UPDATE: We solved it! Thank you all for your help. It turned out to be exactly what @financial_aid_advisor suggested - we were both using the same email address for our FSA IDs. My husband updated his FSA ID with his work email, we waited 24 hours, then my daughter removed us both and added us again with our separate emails. His contributor link worked perfectly after that! Such a simple fix but nowhere in the FAFSA help documents. Now we're finally able to complete her application before the priority deadline!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. The same email address issue seems so obvious in hindsight but I never would have thought of it. It's frustrating that the FAFSA system doesn't give clearer error messages when this happens - a blank page tells you nothing! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions, especially @Naila Gordon for the insider knowledge. Stories like this really show how valuable this community is for navigating these confusing processes.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Applied for Parent PLUS loan last week and still showing "processing" - it's so nerve-wracking not knowing what's happening. My son's SAI also came back much higher than we expected ($11,800) and we're scrambling to figure out the gap funding. From what I've been reading here, it sounds like 5-7 business days is pretty normal for approval, so hopefully we'll both hear something soon. The credit requirements seem less scary than I initially thought based on what others have shared. Fingers crossed for both of us! This whole financial aid process is way more stressful than anyone warned me about.

Just wanted to share my recent experience to hopefully ease some anxiety! I submitted my Parent PLUS application for my daughter's junior year about 2 weeks ago and got approved in 6 business days. Like you, I had some concerns about credit issues - I had a couple 30-day late payments on a credit card from early 2023 when I was going through a job transition. The "processing" status really doesn't give you any useful information, which is so frustrating! Mine showed processing right up until the day it switched to approved. I found that logging into the FSA website early in the morning (around 6-7 AM) seemed to show updates faster than checking during peak hours. Your SAI being higher than expected is unfortunately becoming the norm with the new FAFSA formula. We're dealing with similar sticker shock. The good news is that based on what others have shared here about the credit requirements, your 2023 late payments probably won't be an issue if they weren't 90+ days delinquent. Hang in there - the waiting is definitely the hardest part of this whole process!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and reading through this thread has been both helpful and terrifying! My son will be starting college next year and I'm realizing I have no idea how any of this works. Can someone explain what SAI actually stands for and how it's different from the old EFC? I keep seeing people mention these numbers but I don't understand how they're calculated or what makes a "good" vs "bad" SAI. Also, is there a resource that explains all these different types of aid (Pell, PHEAA, institutional grants, etc.) in simple terms? I feel like I'm already behind and my son hasn't even submitted his FAFSA yet!

Don't give up hope yet! I went through something very similar with my daughter last year. Her SAI was 6,950 and we initially got the same response from our state school. However, after filing a Professional Judgment appeal due to my husband's reduced work hours (he's in construction and winter was brutal), they recalculated her SAI to 5,200 and she ended up qualifying for about $2,800 in Pell Grant plus some state aid. The key is having solid documentation - pay stubs showing the income change, any unemployment documentation if applicable, and a clear letter explaining how your circumstances changed after the tax year used for FAFSA. Also, don't just rely on the school's financial aid office - call PHEAA directly at 1-800-692-7392. Sometimes the school's information isn't current or they miss things. One more tip: if Penn State doesn't work out financially even after appeals, consider having your daughter start at a community college for prerequisites and then transfer. Many vet programs accept community college credits and it can save thousands while you work on improving your aid situation for her junior/senior years.

UPDATE: I followed the advice about logging out and back in, and found the reset option! I was able to change our filing status to separate and upload both returns. Thanks everyone for your help! For anyone with the same problem, the reset option is at the very bottom of the page in tiny gray text. Easy to miss!

So glad to see you got this resolved! This is actually a really helpful thread for anyone dealing with FAFSA tax filing status issues. The new system definitely has some quirks that aren't immediately obvious. For future reference, I'd also recommend checking your Student Aid Report (SAR) carefully once it's generated to make sure all the tax information transferred correctly after making changes like this. Sometimes the system can carry over old data even after a reset. Hope your daughter's financial aid package works out well!

I'm in a similar situation with my SAI being around 28,000 and it's been really stressful figuring out how to afford college. One thing that helped me was looking into in-state tuition benefits if you're planning to attend a state school - the cost difference between in-state and out-of-state can be huge (sometimes $15k+ per year difference). Also, some community colleges have guaranteed transfer agreements with 4-year universities, so you could potentially do your first two years at a much lower cost and then transfer. I know it's not ideal, but it could cut your total college costs significantly while you're dealing with a high SAI. The whole system really does feel unfair to families in our income bracket, but there are still some ways to make it work if you plan strategically.

Yes, most guaranteed transfer agreements do require maintaining a minimum GPA, typically around 2.5-3.0, though some competitive programs might require higher. The specific requirements vary by state and school, but here's what to look for: 1. Minimum GPA requirements (usually 2.5-3.0 overall) 2. Completion of specific prerequisite courses 3. Minimum credit hours (often 60+ credits) 4. Sometimes requirements for certain grades in key courses (like C or better in math/English) The good news is these requirements are usually very achievable if you stay focused. I'd recommend contacting both the community college and your target 4-year university to get the exact transfer agreement details in writing. Many states also have online databases that show which courses transfer - like ASSIST in California or equivalency guides in other states. The "college experience" concern is totally valid, but remember you'll still get two full years at the 4-year school, and you can get involved in clubs/activities at the community college too. Plus, graduating with significantly less debt might give you more freedom after college to pursue internships, grad school, or other opportunities without being weighed down by loan payments.