I really appreciate all these insights. Just to summarize what I'm hearing: 1. Text message reminders seem universally popular 2. Clear, jargon-free checklists with explicit deadlines 3. Short, focused videos explaining specific aspects of the process 4. Better website organization with financial aid info easy to find 5. Direct parent communication options (separate from student communication) 6. One-on-one support options for parents who need personalized help 7. Transparent breakdown of costs and aid types This is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for. I'm going to bring these suggestions to our next department meeting. Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences!

As a parent who's been through this process twice now, I can't emphasize enough how much the TIMING of communication matters. My biggest frustration was getting critical information AFTER I'd already made mistakes. For example, I didn't know about state grant deadlines being different from federal FAFSA deadlines until it was too late for my oldest. Cost us $3,000 in state aid. Then with my second kid, I found out about CSS Profile schools having their own priority dates only because another parent mentioned it at a school event. What would help me most: Send parents a CALENDAR at the beginning of senior year with every single deadline that applies to their specific situation. Not generic dates, but personalized based on the schools their kid is applying to. And please, PLEASE follow up with reminders at least 2 weeks before each deadline. Also - stop assuming parents know what acronyms mean. When you say "complete your SAI verification," I have no idea what you're talking about. Just spell it out: "Complete your Student Aid Index verification." One more thing - can schools please coordinate better? Having 5 different schools ask for the same tax documents through 5 different portals is exhausting.

Definitely apply to some private schools! I was in a similar boat last year with an SAI around 32,000. I almost didn't apply to any private colleges because of the sticker shock, but ended up getting way better aid packages from them than the state schools. One private college offered me $22,000 in institutional grants, bringing my net cost below what the in-state public would have been. Private schools often have larger endowments and more flexibility with aid - they look at your whole situation, not just the SAI number. The worst they can say is no, but you might be pleasantly surprised!

I'm in a really similar situation! My SAI came back at 31,200 and I was totally freaking out because my parents make about $95k but we also have high medical costs from my mom's chronic illness. Reading all these comments is giving me hope though - especially hearing that private schools might actually be more generous than I thought. I've been so focused on just looking at community college and state schools because I assumed anything else would be impossible financially. Has anyone here had success with appealing based on ongoing medical expenses? I'm wondering if it's worth the effort or if they rarely approve those appeals.

UPDATE: I finally got it working! For anyone else having this issue, here's what worked for me: 1. Waited until 11pm when fewer people were on the site 2. Started a completely fresh application (didn't use any saved info) 3. Used Firefox in private browsing mode with no extensions The system let me complete everything without freezing. Now I'm just worried my SAI calculation will be affected because I couldn't transfer my tax information directly from the IRS...hopefully not!

I'm having the exact same issue! Been trying since this morning and it's so frustrating. I'm glad to see Sarah got it working with the late-night/fresh application approach. I'm going to try that tonight. Has anyone else noticed if certain sections of the FAFSA are more prone to freezing than others? I'm wondering if there's a pattern to when these technical issues occur during the application process.

Based on this discussion, it sounds like you should take three actions: 1. Submit a FAFSA correction to remove the retirement accounts as assets (only report contributions made during the tax year as untaxed income) 2. Contact your school's financial aid office to discuss your specific situation and see what institutional aid might be available 3. Ask about their Professional Judgment process if you have special circumstances not reflected on your FAFSA Your SAI of 19725 isn't unusually high for a family income of $72,000, but the retirement account issue could be artificially inflating it. After correction, you might see a meaningful reduction.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I work at a state university's financial aid office and see this situation a lot. With your family income of $72K and an SAI of 19,725, you're right in that middle-class squeeze zone. However, don't lose hope! Many students in your situation still receive meaningful aid packages. Besides the federal aid others mentioned, check if your state has need-based grants (many do for families under $80K), and State University likely has institutional scholarships you can apply for separately. Also, once you submit that FAFSA correction removing the retirement accounts, your SAI should drop significantly - I've seen similar corrections reduce SAI by 8,000-12,000 points, which would put you much closer to Pell Grant eligibility. Keep us updated on how the correction goes!

To directly answer your original question: 29515 is your Student Aid Index (SAI), which is a number that determines your eligibility for different types of federal, state, and institutional aid. It's neither inherently "good" nor "bad" - it's just a measure of your family's calculated ability to pay for college. The impact depends entirely on the cost of the schools you're applying to. If you're applying to schools with a total cost around $30k or less, you'll likely get minimal need-based aid. If you're applying to more expensive schools, you'll likely get some form of need-based aid to cover the difference.

Don't stress too much about the SAI number itself - what really matters is how each school uses it in their aid calculations. I had a similar SAI (around 28k) and ended up with very different aid packages from different schools. Some gave me nothing beyond loans, while others offered decent institutional grants that brought my costs down significantly. Also, make sure you're applying for scholarships outside of need-based aid! Merit scholarships don't care about your SAI at all. And if you haven't already, check if your state has any grant programs - some have income cutoffs that might work in your favor even with your current SAI.