One other thing to check - make sure you're using the correct parent role classification. If you indicated you're the "Parent 1" and your husband is "Parent 2," the system expects specific role relationships. Try switching the parent roles if nothing else works. Also, verify you selected the correct marital status at the beginning of the parent section (married, remarried, separated, etc.) as this affects how the system processes spouse information.

I went through this exact same nightmare last month! Here's what finally worked for me after trying everything mentioned here: 1. Log out completely and clear ALL browser data (not just cache) 2. Use an incognito/private browser window 3. Make sure you're entering the spouse info in the EXACT order the form expects - I was jumping around fields which seemed to confuse the system 4. If his name has ANY special characters (apostrophes, hyphens, spaces), try entering it without them first just to get past the error, then contact support to fix it later The apostrophe issue @Hugo mentioned is REAL - my husband's name is O'Connor and removing the apostrophe was the only way to get it to accept. The financial aid office fixed it later with no problems. Also, try doing it during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening) when fewer people are using the system. Good luck!

As a financial aid officer, I want to echo what others have said - this Common App mistake absolutely will not impact her FAFSA or financial aid eligibility. The FAFSA uses income data, family size, and assets to calculate her Student Aid Index (SAI), not test scores. For the SAT issue itself, definitely have her send that clarification email to each school's admissions office. Most schools have robust systems to track these kinds of corrections, and admissions officers are used to handling application updates. Just make sure she includes her full name, date of birth, and Common App ID in the email so they can easily locate her file. One practical tip: if any school has an online portal where she can check her application status, she should monitor those after sending the emails to see if they update her file to show "test optional" status.

I'm new to this whole college application process and reading through this thread has been so educational! My younger sibling will be applying next year and I had no idea that FAFSA and Common App were completely separate systems. This gives me confidence that even if we make similar mistakes, it won't ruin everything. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps those of us who are still figuring all this out!

I'm a new parent going through this FAFSA process for the first time and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! My daughter just submitted her application yesterday and we're already seeing the "Cannot Calculate SAI" message. Reading everyone's experiences here makes me feel so much better about waiting it out rather than immediately assuming we did something wrong. Quick question though - should we be doing anything proactive while we wait, like checking with her college's financial aid office to let them know about the delay? Or is it better to just wait until the SAI comes through before contacting anyone?

Going through the exact same thing right now with my twin daughters! Both submitted their FAFSAs last week and we're seeing "Cannot Calculate SAI" on both applications despite everything looking complete. It's such a relief to read this thread and know we're not alone. The new FAFSA system seems to have so many processing hiccups this year. One thing I wanted to add for other parents - I found it helpful to screenshot the "Submitted" status page as proof of on-time submission, just in case any of their colleges need documentation about the delay. Also keeping a simple log of when we submitted vs when (hopefully!) the SAI gets calculated so we have a timeline if we need to call for help. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines - it's making this waiting period much more manageable!

@profile6 The financial aid counselor I spoke with mentioned asking specifically about their "sibling discount policy" or "multiple student adjustment." She also suggested requesting a "professional judgment review" once we have all the offers, explaining the triple college expense. Apparently some schools have discretionary funds they can use in unique situations like ours. And thanks! We're proud of our triplets but terrified of the cost!

As someone who just went through this process with my own complex household situation, I wanted to add that it's worth double-checking the specific wording on the FAFSA form itself. The question asks about people who "will receive more than half their support from you" between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. So you're looking at future support, not just current. Also, keep in mind that "support" includes housing costs - if your mom lives with you rent-free, that counts toward the support calculation even if she pays for some of her own expenses. With triplets, every point matters on that SAI calculation, so make sure you're capturing everyone who legitimately counts!

UPDATE: We figured it out! It was exactly what several of you mentioned - I entered her name as "Katie" on the FAFSA but her FSA ID has "Katherine." Once she updated her FSA ID to match, the application showed up in her account and she was able to sign it. We got the confirmation email that the FAFSA is now complete! Thank you all for your help - this forum saved us so much stress!

This is such a common issue! I'm glad you got it sorted out. For anyone else reading this thread who might run into similar problems, here's a quick checklist that might help: 1. Make sure ALL names match exactly between FSA ID and FAFSA (including middle names, nicknames vs full names, etc.) 2. Double-check SSN entry - even one wrong digit will cause linking issues 3. If the student doesn't see the signature page, try logging out completely and back in 4. Look in "Incomplete Tasks" or "To Do" sections, not just the main FAFSA dashboard 5. Give it 24-48 hours sometimes - the system can be slow to sync between parent and student accounts The new FAFSA definitely has a learning curve, but once you know these tricks it gets easier. Good luck to everyone still working through their applications!