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wait did u include the condo as an asset?? i think theres a way to exclude your primary home from FAFSA calculations!
Actually, that's a common misconception. The primary home IS excluded from FAFSA calculations. The OP's issue is likely related to their combined income and possibly retirement/investment accounts, not their primary residence. This is one of those areas where speaking directly with a FSA representative can help clarify what specific factors influenced their SAI.
UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the advice! We had a productive meeting with the financial aid office today. Turns out there were a few issues: 1. We incorrectly reported my 401k as an investment rather than a retirement account 2. We didn't document that we're both still paying off our own student loans 3. My wife qualifies for a teaching grant program for her specific field (special education) We're submitting a professional judgment review with the correct information and documentation of our current student loan payments. The aid counselor thinks this should significantly lower our SAI. Plus the teaching grant doesn't depend on FAFSA numbers anyway. Really appreciate all the help from everyone here. The system is definitely complicated when you're in that middle-income zone!
I just dont understand why they didnt EMAIL US about this!!! How are we supposed to know whats going on if they dont tell us??? The whole system is broken and they expect us to just figure it out!
The Department of Education actually did send out a press release about this, but they're relying on schools to communicate with individual families. It's definitely a communication failure on their part. Always check studentaid.gov for updates rather than waiting for emails - they often post system-wide notices there first.
Just to follow up on my earlier comment - I checked with some colleagues today, and based on what we're seeing, these automatic corrections are taking about 3-5 days to process (not the 2-3 days the system claims). After that, schools typically need 5-7 business days to reprocess aid packages. Most schools are being very understanding about deposit deadlines right now. Don't panic if you don't have all the aid information by the standard May 1 deadline - just be proactive in communicating with the schools.
My son had the same issue last week but it randomly fixed itself after a few days without us doing anything. Maybe just a glitch in the matrix lol
One more thing to check - make sure your FSA ID wasn't created too recently. There's a 1-3 day processing period before a new FSA ID becomes fully functional with all the systems. If you created or updated your FSA ID within the last few days, that could be contributing to the problem.
Just a quick update based on what I'm seeing at my institution - many schools are now implementing "FAFSA delay forgiveness policies" for fall 2025 because this has been such a widespread issue. If your son's school hasn't announced anything like this yet, it might be worth specifically asking if they have any accommodations for students impacted by the federal FAFSA delays. Some schools are setting aside seats in high-demand courses specifically for these students.
After reading through all the comments, I think your best approach is a two-pronged strategy: 1. Have your son email department chairs with documentation of the FAFSA timeline 2. Then have him show up in person to the classes he wants during the first week Almost every school has a drop/add period, and professors have significant discretion during this time. If he's physically present and demonstrates interest and commitment, many professors will add him even if officially "full.
Amina Bah
Congratulations! I work in college admissions and want to explain why this happened, as it might help others. When your FAFSA was flagged for verification, they likely discovered information that actually LOWERED your SAI from what was initially calculated. This happens more often than people realize. Verification isn't always bad news - sometimes it results in more aid! For anyone still waiting, remember that schools often have two waves of financial aid offers: early offers based on initial FAFSA data, and revised offers after verification is complete. The second wave can be more generous if verification improves your situation.
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AstroAlpha
•That makes SO much sense! I was wondering why her final SAI seemed lower than what I initially calculated. Thank you for explaining this - I wish the FAFSA process was more transparent about how all these pieces fit together.
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Yara Khoury
did your daughter have to do anything special on her application beside the fafsa? my son is applying this fall and i'm trying to figure out if we need to fill out CSS Profile too or just fafsa?
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AstroAlpha
•Great question! No CSS Profile for her school (state university), but she did have to complete a separate scholarship application through the university portal. Definitely check each school's financial aid website because some require CSS Profile and others have their own institutional forms. The deadlines are often different from FAFSA deadlines too!
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