Welcome to the community, Noah! Your twins' SAI difference of about $123 is actually one of the smaller variations I've seen mentioned in this thread, but I totally understand the confusion and panic - I went through the exact same emotions when I first saw different numbers for my kids. Regarding your question about estimated vs official SAI - several people in this discussion mentioned that the estimated SAI can sometimes change when they process the official one. One parent said their daughter's estimated was about $600 lower than the final official SAI, so there can definitely be shifts. Since your son's is still estimated, it might end up closer to your daughter's official number, or it could change in either direction. The key thing I've learned from everyone here is not to stress too much about the specific numbers until you see actual aid packages. Your SAI range puts you in a similar position to the original poster and many others who've shared encouraging stories about receiving substantial institutional aid despite being above federal Pell Grant eligibility. I'm also planning to reach out to schools this week about their policies for families with multiple students. The timing seems perfect based on all the advice here - financial aid offices are finalizing calculations but aren't yet overwhelmed with aid package questions. Good luck with your son's three options - it sounds like you'll have good opportunities to compare offers and potentially negotiate!

I'm new to this community but dealing with almost the exact same situation! My two kids got SAI scores of 5,892 and 5,654 - about $240 apart despite identical family financial info. Like everyone else here, I was completely confused and honestly terrified we'd only qualify for loans. This entire discussion has been incredibly reassuring though. I had no clue that different SAI scores for siblings was now the norm under FAFSA Simplification. The explanations about how the new system treats each student individually rather than dividing family contribution really helped me understand what's happening, even though it seems so much less fair than the old approach. What's giving me hope is reading about families with similar SAI ranges who still received substantial institutional aid. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about being proactive - reaching out to financial aid offices now with specific information rather than just waiting anxiously for aid packages. My older daughter is already established at her college, but my son is choosing between two schools. I'm planning to contact both this week to ask about their "Professional Judgment" processes for families with multiple kids in college. The timing advice about reaching out before they get swamped with aid package questions makes perfect sense. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences and practical next steps. This community has turned what felt like a hopeless situation into something manageable!

Welcome to the community @Diego Fernández! Your situation sounds incredibly frustrating but you're definitely not alone. I went through something similar last year with my twin daughters and it took about 2 weeks total to fully resolve, but most of that was waiting to get through to FSA in the first place. A few things that helped me: 1. When you submit those corrections that @Samuel Robinson outlined, make sure to note in the "Additional Information" section that you have multiple students from the same household with conflicting SAI calculations 2. Screenshot everything - the original SAI screens, your correction submissions, confirmation numbers, etc. Having a complete paper trail made a huge difference when I finally got an agent on the phone 3. Don't wait for the corrections to process before contacting your schools' financial aid offices. Send them an email NOW explaining the situation and that you're working with FSA to resolve it. Most schools are understanding about these system glitches The 3-5 business day timeframe is hit or miss from what I've seen. Mine took about 6 business days, but having the case number definitely helped when I had to follow up. The good news is that once FSA acknowledges it's their system error (which sounds like what happened with Gabriel), they're usually pretty good about actually fixing it. Hang in there - this is fixable even though it's incredibly stressful!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm dealing with a very similar situation with my twin sons who are both college-bound this fall. Their SAI calculations came back with about a $3,200 difference despite having identical financial information from our household. I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure out what went wrong. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea this was a known system glitch with the new FAFSA. @Gabriel Freeman, thank you for sharing your resolution and the update about finally getting through to FSA! @Samuel Robinson, your step-by-step correction process is exactly what I needed, and I'm definitely going to use that specific "Duplicate Household SAI Review" terminology when I call. I'm going to try the Claimyr service tomorrow since I've also been completely unable to get through to FSA after countless attempts. It's such a relief to know that other families have successfully resolved these discrepancies and that it's a documented system error rather than something I did wrong on the applications. Has anyone had experience with how long it typically takes for the corrected SAI to show up on the college financial aid portals after FSA processes the fix? My sons have already received preliminary aid packages from several schools based on the incorrect calculations, and I'm wondering how quickly those will get updated once this is resolved.

I'm also new to this community and unfortunately dealing with this exact same devastating situation! Our SAI jumped from $2,200 to $7,600 when our second child started college this fall - nearly quadrupling our expected contribution right when we need to cover two tuitions. Reading through all these experiences has been both validating and incredibly helpful. Like everyone else here, we had absolutely no warning about this massive change and had spent years planning our college savings based on the old EFC system where multiple students would reduce our per-child contribution. I'm implementing all the excellent strategies shared here - especially using the specific language like "FAFSA Simplification Act impact" and "multiple student household adjustment" when contacting schools, and asking directly about "transition funds" that @Brianna Muhammad mentioned schools may have created specifically for this crisis. What's most frustrating is being caught in that classic middle-class squeeze - we make too much to qualify for significant need-based aid but nowhere near enough to handle multiple full-price tuitions. The timing and lack of advance notice feels completely unfair to families who planned and saved responsibly. I'm contacting both schools this week using all the advice shared here, and also reaching out to our local newspaper and state representatives. The more families that speak up about this policy disaster, the better our chances of getting emergency institutional funding or policy changes. Thank you to everyone for creating such a valuable resource for navigating this crisis - it's giving me hope that we can find solutions together!

I'm also new to this community and unfortunately facing this exact same devastating situation. Our SAI went from $2,050 to $7,300 when our second child started college this fall - more than tripling what we expected to pay right when we need to cover TWO tuitions! Reading through everyone's experiences has been both heartbreaking and incredibly reassuring - at least we know we're not alone in this crisis. This thread has been absolutely invaluable with all the specific strategies and language to use when contacting schools. I had no idea about phrases like "FAFSA Simplification Act impact" or asking about "transition funds" until finding this discussion. Like so many others here, we're caught in that brutal middle-class squeeze where we make too much for significant need-based aid but nowhere near enough to handle multiple full-price tuitions. We spent years planning and saving based on the old EFC system, and this change has completely derailed our college funding strategy. I'm implementing all the advice shared here immediately - contacting both schools this week using the specific language everyone has recommended, reaching out to our state education department, and also contacting local media about this story. The more families that speak up about this policy disaster, the better chance we have of getting emergency institutional funding or policy changes. Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive community during what feels like an impossible financial crisis. It's giving me hope that we can navigate this together!

As a parent new to this community and process, I'm incredibly grateful for this comprehensive discussion! My daughter is also a junior, and I've been feeling overwhelmed about where to even begin with college planning and financial aid. Reading through everyone's experiences has transformed what felt like an impossible mountain to climb into manageable, actionable steps. The timeline breakdown has been especially helpful - I now understand that we'll essentially be juggling college applications and FAFSA submission simultaneously in fall 2025, rather than doing one before the other. The emphasis on submitting the FAFSA as early as possible after October 1st is a message I'm hearing loud and clear from multiple parents who've been through this! I'm planning to start organizing our financial documents this summer, create FSA IDs in September 2025, and definitely try that practice FAFSA account that was mentioned. The tip about building relationships with financial aid offices during senior year is something I never would have considered but makes perfect sense. One question I have: for families who might need to travel for college visits, is it better to do most of that during junior year/summer before senior year, or can it wait until after applications are submitted? I'm trying to balance the financial cost of travel with making informed college choices. Thank you all for creating such a supportive environment for first-time parents navigating this process!

As a parent just joining this community with a junior daughter, I can't express how grateful I am for this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion! Reading through everyone's experiences has been like getting a masterclass in college financial aid planning from people who've actually been through the trenches. The timeline clarification has been so valuable - I was definitely confused about whether FAFSA came before or after college applications, and now I understand they happen simultaneously starting in fall of senior year. The repeated emphasis on submitting FAFSA as early as possible after October 1st is a message I'm taking very seriously, especially after reading about the families who missed out on aid by waiting. I'm already planning to implement so many of the suggestions shared here: organizing financial documents over the summer, creating FSA IDs in September 2025, trying the practice FAFSA account, and starting scholarship research during junior year. The tip about checking state-specific FAFSA deadlines is something I never would have thought of but could be crucial. One thing that's really resonated with me is treating this as a strategic process rather than just paperwork. The insights about asset treatment, the importance of building relationships with financial aid offices, and the need for backup plans during technical difficulties - these are the kinds of real-world details that make all the difference but aren't obvious to first-time parents like me. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative environment. This thread will definitely be my go-to reference throughout the next year!

Wow, reading through all of these responses has been incredibly eye-opening! As a newcomer to this whole process, I had no idea there were so many nuances to consider with Parent PLUS loans. The fact that federal Pell Grants won't be affected is reassuring, but it sounds like the institutional aid policies really do vary significantly between schools. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about getting my school's policy in writing before applying. The payment plan option also sounds like something worth exploring - I hadn't even considered that alternative. One question I have is about timing - if I'm comparing a payment plan versus a PLUS loan, should I set up the payment plan first and then apply for a PLUS loan only if needed, or do schools expect you to make that decision upfront when you accept the aid package? Also, for those who have used both options in different years, which did you find less stressful to manage? Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this community is amazing for navigating these complex decisions!

As someone who just went through this exact situation last year, I want to echo what others have said about federal aid being protected - your daughter's Pell Grant is absolutely safe! The Parent PLUS loan won't touch that at all. For the institutional aid, I actually called five different schools when my son was applying, and four out of five confirmed their need-based grants wouldn't be affected by PLUS loans. The one school that was different had a policy of "re-evaluating all resources" but even they said it rarely resulted in aid reductions for PLUS loans since they're specifically designed to cover remaining costs. One tip I wish someone had shared with me - when you apply for the PLUS loan on studentaid.gov, there's a section where you can add notes about your specific situation. I wrote something like "requesting loan to cover exact remaining balance after all grants and scholarships" and I think it helped ensure there was no confusion about my intent. Also, definitely apply about 6-8 weeks before your payment deadline. I cut it close and was stressed about the processing time, even though it ended up being fine. The whole process was much smoother than I expected once I actually started it!