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One thing to keep in mind - after you submit corrections, there's typically another 3-5 day processing period before the schools receive the updated information. Since you mentioned Jake and Tyler are at different schools, I'd recommend following up with both financial aid offices early next week to confirm they received the corrected data. This is especially important if either school has priority deadlines approaching for institutional aid.
Did u have to redo all the tax info when making corrections or just the boys' personal stuff?? When I had to fix mine it made me reenter EVERYTHING and it took like 2 hours ugh
Quick question - once u download it, does the PDF have all the info scholarships need? Or do u have to get additional stuff?
The PDF includes your calculated SAI amount, FAFSA submission date, confirmation number, and basic household information. This is typically all scholarship committees need to verify your financial need status. However, some scholarships may request additional documentation like the CSS Profile or your college financial aid letter showing the complete aid package you've been offered.
They changed from EFC (Expected Family Contribution) to SAI (Student Aid Index) as part of the FAFSA Simplification Act. The new SAI is supposed to better reflect a student's financial situation and eligibility for aid. The calculation method is different and generally more generous for many students. The name change was also meant to clarify that it's an eligibility index for aid rather than what families are actually expected to pay, which was a common misunderstanding with the old EFC term.
maybe try clearing browser cookies and using incognito mode? worked for me when I kept getting stuck on the contributor page last month
Update on our situation that might help others: After using the Claimyr service mentioned above (which actually worked!), we got through to a supervisor at FSA who fixed our technical issue. Then we submitted a formal appeal to our university's financial aid office with documentation of the FAFSA system errors. They ended up giving us a 14-day extension on all scholarship deadlines! Already got notice that our son qualified for two institutional scholarships we thought we'd missed. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and be persistent with appeals!
One more thing to consider: The Parent PLUS loan program requires a completed FAFSA. While these are parent loans (not student loans), they're available regardless of income and have better terms than many private lending options if your family ends up needing additional financing beyond what you qualify for directly. Even families with substantial incomes often use PLUS loans for the flexible repayment terms.
Update: I talked to my parents and showed them all your comments. They agreed to help with the FAFSA after I explained they could fill out their portion separately. We're going to sit down this weekend and get it submitted. Thanks everyone for the advice!
Myles Regis
Just to add - don't forget that the Parent PLUS loan is also an option if the financial aid packages don't cover enough. That's what we ended up doing to fill the gap. It's not ideal because the interest rates aren't great, but it's there if you need it.
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Khalil Urso
•Be careful with Parent PLUS loans though! The interest rates are ridiculous and they can really add up. We're still paying off my oldest kid's PLUS loans 8 years later. Try to avoid them if possible.
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Simon White
Thank you everyone for your helpful responses! I feel so much better now understanding that this is just the federal portion and not the complete aid package. We'll wait for the schools to send their financial aid offers before making any decisions. One more question - if one school offers significantly less aid than another, is it possible to ask them to match the better offer? I've heard some people have success with this approach but wasn't sure if it's common practice.
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Jacinda Yu
•Yes, this is called a financial aid appeal or professional judgment review. If you receive a significantly better offer from a comparable institution, you can absolutely contact your preferred school's financial aid office and ask if they can reconsider their offer based on the competing offer. Be prepared to provide documentation of the better offer. Many schools have formal appeal processes, and success rates vary by institution. It's always worth trying, especially if your preferred school is similar in standing to the one that gave the better offer.
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