Update: Thanks everyone for the great advice! Mom filled out the FAFSA last night as an independent student, and it was actually way easier than she expected. The application automatically skipped all the parent sections after she entered her age and that she's not married. She made sure to include me in her household size since she claims me as a dependent. Now fingers crossed for a good aid package!

Congratulations to your mom on going back to school! That's really exciting. Just wanted to add one more tip - since she's returning after 20 years in the workforce, she should also check if her school has any special programs or scholarships specifically for adult learners or non-traditional students. Many colleges have these programs with additional financial support that goes beyond federal aid. Also, some states have grants specifically for adults returning to complete their degrees. It's worth asking the financial aid office about these opportunities!

Hey! I'm also planning a mid-year transfer (from a private university to community college) and this thread has been SO helpful. Quick question for anyone who's been through this - did your transfer affect your eligibility for work-study at the new school? I currently have a work-study job at my university and I'm wondering if I'll lose that opportunity when I switch schools mid-year, or if the community college can pick up where my current school left off with my work-study allocation?

Just want to add one more thing that saved me a lot of headaches during my mid-year transfer - make sure to get a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR) before you leave your current school! Some community colleges will ask for this as part of their verification process, and it's much easier to get it while you're still enrolled at your university. You can download it from studentaid.gov, but having a printed copy in your transfer paperwork folder is really helpful. Also, if you're planning to take any summer classes at the CC, make sure to ask about their summer aid availability when you meet with their financial aid office - summer aid works differently and has separate deadlines that come up pretty quickly after spring semester starts.

To follow up on your question about Professional Judgment appeals: these are submitted directly to each college's financial aid office, not through FAFSA. Each school has their own form and process. You'll need to document the change in circumstances (your employment change) with evidence like pay stubs, employment letters, etc. I also want to add that many schools have their own institutional aid formulas that differ from the federal methodology. Some private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA, which captures more detailed financial information and may result in a different aid determination. Be sure to check if any of your daughter's target schools require both forms.

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share my experience from last year - we had a similar SAI (around 150k) and I was terrified my son wouldn't get any scholarships. Turns out I was worrying for nothing! He received merit scholarships from 6 out of 8 schools he applied to, ranging from $8k to $22k per year. The key was applying to schools where his stats put him in the top 25% of applicants. One thing that really helped was creating a spreadsheet with each school's average SAT/GPA ranges and their merit aid statistics. We focused on schools where he was a "big fish in a smaller pond" rather than just chasing rankings. Also, don't forget about honors programs - many offer additional scholarships on top of regular merit aid! Your daughter's opportunities aren't limited by your SAI for merit scholarships. Good luck with the process!

To summarize for the OP and anyone else with this question: 1. For married parents filing jointly: Only ONE parent needs an FSA ID and completes the contributor section 2. Either parent can be the contributor regardless of who's listed first on tax returns 3. The parent who creates the FSA ID must be the one to complete the contributor section 4. The system will use your joint tax information regardless of which parent completes it 5. Basic information about the non-contributing parent is still required Hope this helps!

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped us - make sure whoever becomes the contributor keeps their FSA ID login info somewhere safe! You'll need it again next year when you renew the FAFSA, and also if the school requests any additional documentation or if there are any issues with verification. I made the mistake of forgetting mine and had to go through the whole password reset process during a time-sensitive deadline. Also, if you're using the mobile app, the desktop version sometimes works better for complex forms like this. Good luck with your daughter's application!

Just saw your comment about trouble reaching financial aid offices. Yes, they're absolutely swamped right now. This is where being strategic helps. Try calling right when they open in the morning, or in the last hour before they close when call volume sometimes decreases. Also, check if they have virtual appointment scheduling - many schools now offer 15-minute Zoom appointments you can book online, which can be easier than getting through by phone. Don't give up - this is too important for your daughter's future. The financial aid offices want to help; they're just dealing with unprecedented volume this year.

I'm in a very similar situation! My son's FAFSA was processed March 20th and we've only heard from 2 out of 6 schools so far. What's really stressing me out is that the two packages we did receive were SO different - one school offered $18K in grants, the other only $7K with basically the same SAI. It's making me realize how much the aid can vary between schools even when your financial situation is identical. Has anyone else seen huge differences between their aid packages this year? I'm wondering if some schools are being more conservative with their offers because of all the FAFSA chaos, or if this level of variation is normal. Really hoping the remaining schools come through with something reasonable!