@profile7 Yes, COVID-related income impacts are still being considered by many institutions through professional judgment reviews. The key is documenting the impact clearly: 1. Provide tax returns or profit/loss statements showing the decline 2. Include information about the recovery (current pay stubs, updated profit/loss) 3. Explain specifically how COVID affected the business 4. Note any COVID relief funds received Most schools have specific COVID impact forms or sections in their appeal process. While the acute phase of the pandemic has passed, the ongoing economic impacts are still valid grounds for appeal at many institutions.

@profile5 We were actually considering a gap year too because of all this chaos! But after talking with several admissions counselors, we decided that might create even more problems. Transfer students often receive less institutional aid than first-year students, and gap years can sometimes affect scholarship eligibility. Instead, we're planning to commit to the school that seems most flexible with their financial aid process, even if it's not our daughter's absolute first choice. The admissions counselor we spoke with yesterday said they're creating a special mid-year review for families affected by the FAFSA delays, where they'll reevaluate aid packages in January once everything has stabilized.

When I did this for my twins (2024-2025 cycle), I found it MUCH easier to complete one application fully before starting the second. The system does technically allow you to work on multiple applications, but I got confused switching between them. Create your FSA ID now, then when you receive the first invitation, complete that application entirely. Then move on to the second twin's application. Outside scholarships are reported on each student's individual portion, not the parent contribution section.

forgot to mention - make sure u use EXACTLY the same spelling of ur name, address, etc on both applications!! my friend's twins got flagged for verification because she put "Street" on one form and "St" on the other and it took months to resolve!!

This new 2024-2025 FAFSA system is GARBAGE. I work in a college financial aid office and we're seeing hundreds of these issues. The auto-submit feature is causing massive problems. Here's what you need to know: 1. Yes, the system auto-submits after 48 hours of inactivity 2. Yes, this WILL likely cause problems with your daughter's application 3. Yes, it will probably get flagged for verification 4. NO, submitting another correction right now isn't recommended You NEED to speak with an FSA agent directly. They can add a note to your daughter's application explaining the auto-submission issue and guide you on next steps. Without both parents' signatures (assuming you're both required contributors), the SAI calculation will be incorrect, which affects all aid determinations.

UPDATE: I finally got through to an FSA agent! They confirmed that the system does auto-submit after 48 hours, but said the good news is that they can see my information was included in the correction, even though my signature wasn't. They're adding a note to our application and sending instructions for me to provide my signature through a special process. The agent said this happens frequently and schools are aware of the issue. Thanks everyone for your help!

Update on timelines from what I'm hearing across several schools where I work with students: Applications processed in early March are starting to have SAIs appear this week. The Department of Education seems to be working through a backlog in roughly chronological order. For the original poster - since yours was processed on 3/22, I'd expect you'll see an SAI within the next 7-10 days based on current patterns. If schools need financial information before then for scholarship consideration, you can request an extension based on FAFSA delays - most institutions are being flexible this year given the widespread issues.

btw did u check the actual student aid report pdf not just the dashboard? sometimes the SAI is in there even when it doesn't show on the main screen. click on "view student aid report" under the processed application

Update: I finally got my dad to create his FSA ID and complete his section. It took about 20 minutes total. The system accepted his submission and now shows our FAFSA as "Processing" instead of "Action Required." Thank you all for the help and clarification! I had no idea the new system required both parents regardless of filing status. Hopefully this thread helps others in the same situation.

Your SAI will automatically be sent to all the schools you listed on your FAFSA. Each school will then use that information to create your financial aid package based on their own funding formulas and available resources. Some schools might request additional information or have their own supplemental forms (like the CSS Profile for private colleges). Keep an eye on your student portal for each school and your email for any follow-up requests. Glad you got this resolved! This year's FAFSA changes have confused nearly everyone.