As someone new to this community and currently navigating this exact situation, I can't thank everyone enough for sharing such detailed and practical experiences! My son is a high school senior with similar stats (3.8 GPA, 1470 SAT) and we're in that frustrating middle-income zone where we make too much for need-based aid but still need help with the $60-70k annual costs. I came into this thread thinking the FAFSA would be a waste of time for our family, but after reading all these real-world examples, I'm completely convinced it's essential. The stories about merit scholarships requiring FAFSA completion - even when they're not need-based - really opened my eyes. The idea of losing out on thousands in aid because of a bureaucratic requirement I didn't know about is terrifying! What's been most helpful is learning about all the "hidden" benefits: the unsubsidized loans with better terms than private options, the flexibility for professional judgment if circumstances change, and how schools sometimes use FAFSA data strategically for merit aid calculations. The tip about completing it early due to "first come, first served" institutional aid is crucial information I never would have known otherwise. I'm definitely tackling this over the weekend with all your practical tips in mind - documents ready, off-peak hours, and that callback service bookmarked just in case. Better to spend an hour now than regret missing opportunities later!

As someone completely new to this community and the college financial aid process, I want to thank everyone for such an incredibly informative discussion! My daughter is a high school senior with similar stats (3.9 GPA, 1480 SAT) and we're in that exact same income bracket where we assumed FAFSA would be pointless. This thread has been a total game-changer for my understanding! The real-world examples everyone shared - especially the Boston College story about losing $20k in merit aid and the parent whose award was increased after FAFSA review - really drove home how this isn't just about federal grants but about keeping ALL funding doors open. What's been most eye-opening is learning that FAFSA functions almost like a universal application that's required for so many different types of aid: institutional merit scholarships, state programs, work-study opportunities, external scholarships, and even better loan terms. I had no idea it was such a critical piece of the puzzle regardless of income level. The technical issues sound frustrating, but everyone's practical tips (off-peak hours, documents ready in advance, that callback service for phone support) make it seem very manageable. And frankly, spending 30-60 minutes to potentially save thousands over four years seems like the easiest decision ever. I'm definitely completing it this weekend with all your advice in mind. Thanks to this amazing community for turning what seemed like optional paperwork into an obviously essential step!

I'm experiencing this exact same issue! Been trying to sign my son's FAFSA for 8 days now and keep getting the "cannot process request" error no matter what I try. It's incredibly frustrating with his priority deadline coming up next week. I've attempted different browsers, cleared cache, tried at various times throughout the day - nothing works! The FSA helpline wait times are absolutely ridiculous too. Reading through all these solutions gives me hope though. I'm definitely going to try the combination approach that worked for several people here: reset my FSA ID password, wait a few hours, then attempt the signature around 5 AM using Edge browser while manually typing everything instead of autofill. The duplicate FSA ID issue Malik mentioned is really interesting too - I think I may have created multiple accounts over the years, so I'll call to check on that. I'm also going to contact my son's financial aid office today to document these technical issues in case we need deadline flexibility. It's such a relief to know this is a widespread problem and not something I'm doing wrong! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and workarounds - this community support is invaluable during such a stressful time.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare! Been trying to sign my daughter's FAFSA for 6 days straight and getting that "cannot process request" error every single time. It's so frustrating because I can see the form, fill everything out completely, but then it just fails at the very last step when I hit submit. I've tried literally everything - Chrome, Firefox, Safari, cleared cache multiple times, tried my phone, my laptop, even used my work computer thinking maybe it was a device issue. Nothing works! Called the FSA helpline yesterday and was on hold for over 90 minutes before finally getting someone who just read me a script about "trying again later" with no real solutions. Reading through all these responses gives me so much hope though! I had no idea this was such a widespread issue affecting so many families. I'm definitely going to try the combination approach that worked for Ava - resetting my FSA ID password, waiting a few hours, then attempting around 5-6 AM using Edge browser while manually typing everything instead of autofill. The duplicate FSA ID insight from Malik is really eye-opening too. I think I might have created multiple accounts over the years when I forgot my login info for my older kids' applications. Going to call the FSA Information Center tomorrow to check if that could be causing database conflicts. Also planning to contact my daughter's financial aid office today to document these technical issues just in case we need deadline flexibility. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions - it's such a relief to know I'm not alone in this technical disaster!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently in my second year dealing with FAFSA corrections (transferred schools last year so had to go through this twice), and I wish I had found resources like this community earlier. One additional tip I'd share - if you're working with multiple schools during the correction process, create a simple spreadsheet to track which corrections you've made, when you submitted them, and which schools have been notified. It really helps keep everything organized when you're juggling deadlines and following up with different financial aid offices. Also, some schools have online portals where you can submit documentation about pending corrections, which can be faster than email. The FAFSA system definitely has its issues, but seeing how everyone here has found solutions gives me hope that they'll hopefully streamline the process for future years!

As a new member here, I have to say this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm just starting my FAFSA journey for 2025-26 and had no idea the correction process could be so complex. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me such valuable insights - from the one-correction-at-a-time limitation to all the workarounds like contacting financial aid offices directly and using Claimyr to avoid those brutal hold times. I'm definitely going to bookmark this thread and implement the prevention strategies everyone mentioned (triple-checking before submission, having all documents ready, creating that spreadsheet Eduardo suggested). It's really reassuring to see how this community comes together to help each other navigate these bureaucratic challenges. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - you're helping so many people avoid the stress and delays that come with FAFSA mistakes!

As a current college student who's dealt with this exact situation, I'd recommend also checking if your son's school has any "credit banking" or course substitution policies. Some schools will let you apply certain experiences (internships, work study, independent study) toward credit requirements in specific circumstances. This could potentially help bridge the gap if he needs to work more hours but still maintain enrollment status. Also, just a heads up - if he's planning to apply for competitive scholarships or programs in the future, some of them do track whether you maintained full-time status throughout your undergrad years. It's not a deal-breaker, but it's something to consider in the long-term planning. The financial aid landscape is definitely not student-friendly for those trying to work their way through school, but there are usually more options than initially apparent if you dig deep enough with the right offices!

As someone who recently graduated and navigated these exact decisions, I wanted to add one more consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet - the impact on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) for the following year's FAFSA. If your son increases his work hours significantly due to taking fewer credits, that additional income could affect his aid eligibility for the next academic year since student income above the protection allowance (around $7,040 for 2024-25) gets assessed at 50% for financial aid calculations. So while dropping to part-time might seem financially beneficial in the short term, it's worth calculating whether the extra work income could reduce his aid package the following year. This is especially important if he's planning to continue this pattern or if he's only a sophomore/junior with multiple years of aid ahead of him. The financial aid office can help you model this scenario too when you're running those "what-if" calculations!

I'm a complete newcomer to this community and the financial aid world, and this thread has been absolutely amazing! I just went through this exact same experience with my son's FAFSA for 2025-2026 about a week ago. Like everyone else here, I was totally panicked when I couldn't find any questions about our 529 plan or other assets. I kept going back through the application over and over, convinced I had somehow navigated to the wrong form or missed entire sections. When it was completed in about 25 minutes using just our tax information, I actually called the school counselor thinking something was broken! She's the one who told me about the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. We also had to complete CSS Profile for the private colleges he's applying to, and that's where we reported all our financial assets. At first I was worried about the inconsistency between the forms, but reading through all these explanations about federal vs. institutional aid calculations has made everything crystal clear. What I find so valuable about this community is how everyone shares not just the facts, but also the emotional experience of going through this process for the first time. It's incredibly reassuring to know that pretty much every newcomer has the same "this can't be right, it's too simple" panic! Thank you to everyone who has shared their knowledge and experiences - this thread should be required reading for all first-time FAFSA parents!

I'm a newcomer to this community and just went through the exact same confusion! I completed my daughter's FAFSA for 2025-2026 yesterday and spent over an hour searching through every screen looking for where to enter our 529 savings account. I even tried using different browsers thinking there was some kind of technical issue! Reading through this thread has been such a relief - I had no idea about the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. Like so many others here, I was mentally prepared for this incredibly complicated, multi-day process based on horror stories from friends who did FAFSA in previous years. When it was done in about 20 minutes using just our tax return data, I was absolutely convinced I had messed something up. We also completed the CSS Profile for her private school applications, which asked for detailed information about our 529 and other assets. Now I understand that this isn't an error or inconsistency - it's because federal aid eligibility (FAFSA) and institutional aid decisions (CSS Profile) use completely different methodologies since the simplification changes. What I appreciate most about this discussion is how everyone has shared both the technical explanations and the emotional roller coaster of thinking you've done something wrong with such an important application. It's incredibly reassuring to know that this confusion is practically universal among first-time parents navigating the new system. Thank you to everyone who has contributed their experiences and knowledge here - this community provides exactly the kind of real-world guidance that you just can't find on official government websites!