I went through this exact same situation with my son's application to Northwestern last year! The timing sounds completely normal - there's always a delay between when your FAFSA shows as "processed" and when schools actually receive and process it on their end. What helped me was creating a simple tracking sheet with dates: when I submitted, when it was processed, when I contacted the school, etc. This way I had a clear timeline if I needed to follow up. Also, don't worry too much about the application deadline - financial aid deadlines are usually separate from admission deadlines, and schools are generally understanding about processing delays that are out of your control. You're being proactive by checking on this now, which is exactly the right approach!

As someone who just went through this process with my twin daughters applying to multiple schools, I can definitely relate to your stress! What you're experiencing is completely normal. The processing lag between Federal Student Aid and individual college systems is notorious, especially during peak application season. One thing that really helped me was setting up a spreadsheet to track each school's requirements and deadlines separately. I also recommend taking screenshots of your FSA account showing CWRU was included in your school list and the processing date - this documentation will be invaluable if you need to contact their financial aid office. Don't panic about the timing affecting her admission chances. Most schools understand these processing delays are beyond families' control, and financial aid offices are usually very helpful once you reach out to them directly. The fact that you're staying on top of this puts you ahead of many families who don't notice these issues until much later!

This entire discussion has been incredibly valuable! I'm also dealing with business valuation confusion for the 2025-26 FAFSA. What I'm taking away from everyone's experiences is that the key is being reasonable and well-documented rather than trying to achieve some perfect valuation. One thing I wanted to add for others in similar situations - if you're unsure about whether your business qualifies for the small business exclusion, it might be worth reaching out to your school's financial aid office directly. I called mine last week and they were actually really helpful in walking through the criteria. They said they'd rather have students ask questions upfront than deal with complications later during verification. Also, for those with very new businesses like S Corps or LLCs, don't forget that your initial capitalization (the money/assets you put into the business to start it) is often a good baseline for valuation if you don't have much operating history yet. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made this whole process feel much less overwhelming!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say thank you all for this incredibly detailed discussion! I'm facing the exact same situation with mixed business structures and was completely lost on how to handle the valuation differences. What I'm gathering from everyone's experiences is that the most important things are: 1) Use current values as of submission date, 2) Be consistent and well-documented in your approach, 3) Check if the small business exclusion applies (which could eliminate reporting entirely for qualifying S Corps), and 4) Don't overthink it - reasonable estimates are acceptable. For those mentioning verification - approximately what percentage of FAFSA applications get selected for this? I'm wondering if I should prepare extra documentation upfront or if it's something to worry about only if selected. This thread has been a lifesaver for understanding these complex business reporting requirements!

I'm really sorry you're going through this - the stepparent income rule is one of the most frustrating and unfair aspects of the FAFSA system! As a newcomer here, I've been reading through all these responses and I'm amazed by how common this issue is and how much helpful advice everyone has shared. Your situation sounds incredibly stressful, especially with that $87K income completely destroying your aid eligibility when your stepdad isn't even contributing. The professional judgment appeal really does seem like your best option based on what everyone else has experienced. I wanted to add one thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're comfortable with it, you might want to document any conversations or communications where your stepdad has made it clear he won't be contributing to your education. Even informal text messages or emails between family members could help strengthen your case that there's a clear expectation he's not part of your education funding plan. Also, when you're gathering all that financial documentation everyone mentioned, don't forget to save copies of everything in multiple places. I've heard horror stories of students losing important appeal documents and having to start over. The success stories in this thread are really encouraging - it sounds like persistence and thorough documentation really do pay off. Hoping your appeal process goes smoothly and you get the aid adjustment you deserve!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - the stepparent income rule really is one of the most broken parts of the FAFSA system! As someone new to this community, I've been reading through all these responses and I'm honestly shocked by how many students are getting screwed over by this exact same issue. Your situation with the $87K stepparent income destroying your SAI while he contributes nothing to your education is infuriating but unfortunately very common. The advice everyone has given about professional judgment appeals is spot on - that's definitely your best path forward. One thing I wanted to add that might help: when you're documenting the separate finances between your mom and stepdad, try to get official statements from banks showing their accounts are completely separate. Some schools give more weight to official bank documentation versus just utility bills or informal records. Also, if your stepdad has his own kids from a previous relationship that he supports financially, that could actually strengthen your case since it shows his income is already committed to other family obligations. The success stories in this thread are really encouraging - it sounds like persistence and detailed documentation really do pay off with these appeals. Don't give up before you've exhausted all options! The financial aid system is broken but there are people who want to help students in situations like yours. Keep us posted on how your appeals go - your experience could help other students facing this same unfair situation!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in college admissions - we see this parent portal issue constantly during FAFSA season! One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is to make sure you're not trying to access the portal too soon after your student sends the invitation. Sometimes there's a 24-48 hour delay before the parent contribution section actually becomes available, even though you get the email notification right away. Also, if you're still having trouble after trying all these great suggestions, don't panic about the deadline! Most colleges are understanding about FAFSA technical issues this year given all the system changes. You can always call the financial aid office directly and explain the situation - they may be able to extend your priority deadline or work with a partially completed application while you sort out the technical problems. The new FAFSA system has been a real challenge for everyone, but these troubleshooting tips from this thread are spot on!

This entire thread has been such a goldmine of information! I'm going through this exact same situation with my son's FAFSA right now and was getting so frustrated. Reading through everyone's experiences and solutions has given me a clear action plan to follow. I especially appreciate the tips about checking the notification center to accept the invitation, trying different browsers, and disabling VPN/ad blockers. It's honestly reassuring to know that so many other parents are dealing with these same technical issues - I was starting to think I was just completely incompetent with technology! The fact that even college admissions counselors are seeing this problem regularly makes me feel better about the situation. Going to try the Chrome browser switch and notification acceptance steps tonight. Fingers crossed it works as smoothly as it did for Ava!

One final note that might be helpful: if you're concerned about reporting accuracy, you can always call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 to get clarification on specific situations like your refinanced rental property. They should be able to give you an official answer. Alternatively, most colleges have financial aid advisors who can help with FAFSA questions even before you've been accepted. They often provide more practical guidance than the federal helpline. Just remember that the FAFSA is looking for a snapshot of your current financial situation, not a comprehensive history of all your financial decisions.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact situation last year! The advice about retirement accounts being excluded is spot on - that was such a relief when I found out. For your rental property situation, since you mentioned refinancing and using some funds for other purposes, definitely go with the conservative approach and only subtract the mortgage amount that was actually used for the property itself. One thing that helped me was keeping all my refinancing paperwork handy in case of verification. The closing disclosure will show exactly how the loan proceeds were used. Also, don't stress too much about getting it perfect - if you're selected for verification and need to make corrections, the financial aid office will work with you. The key is showing good faith effort to be accurate. Your daughter is lucky to have a parent who cares enough to get this right!