is generous, some schools process aid applications in batches, and you don't want to miss an early processing cycle that could affect your son's aid package. Also, since you're traveling for work, you might want to download the myStudentAid app before you leave. Even if you don't plan to complete the form on your phone, having the app can be helpful for checking the status of your invitation or accessing your FSA ID info if needed. Safe travels!
Dylan Campbell
As someone who just went through this decision process last year, I'd strongly recommend completing the FAFSA annually even if you're paying out of pocket. Here's why: my family was in almost the exact same situation - didn't qualify for need-based aid, using 529 funds, thought we could skip it sophomore year. Then my husband's company went through layoffs mid-year, and suddenly we needed to explore loan options. Having a current FAFSA on file made that process so much smoother when we were already stressed about the job situation. Plus, I discovered our state has some merit-based programs that require FAFSA completion regardless of income level. The 20-30 minutes it takes now feels like cheap insurance against unexpected changes in circumstances. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!
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Evelyn Rivera
•That's such a good real-world example of why having it as backup makes sense! I never thought about how job changes or other unexpected situations could suddenly make financial aid relevant. Your point about state merit programs is interesting too - I should probably check if our state has anything like that. It sounds like the consensus here is pretty clear: just do it annually for peace of mind. Thanks for sharing your experience with the layoffs - that really puts it in perspective!
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Zoe Papanikolaou
As a newcomer to this community, I really appreciate all the detailed responses here! I'm actually facing this exact same decision with my daughter who's finishing her freshman year. After reading through everyone's experiences, it seems like the smart move is to just complete the FAFSA annually as a safety net. The examples about unexpected job changes, family circumstances shifting, and schools using FAFSA data for various programs beyond federal aid have been really eye-opening. I had no idea about things like work-study requiring it, or that some merit scholarships have FAFSA requirements for renewal. The point about graduate school planning is also something I hadn't considered. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences - this has been incredibly helpful in making our decision!
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