I'm a newcomer here but this conversation really caught my attention because I'm facing a similar decision with my own child's education financing. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea there were so many alternatives to traditional private student loans! The consensus seems clear that 14% from Sallie Mae is absolutely predatory, especially with an 800 credit score co-signer. I'm definitely going to look into Parent PLUS loans and credit unions for my own situation. What really struck me was the reality check about aviation salaries in those first few years. It sounds like the industry marketing focuses on those eventual $100k+ airline pilot salaries but glosses over the financial struggle during the CFI and regional pilot phase. The idea of starting with just a Private Pilot License to test the waters before committing to a $130k program is brilliant - I wish more expensive degree programs offered that kind of "try before you buy" approach. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences and specific lender recommendations. This thread should be required reading for anyone considering expensive aviation programs!

As someone who went through a similar situation with my son's engineering program last year, I completely agree with everyone saying to avoid that 14% Sallie Mae rate at all costs! That's absolutely predatory, especially with an 800 credit score co-signer. Here's what worked for us after initially getting a similarly terrible rate from Sallie Mae: **Federal options first:** - Parent PLUS loans at 8.05% should definitely be your primary source before any private loans - Double-check that FAFSA was filed correctly - we found an error that got us an additional $3,200 in subsidized loans **Private alternatives that actually worked:** - Our local credit union (BECU) gave us 6.8% with the same credit score - Citizens Bank offered 7.2% after we showed them the credit union offer - Navy Federal was even better at 6.1% if either parent has military connection **Aviation-specific advice:** The reality check about pilot salaries is so important. My neighbor's daughter is in her third year as a CFI making $35k and still living at home because of loan payments. Consider having your stepdaughter shadow some working pilots at different career stages to understand the financial timeline. Also look into whether her program qualifies for any state-specific education loans - many states have programs with rates around 5-6% that people don't know about. Don't rush into that Sallie Mae trap. Take a few weeks to explore these options properly - the difference between 6% and 14% on $70k is massive over 10 years!

As someone who just went through this process with my son last semester, I want to echo what others have said about documentation being key. One thing that really helped us was creating a simple timeline document showing "before job loss" vs "after job loss" income projections for the entire year. We included monthly breakdowns and it seemed to make our case much clearer to the appeals committee. Also, don't forget to mention any other changes in your financial situation - reduced 401k contributions, increased medical expenses, etc. These can all be considered as part of your special circumstances. The appeals process can feel overwhelming but most financial aid officers genuinely want to help families in situations like yours. Good luck with your daughter's appeal!

Just wanted to add - if you're dealing with unemployment benefits, make sure to include documentation showing the difference between your previous salary and current unemployment payments. When I helped my neighbor with her appeal last year, the financial aid office specifically asked for this comparison to show the actual income reduction amount. Also, if you have any other family members affected by the job loss (like if you had to reduce contributions to a sibling's education or elderly parent care), include that context too. The more complete picture you can paint of how the job loss impacted your entire family's financial situation, the stronger your appeal tends to be. Wishing you the best outcome!

I'm actually going through something similar right now with my nephew who's starting pharmacy school this fall! We had the exact same confusion about the Pell Grant eligibility. What really helped us was scheduling a phone appointment directly with his pharmacy school's financial aid office rather than trying to navigate the general FAFSA helpline. The school-specific financial aid counselors are SO much more knowledgeable about professional program requirements and can walk you through exactly what aid your daughter qualifies for at that particular institution. Many also have specialized scholarship databases for healthcare students that aren't widely advertised. One thing we learned is that some medical schools have "bridge" funding or emergency aid programs for students who might face unexpected financial gaps during their studies. Definitely worth asking about when she calls! The whole process is overwhelming but having that direct school contact made everything so much clearer for us.

I'm a first-year medical student and just went through this exact situation last year! The confusion is totally understandable - I spent weeks panicking that I'd filled something out wrong when I saw my negative SAI. Your daughter is definitely looking at old undergraduate information. When you have multiple FAFSA applications in the system, the dashboard can be really confusing about which results correspond to which school year and program level. For med school specifically, she'll want to focus on maximizing any institutional aid her school offers. At my school, they had a separate scholarship application that wasn't tied to FAFSA at all - it was based on essays, community service, and intended specialty. Some schools also offer tuition discounts for in-state students or have partnerships with local hospitals that provide funding. The debt is definitely scary, but most of my classmates have found the financial aid offices at medical schools to be incredibly helpful with creating realistic repayment plans. They understand the unique timeline of medical training (4 years school + 3-7 years residency) and can help map out strategies for different career paths. Best of luck to your daughter - medical school is an amazing journey and the financial piece will work itself out with proper planning!

As a parent who just went through this process with my son, I want to add that the verification process, while stressful, is actually quite manageable if you stay organized. The most important thing is to respond quickly when contacted - schools have deadlines they need to meet for aid disbursement. For your 401k situation specifically, make sure you understand the difference between early withdrawal penalties (which show up as taxes on your return) versus the actual distribution amount (which shows up as income). Both will be captured if you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, but it's good to understand how they affect your SAI differently. One tip that saved us time: create a dedicated folder (physical or digital) with all your financial documents before you even start the FAFSA. Include tax returns, bank statements, investment account statements, and any divorce-related financial documents. If you get selected for verification, you'll have everything ready to go instead of scrambling to find documents later. The financial aid officers really are there to help, not to trip you up. Don't let the fear of making a mistake prevent you from getting your daughter the aid she deserves!

As someone who's currently going through the FAFSA process for the first time myself, I want to thank everyone who's shared their experiences here - this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation with divorced parents and I've been so worried about making mistakes that might affect my aid eligibility. Reading about the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and how it automatically pulls accurate tax information has given me a lot more confidence. I had no idea that about 30% of applications get selected for verification - knowing that it's actually pretty common makes it feel less scary if it happens to me. The advice about contacting the financial aid office proactively really resonates with me. I've been hesitant to reach out because I didn't want to seem like I didn't know what I was doing, but it sounds like they actually prefer when students and families communicate early about complicated situations. One question for those who've been through verification - how long does the process typically take once you submit all the requested documents? I'm worried about missing out on aid if there are delays in processing.

btw if you haven't already, GET A COPY OF YOUR RENTAL PAYMENTS FROM VENMO!! they can delete after a certain time, happened to me and i lost that proof 😡 download statements for every month you've paid!

Quick update for anyone following this thread - I just got off the phone with my school's financial aid office (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it worked great!). They told me to start documenting EVERYTHING right now - screenshots of threatening texts, dates when I've been kicked out, receipts for rent payments, and any witnesses who can verify my situation. They said my case is borderline but they've approved similar situations before when students had good documentation. Also learned that I need to be careful about the timing - if I get kicked out again, I should contact them immediately while it's happening rather than waiting. Thanks everyone for the advice, this thread has been super helpful!