This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation but with my daughter's last name - we accidentally included her hyphenated last name but forgot the hyphen (so it shows as "SmithJones" instead of "Smith-Jones"). From reading all these responses, it sounds like I need to fix this through the same process on studentaid.gov before we submit the FAFSA. I'm assuming the same rules apply for last names as first names when it comes to matching the Social Security card exactly? Has anyone dealt specifically with hyphenated name corrections?

I just went through this exact same situation with my daughter last month! We had the same issue where her first and middle names got combined in the first name field during FSA ID creation. The good news is it's definitely fixable through studentaid.gov like others have mentioned. I wanted to add one tip that really helped us - after making the name correction, we printed out a copy of the updated FSA ID summary page that showed all the corrected information. When we later submitted the FAFSA, we kept that printout handy just in case any questions came up. The whole correction process took about 2 days for us, and then the FAFSA submission went smoothly with no verification issues. You're absolutely doing the right thing by catching this early - it would have been much more stressful to deal with during verification!

I'm also experiencing the exact same delays and this thread has been such a lifesaver for my sanity! I submitted my FAFSA in late January and have been completely silent from all 7 schools I applied to. My SAI showed up on studentaid.gov about 3 weeks ago, but like everyone else here, it feels like the schools are just stuck in processing limbo. What's been really frustrating is trying to explain to my extended family why I can't tell them which college I'm going to yet. They keep comparing it to "back in their day" when apparently everything moved faster, and I've been struggling to articulate that this isn't normal but also isn't my fault. This thread has given me so much useful language to explain the systemic delays with the new FAFSA rollout. I'm definitely going to try the early morning calling strategy and start checking social media accounts for updates. It's honestly incredible how much more helpful this community discussion has been than any official communication from schools or the Department of Education. Reading about people who submitted in December still waiting makes my January timeline feel much less concerning. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences, phone call results, and practical tips. It's such a relief to know we're all navigating this mess together and that the delays are truly nationwide. Hoping we all start seeing some movement in April like the financial aid counselors are predicting!

I'm so relieved to find this discussion! I submitted my FAFSA in mid-January and have been getting increasingly worried watching the weeks pass with absolutely no word from any of my 5 schools. Like many others here, my SAI appeared on studentaid.gov about a month ago, but it's like the schools hit a wall after that. What's been particularly stressful is that I'm comparing offers from schools with vastly different price points - a state school that's normally around $12K/year versus private schools that are $50K+. Without seeing the aid packages, I literally cannot make any rational decision about which path makes financial sense for my family. This thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I had no idea this was such a widespread issue with the new FAFSA system. I'm definitely going to try the early morning calling strategy and check social media accounts for updates. It's honestly shocking how much more useful information I've gotten from this community discussion than from any official channels. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and experiences - knowing that even December submissions are still pending makes me feel so much better about being patient. Here's hoping we all start seeing those April updates that the counselors keep mentioning!

Just wanted to add something I learned the hard way - make sure you check your state's deadline too! The federal FAFSA deadline is pretty generous, but my state (California) has a much earlier deadline for state grant money. I almost missed out on a Cal Grant because I didn't realize the state deadline was different from the federal one. Each state has its own rules for when you need to submit by to be considered for state aid programs. Worth looking up your state's specific requirements so you don't leave money on the table!

Yes, you definitely need to reapply each year, but the renewal process is much simpler than starting fresh! When you log into studentaid.gov with your FSA ID, look for the "Renew FAFSA" option - this will pre-populate most of your basic information from last year's application. Here's what you'll typically need to update: • Your 2023 tax information (for the 2025-26 FAFSA) • Current bank account balances and investments • Any changes in family size or number in college • Updates to your school list The renewal usually takes about 30-45 minutes versus the 2+ hours for a first-time application. Just make sure you're actually doing a renewal and not accidentally starting a new application - I've seen that mistake happen! One heads up: even though your daughter is returning, her aid package might still change based on updated financial info and school policies. But the application process itself will definitely be much easier the second time around.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to resolve this? I had a thought that might help. If you go into your student's account (not the parent's FSA ID), then navigate to the application, sometimes more options appear that aren't visible from the parent login. Also, try using a different browser completely - I've found Chrome works better than Safari for the FAFSA site.

That's great news that you got it resolved! For anyone else reading this thread who might be dealing with similar FAFSA contributor issues, here are a few additional tips that have helped other families: 1. Try accessing the FAFSA from different devices - sometimes mobile vs desktop shows different options 2. If you're still stuck, document everything with screenshots before calling FSA support - it helps them understand the issue faster 3. Consider calling early in the morning (around 8 AM EST) when wait times tend to be shorter 4. Have all your tax documents and FSA IDs ready before calling so they can fix everything in one session The 2025-2026 FAFSA definitely has more bugs than previous years, but most issues can be resolved with persistence. Don't give up - your daughter's financial aid is worth the hassle!

Just wanted to add that if you're still getting confusing emails from your school, you can also log into your studentaid.gov account to see exactly what documents you have and haven't completed yet. It gives you a clearer picture than those automated emails that schools send out. Also, don't worry about missing deadlines with the MPN - unlike the FAFSA which has strict deadlines, the MPN doesn't have a deadline because it's only needed IF you decide to accept loans. You can complete it anytime before you actually want to receive loan funds. So definitely take your time, wait for your aid package, and make informed decisions about what you actually need!

I'm a newcomer here and this thread has been SO helpful! I'm in the exact same boat as the original poster - got those confusing MPN emails right after submitting my FAFSA and had no idea what they were for. Reading through everyone's explanations really cleared things up for me. I especially appreciate learning that the MPN is completely separate from the FAFSA parent signature and that it's only needed IF I decide to take loans. My parents were also confused and thought they needed to sign something else. It's reassuring to know I can wait to see my full financial aid package before making any decisions about loans. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's nice to know I'm not the only one who found this process confusing! The tip about checking studentaid.gov instead of relying on those automated school emails is gold.