I'm so glad you were able to get the process started! Just wanted to add one more tip that really helped me when I went through a similar Professional Judgment review - make sure to write a detailed cover letter explaining your situation in your own words along with all the forms and documentation. The financial aid officers are human beings, and sometimes a personal explanation of how your circumstances have changed can really help them understand the full picture beyond just the numbers on paper. You've got this! Rooting for you and your son.

I'm so sorry for your loss and what you're going through right now. This situation is unfortunately more common than it should be, and the system really doesn't handle these life changes well automatically. Just wanted to add a few things that might help as you go through the Professional Judgment process: 1. Ask the financial aid office about their typical timeline - some schools can process these in 2-3 weeks while others take much longer, especially during busy seasons. 2. If your son is applying to multiple schools, you'll need to do this process separately with each one. The good news is that once you have all your documentation organized for the first school, you can use the same paperwork for the others. 3. Don't be discouraged if they ask for additional documentation after your initial submission - this is normal and doesn't mean your request will be denied. 4. Keep detailed records of every conversation, email, and submission. Get names and reference numbers when possible. The stress of dealing with financial aid on top of grieving is incredibly difficult, but you're doing everything right by advocating for your son. Hang in there!

Just want to add - APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS EVEN AFTER YOU GRADUATE!! I found three different "teacher shortage" grants in my state that give $2000-$4000 per year for working in high-need schools. That money goes directly to paying down your loan principal. Also check if your district offers any loan repayment assistance - mine gives $1200/year as a retention bonus specifically for loan payments. Every bit helps!

Hey Yara! As someone who just went through this exact same situation last year, I totally understand the panic. Here's what I learned that might help: First, breathe! You're asking the right questions. With $67k in loans and a $46k starting salary, an income-driven plan is definitely your best bet initially. I started with REPAYE and my payments were around $320/month, which was much more manageable than the $800+ standard payment. For your situation, I'd actually recommend going straight for PSLF rather than Teacher Loan Forgiveness. Here's why: TLF only forgives up to $17,500 after 5 years, but PSLF forgives your ENTIRE remaining balance after 10 years of qualifying payments. With your loan amount, you'll likely save way more money with PSLF. The key things that helped me get started: - Applied for REPAYE immediately (lower payments than IBR in most cases) - Made sure my school qualified for PSLF before accepting the job - Submitted my first Employment Certification Form within 30 days of starting - Set up autopay for the small interest rate reduction Don't let the horror stories scare you - the recent PSLF improvements have made the program much more reliable. Just stay organized and follow the rules exactly. You've got this!

Great news! Just so you're prepared for when your SAI does show up, remember that the number might look different than you expect. The SAI can range from -1500 to 999999. Lower numbers (especially negative ones) indicate higher financial need. Don't be alarmed if you see a negative number - that's actually potentially good for your aid eligibility. The SAI replaced the old EFC calculation and uses a slightly different formula.

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! Submitted my FAFSA on March 5th and still no SAI showing up anywhere. I've been checking my studentaid.gov account daily and there's literally nothing in the My Documents section except the initial confirmation. My school's financial aid office told me they're seeing this with tons of students this year - apparently the new FAFSA system is causing major delays. They actually suggested I bring them my FAFSA confirmation email and they'll note in my file that I'm waiting on federal processing. Might be worth asking your school if they'll do the same while you wait for your SAR to finally appear!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My FAFSA shows processed with an SAI, but my school's financial aid office says they haven't received it yet. The constant emails about "missing information" are so frustrating when everything appears to be complete on my end. I'm a first-generation college student so this whole process is already overwhelming, and these technical issues are making it so much worse. Reading through all these responses is actually really reassuring - at least I know it's not just me! I'm going to try emailing my school's financial aid office with screenshots of my processed application like everyone suggested. Has anyone had success with that approach yet? Really hoping they can pull it manually from their end because I'm worried about missing deadlines too.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same issue - FAFSA shows processed with an SAI but my son's college hasn't received it, plus those never-ending emails about "missing" info. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to: 1. Take screenshots of the processed application with SAI 2. Email them directly to the financial aid office 3. Call them tomorrow to see if they can manually pull the data It's actually really comforting to know this is a widespread system issue and not something I did wrong. The "Better FAFSA" definitely feels more like the "Buggy FAFSA" this year! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this community is a lifesaver during such a stressful process.

Just wanted to add from our experience - we went through something very similar last year. We ended up doing a smaller cash-out refinance ($25K) and made sure to spend it all on documented home improvements before filing FAFSA. Keep ALL your receipts and contractor invoices! Our financial aid officer at my son's college said having that paper trail was really helpful when we explained the situation during our aid review. Also, don't forget that you'll be filing FAFSA again each year your daughter is in college, so you might want to plan the timing of any major financial moves around those annual filing dates too.

As someone who just went through this exact scenario with my daughter who's now a sophomore, I can tell you timing is everything! We did our cash-out refi ($35K for a new roof and HVAC) in January 2023, spent it all by March, and filed FAFSA in April. Her aid package was actually better than expected. The key things that helped us: 1) We kept meticulous records of every expense, 2) We communicated proactively with the financial aid offices at her schools about the situation, and 3) We made sure every penny was spent on legitimate home improvements before filing. Most schools were very understanding when we explained it was for necessary repairs, not luxury upgrades. Don't let the fear of affecting aid stop you from doing necessary home maintenance - just be strategic about timing and documentation!