As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm a parent of a high school senior and we're in the early stages of the FAFSA process. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both eye-opening and reassuring - it's clear that these technical issues are widespread and not just user error. What strikes me most is how the official FAFSA guidance doesn't prepare families for any of these real-world technical challenges. The contributor invitation system sounds much more complicated than the simple "parent completes their section" process I remember from when I applied to college years ago. I'm taking notes on all the key points shared here: complete student demographics first, use Chrome browser, never pre-fill parent information, watch the invitation timing, and be prepared to troubleshoot browser/cache issues. The advice about documenting everything with screenshots and not rushing through error messages is particularly valuable. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share detailed solutions - this kind of peer support is invaluable for navigating what seems like an unnecessarily complex system. I'll definitely be referring back to this thread when we start our application!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to express my gratitude for this incredibly detailed and helpful thread! I'm currently facing this exact same issue with my son's FAFSA application - we've been stuck on the "not authorized to act on behalf of student" error for several days now. After reading through all the solutions shared here, I realize we made multiple common mistakes: we were using Safari browser, my son may have pre-filled some parent information, and he probably didn't complete his full demographics section before trying to invite me. It's amazing how many different technical factors can cause the same error message! I'm going to have him follow the comprehensive approach outlined by everyone here: switch to Chrome, clear all browser data, complete his entire student demographics section, delete any parent info he entered himself, then send me a proper invitation using my exact FSA ID email. The advice about not rushing through errors and taking breaks between attempts is particularly valuable. This community is such a lifesaver - the official FAFSA instructions really don't prepare families for these real-world technical challenges. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share detailed step-by-step solutions. You've probably saved countless families from hours of frustration!

Hey Landon! I'm a current student at Cal State San Bernardino and had an SAI of $21,300 when I applied two years ago - so pretty much exactly in your situation! I totally understand the panic when you first see that number, but I wanted to share some hope. I ended up getting about $4,800 through the Middle Class Scholarship program, $3,200 in subsidized loans, and my school gave me a $1,500 institutional grant. Plus I got into a work-study program that pays about $3,000 per year working in the student services office. The work-study has been great because it's on-campus, flexible with my class schedule, and I've learned a ton about college operations. One thing that really helped was applying for every single departmental scholarship I could find once I enrolled. My business department had like 15 different small scholarships ranging from $250 to $1,000, and most students don't even know they exist! I ended up getting $750 from a random "first-generation college student pursuing business" scholarship that only had 12 applicants. California really does take care of middle-class families way better than most states. Your $85k family income with two kids in college should definitely help your aid eligibility. Just make sure to appeal if your dad's overtime situation changes - schools are usually pretty understanding about income fluctuations like that. You're going to have way more options than you think!

I'm a current senior at UC Berkeley and had an SAI of $19,400 when I applied three years ago, so I totally get your stress! But honestly, you're in a much better position than you realize. California is incredible for middle-class families - I ended up with about $6,500 in Middle Class Scholarship funds, $4,200 in subsidized loans, and Berkeley gave me a $2,800 institutional grant. Plus work-study brought in another $3,200/year. The key thing that saved me was understanding that your SAI isn't a bill - it's just what the government thinks your family can contribute. Schools often have their own formulas that are more generous. Berkeley's "Middle Class Access Plan" covers a huge chunk for families making $80-140k, and most UCs have similar programs. Also, your timing with having two kids in college simultaneously is actually perfect for aid eligibility! That basically cuts your expected family contribution in half across all programs. Make sure every school knows about this when reviewing your aid. One more tip: apply for EVERYTHING once you're enrolled. I've gotten probably $3,000 in random departmental scholarships just by spending a few hours filling out applications each semester. Your SAI doesn't matter for most of these private/merit awards. You're going to have real options - California's got your back way more than most states!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm currently dealing with this exact same contributor invitation issue with my husband's FSA account. The email link just takes him to that frustrating "No Activity Found" page. Based on all the helpful suggestions here, I'm going to have him try the Firefox browser + cache clearing + looking for the notification bell approach first. It's really reassuring to see that so many people have figured out workarounds for this problem. The new FAFSA system definitely has some kinks to work out, but at least there's a supportive community here sharing solutions! I'll report back if we get it working.

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm just starting the FAFSA process for my daughter and was dreading dealing with the contributor system after hearing so many horror stories. Reading through all the solutions you've shared here - the Firefox browser switch, clearing cache, looking for the notification bell instead of relying on email links, trying incognito windows, and even creating fresh FSA IDs if needed - gives me a whole toolkit of approaches to try. It's amazing how this community has collectively figured out workarounds for what's clearly a systemic issue with the new FAFSA platform. Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences and solutions. It's going to save so many families hours of frustration!

Just wanted to add one more tip from my experience - if you do end up needing to bridge the gap with temporary funds, consider asking your landlord if they'll accept a partial payment (like just the security deposit) by August 1st and then allow you to pay the first month's rent once your refund comes through. Many student-focused landlords are familiar with this timing issue and will work with you if you're upfront about it and can provide documentation of your pending financial aid. It shows you're being responsible about the situation rather than just hoping it works out. Also, get any payment arrangement in writing via email so there's no confusion later!

I went through this exact same situation at ASU a couple years ago! One thing that really helped me was calling the financial aid office and asking specifically about their "emergency aid" or "bridge loan" programs. A lot of students don't know these exist, but many schools have small, short-term loans (usually $500-2000) that are designed exactly for situations like yours where you need money before financial aid disburses. At ASU they called it the "Emergency Aid Program" and it was interest-free as long as you paid it back within 60 days, which is perfect since your Parent Plus refund should come way before then. You just had to show proof of your pending financial aid. It literally saved me from having to scramble to find rent money! Also, since you're at U of A, check if they have something similar - most Arizona schools do because this timing issue is so common with off-campus students.

I'm a newcomer to this community but unfortunately very familiar with Parent PLUS loan stress! I just went through this exact situation with my daughter's loan last semester. The key thing that helped me was understanding that "approved" really just means the credit check passed - there are still several more steps before funds reach the school. From reading through all these helpful comments, it sounds like you're on the right track now that you've completed the MPN. When I called our school's financial aid office in a similar panic, they were incredibly understanding and immediately put a temporary hold on the payment deadline once they could see the loan was in process. They told me this happens constantly and they have standard procedures for it. One tip I'd add: when you call tomorrow, ask specifically about their federal loan processing schedule - our school only processed them twice a week, so timing mattered. Also have your confirmation numbers and dates handy. The whole process took about 10 business days from MPN completion to seeing funds in our account, which was nerve-wracking but totally normal. You're definitely not alone in this stress, and it sounds like you have all the right information now to get this resolved!

I'm new to this community but going through the exact same Parent PLUS loan nightmare right now! Reading through this entire thread has been such a relief - I thought I was the only parent who completely panicked when the "approved" status didn't immediately translate to funds at the school. Like so many others here, I had no clue about the MPN requirement after the credit check. Just completed mine this afternoon after seeing Sean's helpful breakdown of all 5 steps. It's honestly ridiculous that they make "approved" sound like you're done when you're really only 20% through the process! Omar, your insider perspective as a financial aid counselor has been invaluable - knowing that 80% of parents miss the MPN step makes me feel way less stupid about this whole situation. I'm definitely calling my daughter's school tomorrow morning with all the great advice from this thread: ask for a counselor specifically, have student ID and completion dates ready, ask about their batch processing schedule, and request that temporary payment hold. This community has turned what felt like a complete disaster into a manageable situation with clear next steps. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and proving that Parent PLUS panic is apparently a universal rite of passage! 🙏