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When I was filling out FAFSA for my daughter last month, I got so frustrated with the whole process!! I spent like 4 hours on their stupid website and then they had the nerve to ask for verification too. Does anyone know if all parents get selected for verification or just some? I'm wondering if I'll have to go through this again next year.
Verification is partly random and partly based on specific answers in your application. About 30% of all FAFSA applications get selected for verification. Factors that increase your chances include having used rounded numbers on your application, being self-employed, having filed tax amendments, or having discrepancies between reported information and IRS data. Being selected once doesn't necessarily mean you'll be selected again next year.
UPDATE: I submitted my verification documents yesterday (thank you all for the advice!) and got an email this morning saying my verification was complete. Just checked my son's status and you were all right - his application is now being processed! They're calculating his SAI now. I also called his top choice school and explained the situation. They were super understanding and gave him a 2-week extension on the deposit deadline since so many students are having FAFSA delays. Thank you all so much for helping me understand how this works!!
wait my fasfa says i need to fix somthing too but i cant figure out what?? where is this SAI report thing everyone is talking about?
UPDATE: I finally figured it out! For anyone with the same problem - I logged into my son's account, clicked on his FAFSA application, then found a small link that said "View Student Aid Index Report". The PDF had a section called "Items Flagged for Review" which showed we had entered conflicting information about our mortgage interest deduction. Plus I had to sign again as the parent contributor. Thank you all for your help! Now I just hope we haven't missed any important deadlines...
That's great news! And thank you for sharing the exact steps you took - that will help others in the same situation. Regarding deadlines, most schools have rolling financial aid deadlines for FAFSA corrections, so you should be fine. Just make sure you submit the corrections ASAP and maybe send a quick email to your son's school's financial aid office letting them know you've fixed the issues.
One more important point: If you're going to appeal, do it IMMEDIATELY while requesting an extension on the enrollment deadline. Most schools will grant a short extension when there's a pending financial aid appeal. Be very clear with Bentley that you want to commit but cannot do so until the financial situation is resolved. Also, be prepared with a specific amount you CAN afford. Don't just say "we need more aid" - say something like "We can manage $25,000 per year through a combination of our savings and reasonable loans. Is there any way to bridge the gap between that and the current cost?
wait what about merit scholarships??? if ur son has 4.0 and AP classes he should qualify for TONS of merit money that has nothing to do with FAFSA! did he apply for those??
He did receive a $15k merit scholarship from Bentley, but that still leaves a huge gap. We applied for many outside scholarships too but haven't heard back from most of them yet. Do you know of any good scholarships that might still be accepting applications?
Check FastWeb and Scholarship.com for late-deadline scholarships. Also, local organizations often have scholarships with later deadlines - check with your local Rotary Club, Kiwanis, religious organizations, and your employer's HR department. Many companies offer scholarships for employees' children that aren't widely advertised.
my son just did this last week!! he had to click around his dashboard for a while but eventually found where to sign. the button was kinda hidden in the tasks section. tell him to look for "FAFSA waiting for signature" or something like that
Just following up - were you able to get your son's signature completed? Remember that after he signs, there's one more step: the form is officially submitted only after signing. You should both receive a confirmation email with a confirmation number once that happens. This is an important detail many people miss.
Abby Marshall
One final note: If your daughter's financial situation has remained consistent, she should still be eligible for similar Pell Grant funding. However, remember that the total Pell eligibility is limited to the equivalent of 12 semesters (or about 6 years) of funding throughout her undergraduate career. The system automatically tracks this, but it's good to be aware if she's planning to take more than 4 years to complete her degree.
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Noland Curtis
•That's helpful information! She's planning to finish in 4 years, but it's good to know there's some flexibility if needed. She's on track with her credits so far, thankfully.
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Laila Prince
does anyone know if they fixed those glitches from last years FAFSA? my parents had to retry like 6 times to get linked to the IRS data!!!!
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Diez Ellis
•Yes, most of those connection issues have been addressed in the updated system. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool should work more smoothly now. They've also extended the session timeout periods so you won't get kicked out as quickly if you need to step away from your computer while completing the application.
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