Hey Jamal! Just wanted to jump in as another NY student who's been through this process. Everyone's given you amazing advice - TAP really is a lifesaver for NY students. I got about $4,200 last year which made a huge difference. One small thing I'll add that I don't think anyone mentioned - when you're on the HESC website applying for TAP, double-check that all your school codes are correct if you're applying to multiple NY schools. I accidentally put in the wrong code for one of my schools and it delayed my award letter by like 3 weeks. The financial aid office had to help me fix it. Also, once you submit your TAP application, you should get a confirmation email pretty quickly. If you don't see it within 24 hours, definitely call or check your spam folder. The system can be glitchy sometimes. You're going to do great! The fact that you're being this proactive about financial aid as a first-gen student shows you've got this handled. Don't hesitate to reach out to this community if you run into any other questions - we've all been there and are happy to help!

Just want to echo what everyone else has said - TAP is absolutely worth applying for! I'm a senior at SUNY New Paltz and TAP has saved me thousands over the years. One thing I'd add that might help you - when you create your HESC account, write down your login info somewhere safe! I forgot mine sophomore year and had to jump through hoops to reset it right before the renewal deadline. Also, you'll need to renew your TAP application every year (it's not automatic like some federal aid), so set a reminder for yourself each fall. The HESC website can be slow during peak times (like right after FAFSA opens), so if you're having trouble loading pages, try applying early in the morning or late at night when fewer people are online. Good luck with everything! You're asking all the right questions and it sounds like you're going to navigate this process like a pro.

I'm completely new to this community and just discovered the exact same "system generated correction" on my son's FAFSA this morning! I was absolutely panicking thinking we had somehow messed up his entire financial aid application. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea this was such a common occurrence! It's really frustrating that the Department of Education doesn't explain these automatic verification processes better upfront. They could save so many families from unnecessary stress by simply stating that these are routine database cross-checks. I'm definitely going to download his corrected SAR tonight and compare it to our original submission like everyone has recommended. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive community for those of us navigating this confusing FAFSA process for the first time!

I'm completely new to this community and the FAFSA process - my daughter is a high school senior and we just submitted her first application a few weeks ago. I logged into her studentaid.gov account this morning and discovered the exact same "system generated correction" notification that everyone's describing! I was absolutely terrified that we had somehow made a critical error that would ruin her financial aid prospects. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring and educational - I had no idea this was such a routine occurrence that affects so many families! It's really frustrating that the Department of Education doesn't provide clearer communication about these automatic verification processes upfront. A simple explanation stating "routine system corrections are normal database cross-checks" would save countless parents from panic attacks! I'm definitely going to download her corrected SAR tonight and compare it to our original submission like everyone has suggested. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive environment for those of us navigating this confusing process for the first time. It's such a relief to know these corrections are actually normal and won't derail our financial aid timeline!

I'm a college senior who's filled out the FAFSA four times now, and I can absolutely confirm that the save feature works perfectly! Your friend's "Russian Roulette" comment is completely inaccurate and honestly pretty irresponsible advice. I've literally never completed a FAFSA in one sitting - between gathering my parents' tax info, checking bank statements, and coordinating schedules, it always takes multiple sessions. The system is specifically designed for this! In fact, financial aid counselors at my school actively encourage students to take their time and save frequently rather than rushing through and making mistakes. You did exactly the right thing by stopping to get the correct tax information. When you log back in with your FSA ID, everything will be exactly where you left it. Just make sure to submit before your priority deadline once you have all your documents ready. Don't let your friend's misinformation stress you out - you're handling this perfectly!

As someone who just completed my first FAFSA this year, I want to add my voice to everyone reassuring you - the save feature works perfectly! I was in almost the exact same situation as you - started the application, realized I was missing some tax documents, and had to save and come back later. I was nervous about it too, but when I logged back in a few days later, everything was exactly where I left it. The whole process actually took me about a week to complete because I had to coordinate with my parents to get various documents, and I probably saved and returned to the application 6 or 7 times total. Never had a single issue with lost data. Your friend's advice is definitely wrong - the FAFSA system would be completely broken if students couldn't save their progress! You're being smart by taking the time to gather the correct information rather than guessing or rushing through it.

Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring! I'm currently dealing with a similar SSN conflict issue and was honestly spiraling a bit before finding this thread. The range of solutions people have shared - from simple contact info updates to full identity verification processes - really shows that these problems have multiple potential causes and fixes. What strikes me most is how organized everyone's approach became once they got past the initial panic. @Tasia's journey from "completely freaking out" to systematic problem-solving really resonates with me. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service and ask specifically for the ID Resolution Center when I call tomorrow. Also planning to submit a paper FAFSA as backup like @Landon Morgan suggested - that seems like such a smart safety net approach. It's amazing how this community transformed what could have been just a venting session into a comprehensive troubleshooting guide. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and practical solutions!

This thread has been incredibly helpful to read through! As someone who's about to start the FAFSA process for the first time, I had no idea these kinds of SSN conflicts were even possible. The step-by-step guidance from @Landon Morgan and the practical tips about using Claimyr and asking for the ID Resolution Center are exactly the kind of insider knowledge that can save someone hours of frustration. It's also really reassuring to see that most of these cases turn out to be simple data entry errors rather than actual identity theft. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread as a reference guide - between the emergency procedures, backup strategies, and specific contact methods, this has basically become a complete troubleshooting manual for FAFSA identity issues. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially @Tasia for the detailed updates on how everything got resolved!

As a newcomer to this community, I can't express how grateful I am for stumbling upon this thread! I received my son's financial aid package just this morning and was completely bewildered when I saw a $11,800 gap with no Parent PLUS loan option listed anywhere. I was literally googling "why no parent plus loan on financial aid package" when I found this discussion. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring and educational. I had no idea that Parent PLUS loans require a separate application process - I genuinely thought if they weren't included in the aid package, it meant we didn't qualify or the school didn't want us to have one. Learning that any parent can apply regardless of what's listed in the package is such a relief! The detailed walkthrough of the studentaid.gov application process and the realistic timelines everyone has shared give me confidence to move forward. I'm also really appreciative of the warnings about interest rates and the suggestion to explore private loan options for comparison. The payment plan idea is brilliant too - I never would have thought to ask about that. What strikes me most about this community is how everyone shares not just solutions, but practical wisdom about timing, potential pitfalls, and strategic thinking about borrowing amounts. I'm planning to start the Parent PLUS application this week and will definitely be calling the financial aid office to discuss all our options. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space for navigating these complex financial decisions!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to express my sincere gratitude for this incredibly informative discussion! I just received my daughter's financial aid package yesterday and was completely overwhelmed when I saw a $12,300 gap with absolutely no mention of Parent PLUS loans anywhere. Like so many others who have shared their experiences here, I was starting to panic and wondering if this meant we weren't eligible or if the school was somehow indicating we didn't qualify. This entire thread has been like a masterclass in understanding Parent PLUS loans! The clarification that schools don't control eligibility and that it requires a completely separate application through studentaid.gov was exactly the information I desperately needed. I had completely misunderstood the process and thought Parent PLUS loans would automatically appear in aid packages if we were eligible. I'm particularly grateful for the step-by-step guidance provided by several community members, the realistic timeline expectations, and the balanced perspective on comparing interest rates with private loan options. The suggestion about payment plans is something I never would have considered, and the strategic advice about potentially borrowing less than the full gap amount is really smart financial thinking. What I love most about this community is how everyone shares not just the "what to do" but also the practical wisdom about timing, potential challenges, and thoughtful approaches to borrowing decisions. I'm planning to start my Parent PLUS application this weekend and will definitely be contacting our school's financial aid office to explore all available options. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and knowledgeable environment for navigating these complex financial aid processes. This discussion has transformed my panic into confidence!