I work as a financial aid advisor and want to echo what others have said - you absolutely made the right choice to correct the family size! For families in your income bracket, household size is one of the most impactful factors in the SAI calculation. The FAFSA uses a formula that considers both your income AND family size to determine need, so having that field blank essentially tells the system you have fewer people to support than you actually do. With 5 people in your household and your income level, you should see a meaningful improvement in your aid eligibility once the recalculation processes. Make sure to save all your confirmation emails from the correction process - sometimes schools ask for documentation when significant changes are made to aid packages. Also, if your son's school hasn't finalized his aid package for summer yet, this correction should be reflected in time for that term. Great job catching this error and taking action!

As a college student who went through this exact situation with my own family's FAFSA, I can't stress enough how important it is to fix this! My parents initially left our family size field incomplete (we're a family of 6) and when we corrected it, our Expected Family Contribution dropped significantly, which meant more aid. The correction process really isn't as scary as it seems - I was worried it would mess everything up too, but it just updates your Student Aid Index calculation. With your income level and family size of 5, you're likely missing out on substantial aid that could make a real difference for your son's education. The peace of mind alone is worth making the correction, and from what I've seen in this thread, most people who fix this kind of error see meaningful increases in their aid packages. Don't let a simple oversight cost your family thousands of dollars in potential assistance!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to express my gratitude for this incredibly thorough and enlightening discussion! I've been dealing with a very similar situation where my daughter's father claims her on taxes but has made it clear he won't contribute anything toward college expenses. I was genuinely panicked thinking I'd need his cooperation and financial information for FAFSA. This thread has been absolutely transformative for my understanding of the process. The distinction between tax dependency and FAFSA custodial parent determination that the financial aid counselor explained is crucial information that really should be highlighted more prominently in college planning resources. My daughter has been living with me full-time for over two years, so based on everything shared here, I'm clearly the parent who should be completing the FAFSA. What's particularly encouraging is learning that my lower income compared to her father's could actually work in our favor for financial aid eligibility - it's amazing how what initially seemed like a major barrier might actually become an advantage! I'm already starting to organize documentation like school enrollment records, medical records, and utility bills showing our shared address, just in case we get selected for verification. The peace of mind from knowing I don't need my ex's cooperation to move forward with my daughter's college plans is incredible. Thank you to everyone who shared their professional expertise and personal experiences. This community's supportiveness and knowledge-sharing is truly remarkable, and I'm so grateful to have found this resource during such a stressful time in the college application process!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to add my voice to thank everyone for this incredibly comprehensive and helpful discussion! I'm currently facing the exact same situation - my son's father has claimed him on taxes throughout high school but now refuses to help with any college expenses. I was completely overwhelmed thinking I'd be stuck needing his financial information for FAFSA, but this thread has been absolutely life-changing for my understanding of the process. The clarification from the financial aid counselor about tax dependency being completely separate from FAFSA custodial parent determination is information that should honestly be plastered on every college planning website! My son has lived with me full-time for the past two and a half years, so based on all the expert advice shared here, I'm clearly the parent who should be completing the FAFSA. What gives me even more hope is learning that my significantly lower income compared to his father's could actually improve our financial aid eligibility - it's incredible how what felt like an insurmountable obstacle might actually work in our favor! I'm going to start gathering documentation immediately - school records, medical files, utility bills - just in case we get selected for verification. The relief of knowing I can move forward with my son's college planning without needing my uncooperative ex's involvement is immense. Thank you to everyone who shared their professional expertise and personal experiences. This community's dedication to helping families navigate these complex situations is truly remarkable, and I feel so much more confident about the process ahead!

I'm dealing with a similar SSA verification delay right now - it's been about 2.5 weeks for me. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful! I had no idea about checking the "Processing Results" section specifically, or that there could be technical glitches that require "kicking" the system with a correction. One thing I wanted to add for anyone else facing this: I called my school's financial aid office early in the process and they told me they keep a list of students with SSA verification delays, so when aid packages are being put together, they know to check back on those applications. Definitely worth letting your school know even if you haven't hit their deadline yet. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know this is a common issue and not just me doing something wrong!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My FAFSA has been stuck on SSA verification for about 2 weeks and I was starting to panic. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about checking the "Processing Results" section specifically, or that name mismatches (even tiny ones like hyphens or spaces) could cause such long delays. I'm going to double-check my information against my Social Security card right now and contact my school's financial aid office tomorrow to let them know about the delay. It's actually really reassuring to know this is such a common issue and that most schools have procedures to handle these situations. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!

Maya, this thread has been absolutely wonderful to read! As a recent grad who lived off-campus for my last two years using financial aid, I can confirm everything everyone has said - YES, you can definitely use both FAFSA funds and Parent Plus loans for off-campus housing! You've received incredible advice here, but I wanted to add one thing that really saved me: **ask your financial aid office about their "early disbursement" policy**. Some schools will disburse aid a few days earlier if you're living off-campus and have documentation showing your rent is due before the standard disbursement date. Not all schools do this, but mine did and it made timing so much easier! Also, since you mentioned feeling "dumb" for asking - please don't! I remember calling the financial aid office probably 6 times my first semester because I kept thinking of new questions. The staff there told me they'd much rather have students ask questions upfront than run into problems later. You're being incredibly responsible and smart by planning ahead. Your decision to go off-campus sounds financially wise, especially if you found a cheaper option than the dorms. I ended up saving almost $5,000 over my two years off-campus, which helped me graduate with less debt. Keep us posted on how your call with financial aid goes tomorrow - you've got a whole community here cheering you on! 🎓💙

Maya, what an incredible thread this has become! As someone who just wrapped up my junior year living off-campus using financial aid, I can absolutely confirm what everyone has said - YES, you can definitely use both FAFSA funds and Parent Plus loans for off-campus housing! Reading through all these responses, you've gotten some of the best real-world advice I've ever seen in one place. Everyone has covered the key points perfectly: call your financial aid office first, get that exact housing allowance number, make sure you're classified correctly as "off-campus," and plan for timing issues with deposits. One small thing I'd add that helped me: when you're apartment hunting, consider asking potential landlords if they've worked with college students before. Some are really understanding about financial aid disbursement timing and might even be flexible with due dates for your first month if you can show them your award letter. Also, don't forget to factor in internet costs when budgeting! It's usually not included in rent but is absolutely essential for school. I budget about $50/month for reliable internet. You're making such a smart financial decision by choosing the cheaper off-campus option. I've saved thousands compared to dorms over the past two years, and the independence has been amazing for my personal growth too. Best of luck with your call to financial aid tomorrow - you're going to do great! This community will be here if you have any follow-up questions after you get those official details. You've got this! 🏠✨

I'm new here but dealing with exactly the same situation! My daughter's SAI came out to $28,900 (compared to last year's EFC of around $15,500) and she also got Work-Study eligibility. I was completely panicking when I first saw that number, but reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful. It sounds like the Work-Study eligibility is actually a good sign that there's still some level of need recognition in the system, even with these higher SAI numbers. The advice about waiting for actual aid packages from individual schools makes total sense - apparently the colleges have much more flexibility with their institutional aid than the federal calculations suggest. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service to get through to FSA and ask about the dramatic change in our numbers. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it's such a relief to know so many families are going through this exact same confusion with the new FAFSA system!

I'm new to this community but going through the exact same stress! My son's SAI jumped to $31,200 from last year's EFC of $18,400, but he also received Work-Study eligibility. I was absolutely terrified when I first saw that number - it felt like we'd gone from having some hope for aid to being completely priced out. But reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring. It's clear that so many families are experiencing these dramatic jumps in their numbers, and the Work-Study eligibility seems to be a consistent positive indicator across all our situations. The advice about waiting for individual school aid packages really makes sense - apparently the colleges have much more flexibility than the federal calculations suggest. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service to get through to FSA and understand the new formula better. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - finding this community has been such a lifeline during this confusing transition to the new FAFSA system!