UPDATE FOR ANYONE WITH THE SAME ISSUE: Our "Cannot compute SAI" error finally resolved! It took 19 days total, but the SAI suddenly appeared this morning. I didn't do anything special - it just fixed itself. His school extended the housing deposit deadline by 2 weeks which was enough time thankfully. I wish the Department of Education would communicate better about these issues rather than leaving families in the dark, but at least it's resolved now.

Congratulations on getting it resolved! This thread has been so helpful for those of us dealing with the same nightmare. I'm currently on day 8 with the "Cannot compute SAI" error and was starting to panic about all the upcoming deadlines. Reading everyone's experiences here shows that while it's incredibly frustrating, it does eventually get fixed. The fact that schools are being understanding and extending deadlines is really reassuring. Thanks to everyone who shared their timeline and tips - it's nice to know we're not alone in this mess!

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know that our SAI finally calculated this morning! It took exactly 9 days from when we first saw the error message. We didn't do anything special - just checked daily and suddenly today it was there. Our EFC is higher than I expected, but at least now we can move forward with planning. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

Thanks for sharing the update! This is really helpful for everyone dealing with the same issue. 9 days seems to be pretty typical based on what I'm seeing in this thread. For those still waiting, it sounds like patience is really the key here - the system is just overwhelmed but it does eventually work itself out. I'm glad you were able to get your SAI calculated before your housing deposit deadline!

Just following up - were you able to receive the invitation? If it's been more than 5 business days now, I would definitely have your daughter log in to resend the invitation or contact FSA directly. With your school's priority deadline coming up in less than 3 weeks now, you don't want to wait too much longer.

Great to hear you finally received it! The "updates" or "promotions" folder is actually a common place where these emails end up, especially with Gmail. For anyone else reading this thread - definitely check ALL your email folders, not just spam. The subject line is usually something like "Complete Your FAFSA Contribution" from studentaid.gov, so you can also search for that specifically. Good luck with completing your section and meeting that priority deadline!

I think the whole fafsa system is rigged. They keep changing the rules to make fewer people qualify as independent. My friend supports her disabled mom but cant claim her as a dependent because of some stupid technicality so she gets barely any aid!!!!

This is such a helpful thread! As someone who's been navigating FAFSA for the first time, the dependency rules have been incredibly confusing. I've been supporting my younger sister since our parents passed away two years ago, and I wasn't sure if she counted as my dependent for FAFSA purposes. From reading all these comments, it sounds like I need to check if she qualifies as my tax dependent under IRS rules first. She's 17 and doesn't work, so I think she might qualify, but I definitely need to verify this with my school's financial aid office. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one struggling with these new definitions!

i had the EXACT opposite problem!!!! my oldest got pell but my youngest didn't and when i called they said it was because our income went up $2500 between the tax years they used for each kid and that was enough to push us over the limit for the second kid. the whole system is SO FRUSTRATING!!!

I'm so glad you called and got confirmation! This is exactly why I always recommend verifying with the financial aid office rather than assuming it's an error. The FAFSA changes really have been a game-changer for many middle-income families. The fact that different tax years were used for your two kids perfectly explains the different outcomes - even small income differences can push you over or under the eligibility thresholds. Enjoy that Pell Grant relief - you've earned it by being diligent and double-checking everything!