


Ask the community...
My friend had thsi same problem she said a lot of the paper apps are being held cuz ppl filled stuff out wrong. Like they need signatures or missed some sections. But no one tells u there's a problem until weeks later when they send a letter in the mail. Might wanna call to check if yours is actually being processed or sitting in some problem pile
That's a good point. I was super careful filling it out but it is my first time doing it so who knows if I made a mistake. Definitely going to call tomorrow to see if they can tell me anything about the status.
I just want to clarify something important about the timeline - mid to late March is when most FAFSA applications should be *processed*, but that doesn't mean you'll immediately receive your SAI (Student Aid Index) or financial aid package from colleges. After FAFSA processes your application, they need to send that information to your chosen schools, and then each school needs to create a financial aid package based on your SAI, their available funds, and their institutional methodology. So while the March timeline for FAFSA processing may be accurate, you should expect an additional 1-3 weeks before receiving actual financial aid packages from individual schools. That's why it's so important to contact each school's financial aid office directly to explain the situation and ask about flexibility with deposit deadlines.
UPDATE: Just wanted to follow up - after submitting my correction to add my dependents, my SAI dropped by over $7,500! That's a huge difference that affected my Pell Grant eligibility. So definitely don't skip fixing this glitch once you can submit corrections.
Wow that's a massive difference! Thanks for sharing the update. I submitted my correction yesterday so hoping to see my updated SAI calculation soon. This makes me feel better about the whole process.
why is fafsa so complicated for parents???! nobody told me i would need a computer science degree to apply for financial aid lmao
FOR REAL!!! And they claimed the new system would be "simplified" 🙄 It's actually MORE confusing than before.
one more thing - when u submit ur appeal make copeis of EVERYTHING and send by certified mail or delivry confirmation if not submitting online. cant tell u how many times schools "lost" paperwork conveniently close to deadlines.
Thank you all SO MUCH for the helpful advice! I just wanted to update that I was able to get through to FSA using that Claimyr service (which worked exactly as described), and they confirmed I can submit a Professional Judgment request. I've already downloaded the special circumstances form from our school's website and am gathering all our medical documentation. The agent even put notes in our file about our conversation! I'm also going to request a meeting with the senior financial aid officer tomorrow as suggested. Feeling much more hopeful now that we can get this resolved before the deadline. Will update when I hear back about the appeal!
So glad you're making progress! Keep fighting for what your kid deserves!
Liam McGuire
DONT TRUST THE SAI!!!! The new FAFSA formula is COMPLETELY BROKEN!!!! My sister and I have almost identical financial situations but her SAI came back 5000 HIGHER than mine for no reason!!!! The whole system is rigged and nobody at FSA will even explain how they calculate it. I spent 3 weeks trying to get through to someone who could actually explain the calculation and they just kept transferring me around.
0 coins
Carmen Ruiz
•While there have been some issues with the new formula, there are usually explainable reasons for SAI differences. Things like multiple students in college at once, specific tax situations, or assets reported differently can cause seemingly similar situations to have different SAIs. It's not completely random or rigged.
0 coins
StarStrider
Update: I finally spoke with my school's financial aid office! With my SAI of 8630, they're offering me a $2,250 Pell Grant, $5,500 in subsidized loans, $4,000 in unsubsidized loans, and a $12,000 institutional grant! Plus work-study for $3,500. That leaves about $9,750 I need to figure out, but it's WAY better than I expected. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!
0 coins
Yuki Sato
•That's actually a really good package! Congrats! The institutional grant is impressive - that's the benefit of schools with higher sticker prices, they often have more institutional aid to give.
0 coins
Mei Wong
•So glad it worked out! Did you end up using the service I recommended to get through to them?
0 coins