I'm new here but wanted to chime in as someone who just went through the FAFSA process for the first time this year! You're absolutely right - it's once per academic year, not per semester. I was so confused initially too because the whole system seems designed to be as unclear as possible. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple checklist of what I needed before starting: 2023 tax returns, bank statements, investment records, and making sure both my FSA ID and my daughter's were working. The contributor system they added this year was a nightmare at first, but once I understood that my husband had to create his own FSA ID and complete his section separately, it went much smoother. For the 2025-2026 cycle, I'm planning to have everything organized by mid-September so I can submit the moment it opens in October. After dealing with all the delays and glitches this year, I never want to cut it close again! The peace of mind from submitting early is worth the extra prep time.

As a parent who just went through this process with my son this past year, I can absolutely confirm what everyone else is saying - FAFSA is definitely once per academic year! The confusion with your daughter's roommate's parents is totally understandable though. When I first started this journey, I was constantly second-guessing myself because there's so much conflicting information out there. One thing that really helped me was bookmarking the official Federal Student Aid website (studentaid.gov) as my go-to source instead of relying on random websites that often have outdated information. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they should announce the exact opening date closer to fall, but historically it's been October 1st. Since your daughter's financial aid advisor is out, I'd definitely recommend calling the financial aid office directly. Most schools have multiple counselors who can help with general timeline questions, and they'll know the specific priority deadlines for your daughter's school. Don't feel bad about asking "basic" questions - this stuff is genuinely confusing and they're there to help! Better to ask now than miss something important later.

Update: I spoke with someone at Federal Student Aid (finally!) and they confirmed it was due to the FAFSA Simplification Act changes that happened between when I submitted the two applications. The November application was processed under transitional rules that still gave some benefit for multiple students in college, while the January application used the new formula that eliminated this benefit. They advised me to file a correction on both applications and then contact each school's financial aid office for a professional judgment review. The aid officer said many families are in this situation this year due to the transition. Thanks everyone for your help!

Thanks for sharing your experience and the update! This is such valuable information for other families going through the same thing. I'm dealing with a similar situation where my two kids got different aid packages despite identical family circumstances. It's incredibly frustrating that the Department of Education didn't communicate these transition issues more clearly to families. We're basically finding out about these formula changes after the fact when our aid packages don't make sense. I'm definitely going to follow your advice and file corrections for both applications, then request professional judgment reviews. Did the schools' financial aid offices seem familiar with this issue when you contacted them?

As someone who just went through this process with my son at Penn State Beaver, I can confirm everything everyone is saying here! The confusion is totally normal - I was panicking about the same thing last fall. Just select University Park on all your federal aid applications and don't second-guess it. The Penn State financial aid system is actually pretty efficient once you understand how it works. Your daughter's aid will show up correctly on her Altoona campus bill. The only thing I'd add is to take screenshots of all your FAFSA submissions just in case you need to reference them later. Good luck and congratulations to your daughter!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and seeing all these responses is so helpful! My daughter just got accepted to Penn State Mont Alto and I was having the exact same confusion about the campus selection. It's such a relief to know that selecting University Park is the correct thing to do even when your student will be at a commonwealth campus. I was worried I was doing something wrong! Quick question though - when we eventually need to apply for loans for future years, do we continue to always select University Park, or does that change if she transfers to the main campus through the 2+2 program?

One final piece of advice: since the 2025-26 FAFSA will be evaluating your 2023 tax year information, start gathering documentation now for any significant financial changes that have occurred since 2023. If your income has decreased or you've had major expenses arise, you'll want to prepare for potential professional judgment appeals at each institution. Also, with two in college, don't overlook the CSS Profile if your students are applying to private institutions. Unlike the FAFSA, the CSS Profile still factors in multiple family members in college when determining aid eligibility at many private schools.

As a new parent to this process, I'm finding all this information incredibly helpful! I have twin juniors in high school who will both be starting college in fall 2026, so I'm trying to learn everything I can now. Quick question - when you mention that each student needs to start their own application first, do they both need to complete their entire student portion before I can do anything as a parent? Or can I start working on my contributor section for the first child while the second is still working on their application?

My daughter's situation was exactly like this last month! Her SAI changed by about $1200 after corrections and only one school adjusted their offer (and it was only by about $400). Most schools build in a little buffer for these kinds of changes. The most important thing is that you got it fixed before final aid packages go out!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact same thing with my son two weeks ago! The "corrections needed" status is definitely confusing but it's totally normal. What helped me understand it was thinking of it like a draft vs. final version - schools get the draft (which is still useful for them to start planning) while you work on the final version. The key thing is to make those corrections as soon as possible because some schools have earlier deadlines for finalizing aid packages. Also, don't panic if you see multiple correction requests over time - sometimes fixing one issue reveals another that needs attention. The system is definitely not perfect but it does work eventually!