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UPDATE: My husband accepted the invite and completed his section yesterday. It was actually pretty quick since most info was already filled in. Her application status briefly changed to
hey random question but did ur husband have to make a separate FSA ID? my stepdad is having trouble with that part
Actually my cousin works for fsa and she said they might push it back til april they are having system wide issues with the contributor stuff and the non ssn parents is just one of many problems. But she said they are prioritizing it because so many immigrants are affected. If u call enough times you might get through to someone who can put a note on ur account.
Good news! There's an update on the Federal Student Aid website as of yesterday. The parent non-SSN issue should be fixed by March 23rd according to their latest timeline. They're rolling out the update in phases starting tomorrow. I'd recommend checking your FAFSA account daily starting this weekend.
did u do the fafsa on phone app or computer? the app is glitchy and sometimes doesnt show all statuses
One important thing to note - with the new 2025-2026 FAFSA system, the "Processed" status doesn't necessarily mean your SAI has been calculated and sent to schools yet. Because of the system changes, many applications have been marked as "Processed" but are actually still in an internal review queue. I recommend taking three specific actions: 1. Look specifically for your SAI number on your Student Aid Report 2. Check if all your selected schools are listed in the "School Report" section 3. Set a calendar reminder to log in weekly and check for verification requests If after 2 weeks your SAI still isn't showing up, that's when you should contact Federal Student Aid directly for clarification.
StarSeeker
I used Earnest not ISL but remember if you do go with a private loan DO NOT do variable rates even if they look better at first!!! My friend did that and her payments went up like crazy in year 3. Fixed rate only!!
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Anastasia Sokolov
•This is excellent advice. With today's interest rate environment, variable rates are particularly risky. The Federal Reserve has indicated potential rate increases, which would directly impact variable rate loans. Always calculate the maximum potential payment under worst-case scenarios before choosing variable rates.
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Zara Ahmed
One important thing to check with any lender is their forbearance and hardship options. Federal loans have excellent protections (income-based repayment, forgiveness options, etc.) that private loans typically don't match. Before choosing ISL or any private lender, carefully review what happens if you face financial difficulty after graduation. Some private lenders offer very limited forbearance periods or few options for financial hardship.
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Chloe Martin
•That's a really good point I hadn't considered. I'll definitely look into their hardship policies before making a decision. Any specific terms or red flags I should look for in the loan agreement?
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Zara Ahmed
•Look for these specific terms in their policy documents: 1. Length of forbearance periods (12 months total is decent) 2. Whether interest capitalizes during forbearance 3. Available repayment plans if you have lower income 4. Discharge options in case of permanent disability 5. Any prepayment penalties Also call their customer service with specific scenarios to see how they respond - that can tell you a lot about their flexibility.
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