I'm actually a current college sophomore who went through this exact anxiety two years ago! My family income was around $65k and I was terrified my $16k aid package would get slashed after FAFSA processing. Here's what I wish someone had told me: most of the horror stories you hear about massive aid reductions happen when there are major discrepancies between what families initially report and what shows up on the FAFSA (like unreported assets, business income, or divorce situations that weren't disclosed). For straightforward W-2 income families like yours, the changes are usually much smaller. My package ended up changing by less than $800 - I actually got a bit MORE because I qualified for a small Pell Grant. The key is making sure everything you told the school initially matches your FAFSA exactly. Double-check that your parents' income, your income, savings accounts, investments, and household size are all consistent. Also, here's a pro tip: when you call tomorrow, ask them what their "typical variance" is for estimated vs final packages for families in your income bracket. Most schools track this data and can give you a realistic range to expect. You're being smart by planning ahead and asking these questions. With your income level and the fact that you have substantial merit aid in the package, you're probably going to be just fine! 💪

I went through this same situation last year and I totally understand the anxiety! My family income was about $60k and I was freaking out about my estimated package potentially changing. Here's what happened to me: my aid actually stayed almost exactly the same (only changed by about $300). The key thing that helped was that I had submitted my FAFSA early and all my information was consistent with what I'd already provided to the school. One thing that really helped ease my mind was creating a backup plan. I calculated exactly what the maximum amount I could afford to pay would be, and then I knew my "walk away" point if the aid got reduced too much. Having that number in my head made me feel more in control of the situation. Also, don't forget that even if your need-based grants change, you might become eligible for federal aid like Pell Grants or subsidized loans that weren't included in your estimated package. At your family's income level, you'll likely qualify for at least some federal assistance. When you call tomorrow, also ask about their payment plan options - many schools offer interest-free monthly payment plans that can make even a slightly higher cost more manageable. You've got this! 💪

Congrats on getting that sorted out! $12,000 is a huge reduction - that's going to save you so much money in the long run. Parent PLUS loans have such high interest rates that every dollar you don't borrow is money saved. Smart move figuring this out before disbursement too. Your future self will definitely thank you for this decision!

That's fantastic news, Connor! You made a really smart financial decision there. Reducing by $12,000 is going to save your family a significant amount - not just in interest over the years, but also in origination fees right off the bat. Parent PLUS loans can really add up with that 6.84% interest rate, so every dollar you don't borrow is money in your pocket. It's great that you caught this before disbursement too - makes the whole process so much cleaner. Best of luck with your campus job at the rec center!

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community but found this thread incredibly helpful as we're in the exact same boat with Auburn. My daughter was accepted for Fall 2025 with a 3.82 GPA and 1310 SAT. We submitted our FAFSA in mid-February and are still waiting for our SAI score (ugh, the delays this year are unreal!). After reading through all your experiences, I immediately had my daughter check her Auburn portal for that scholarship application - and sure enough, there it was under Financial Aid > Scholarship Opportunities! She's completing it today. I cannot believe how easy it would have been to miss that completely. Thank you Paolo for that crucial information! It's so reassuring to see the scholarship amounts others have received with similar stats. Based on the tier breakdown Paolo shared, it sounds like we should expect something in the $8-10K range, which would be fantastic. The timing information has also been super helpful - knowing that Auburn is just running behind due to FAFSA issues rather than us missing something important definitely reduces my stress level. One quick question - for those who have received Auburn scholarships, do they typically require maintaining a certain GPA to renew each year? I want to make sure we understand all the terms before comparing offers. Thanks again everyone for sharing your experiences! This thread has been a lifesaver! 🧡💙

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community but have been lurking and reading through this incredibly helpful thread. My son was also accepted to Auburn for Fall 2025 with a 3.75 GPA and 1280 SAT. We're out-of-state and submitted our FAFSA in early February, got our SAI last week, and he just completed that scholarship application in his portal yesterday (thank goodness for Paolo's tip about that!). I wanted to add something that might help other parents - I noticed several people mentioned struggling to get through to Auburn's financial aid office. I actually had success reaching them by calling right when they open at 8 AM Central Time. The wait was only about 10 minutes versus the 2+ hour holds later in the day. The rep I spoke with confirmed they're processing scholarship notifications in batches through March and said they prioritize students who have completed both FAFSA and the scholarship application. Based on the merit tiers Paolo shared, it looks like my son should be in the $8K range, which would be amazing! We're also looking into that out-of-state tuition reduction Honorah mentioned since his stats should qualify. This whole process has been so much less stressful thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here. Fingers crossed we all get good news soon! War Eagle! 🦅

Hi Louisa! I just wanted to jump in as someone who literally just submitted my FAFSA last month with a very similar situation. I work at a local bookstore and had about $3,200 in checking and $800 in savings when I filed. I was initially panicking about the same thing - thinking my part-time job savings would somehow disqualify me from aid. But after reading through all the responses here and doing my own research, I can confirm what everyone is saying: you MUST report all your assets, but it's really not as scary as it seems! The 20% assessment rate means your $5,000 in total savings would only increase your expected contribution by about $1,000. And honestly? Having that money available has already saved me twice this semester - once when I needed to pay for a lab fee that wasn't covered in my initial cost estimates, and another time when my car needed an unexpected repair. I also used that Federal Student Aid estimator tool that several people mentioned, and it was incredibly helpful for understanding exactly how my assets would impact my aid before I actually submitted. Definitely recommend doing that first to ease your anxiety! Your parents mean well, but please don't follow their advice about hiding your bank accounts. The potential consequences (losing ALL federal aid eligibility) are just not worth the relatively small amount you might "save" by being dishonest. You're clearly responsible with money and should be proud of your savings, not stressed about them!

Just wanted to add my voice to the chorus here - I'm currently a senior who's been through the FAFSA process multiple times, and I completely understand your confusion and anxiety about asset reporting! When I first filed as a freshman, I had about $2,800 saved from working at a local restaurant, and I was convinced it would somehow disqualify me from getting any aid. Like many others here, I initially thought the FAFSA only cared about my W-2 income. Boy, was I wrong! Here's the bottom line that everyone's been telling you (and they're absolutely right): You MUST report all your assets - checking accounts, savings accounts, any investments, crypto, everything. The FAFSA specifically asks for these balances as of the day you file, and omitting them is considered fraud that could cost you ALL your federal aid eligibility. But here's what helped calm my nerves back then: I realized that the 20% student asset assessment rate, while not ideal, isn't the end of the world. Your $5,000 in total savings would only add about $1,000 to your expected family contribution. Yes, that might reduce your aid slightly, but it's not going to make you ineligible for assistance. More importantly, I can tell you from four years of college experience that having those savings has been invaluable. Unexpected textbook costs, laptop repairs, medical expenses, emergency trips home - having that financial cushion has saved me from taking out additional loans multiple times. Please don't listen to your parents' suggestion about hiding your assets. I know they're trying to help, but the verification process is very real (I was selected twice), and getting caught in a lie would be catastrophic for your college plans. You're being smart by asking these questions and planning to be honest. That kind of financial responsibility will serve you well throughout college!

One more thing that might help - if your school uses BankMobile or Nelnet for refund processing, you can often track your refund status in real-time through their portals once disbursement happens. I was obsessively checking my student account last semester, but these third-party refund processors usually give you way more detailed updates about when your money will actually hit your bank account. Also, some schools have "emergency aid applications" that are completely separate from regular financial aid - these are often processed much faster (sometimes within 24-48 hours) and can provide a few hundred dollars while you're waiting. They're usually buried on the financial aid website under names like "emergency assistance" or "student crisis fund." Definitely worth searching for on your school's site or asking about tomorrow!

One more resource that saved me - check if your school has a "textbook lending library" through student government or academic support services! My school had a small collection of the most commonly required textbooks that students could check out for free for up to two weeks at a time. It's different from regular library reserves and not many people knew about it. Also, if you have any credit cards, some offer 0% APR promotional periods for new purchases - you could potentially buy textbooks now and pay them off when your Pell refund comes through without paying interest. Just be really careful with this option and only do it if you're confident about your refund timing! The most important thing is to not stress too much - almost every college student goes through this exact situation and there are more safety nets available than you realize.