Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I just called my school's financial aid office and they confirmed: 1. Aid is disbursed 10 days before each semester starts 2. They apply it to tuition/fees first 3. Any remaining balance gets refunded via direct deposit 2-3 days later 4. I DO need to complete entrance counseling for my loans 5. They have a $500 book advance program I can apply for This is all super helpful for my budget planning. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences!

That's awesome that you got such clear answers from your financial aid office! It sounds like State University has a pretty good system with the 10-day advance disbursement and book advance program. Just a heads up - make sure to set up your direct deposit info in your student portal ASAP if you haven't already. Some schools take forever to process paper checks, but direct deposit is usually much faster. Also, since you're getting both Pell Grant and loans, double-check that your school applies them in the right order (grants first, then loans) so you're not paying interest on money you don't actually need to borrow. Good luck with your first semester!

btw if ur kid has any income from work make sure they report that too even if they didnt file taxes. my nephew almost lost his pell grant cuz he forgot to include his summer job money

Just want to add that if you're divorced or separated, make sure you know which parent's tax info to use! The FAFSA uses the parent who provided more financial support during the 12 months before the application date, not necessarily the custodial parent. This catches a lot of families off guard. Also, if that parent has remarried, you'll need to include the stepparent's tax info too. It's worth checking the Federal Student Aid website for the specific rules about divorced parents before you start filling everything out.

Does anyone know if they verify your answers with your parents or FAFSA data? I'm paranoid about them cross-checking everything.

Just went through this exact same situation last month! The way I thought about it was: if my parent is legally obligated to pay back that $14,500 Parent PLUS loan (which they are), then they're essentially providing me with $14,500 in financial assistance. It doesn't matter that the money never touched my bank account - what matters is that my parent took on that debt to cover my education costs. I marked YES on both questions and had no issues with my TAP application. Better to be honest and answer YES than risk having to deal with appeals later!

After you speak with financial aid about the Pell Grant, also ask them to explain why they offered the Westlake Achievement Grant instead of subsidized loans. This might actually be better for you! Subsidized loans still need to be repaid (just without interest while in school), but grants don't need to be repaid at all. So if the grant amount exceeds what the Pell would have been, you might be getting a better deal. Just make sure you understand the renewal criteria for future years.

Hi! I'm new to navigating financial aid and this thread has been incredibly helpful. Just wanted to add that when you call the financial aid office, it might help to have your daughter's Student Aid Report (SAR) number ready along with her student ID. Also, if you don't get a satisfactory answer from the first person you talk to, don't hesitate to ask to speak with a supervisor or financial aid counselor. Sometimes the front desk staff aren't as familiar with the nuances of federal vs. institutional aid. Good luck - it sounds like you're asking all the right questions!

For child support that covers multiple children but isn't itemized per child, the standard practice is to divide it equally among all children. So yes, you would report 50% of the total child support received as being for your college-bound daughter. Make sure to keep documentation of your calculations in case of verification. The financial aid office may ask you to explain how you determined the amount.

Don't stress too much - you've got this! As a newcomer who just went through this process with my son, I can tell you that single parent FAFSA applications are actually more straightforward than joint custody situations. Since you have full legal custody, you only report YOUR information and income. The $9,000 annual child support goes in the untaxed income section, and yes, it will affect the SAI calculation but that's totally normal. My biggest advice: start gathering your documents now (tax returns, bank statements, custody papers) because if you get selected for verification, having everything ready will save you weeks of stress. Also, don't let the process intimidate you - the financial aid offices are usually very helpful if you need to call with questions!