I'm a newcomer to this community but unfortunately very familiar with Parent PLUS loan stress! I just went through this exact situation with my daughter's loan last semester. The key thing that helped me was understanding that "approved" really just means the credit check passed - there are still several more steps before funds reach the school. From reading through all these helpful comments, it sounds like you're on the right track now that you've completed the MPN. When I called our school's financial aid office in a similar panic, they were incredibly understanding and immediately put a temporary hold on the payment deadline once they could see the loan was in process. They told me this happens constantly and they have standard procedures for it. One tip I'd add: when you call tomorrow, ask specifically about their federal loan processing schedule - our school only processed them twice a week, so timing mattered. Also have your confirmation numbers and dates handy. The whole process took about 10 business days from MPN completion to seeing funds in our account, which was nerve-wracking but totally normal. You're definitely not alone in this stress, and it sounds like you have all the right information now to get this resolved!

I'm new to this community but going through the exact same Parent PLUS loan nightmare right now! Reading through this entire thread has been such a relief - I thought I was the only parent who completely panicked when the "approved" status didn't immediately translate to funds at the school. Like so many others here, I had no clue about the MPN requirement after the credit check. Just completed mine this afternoon after seeing Sean's helpful breakdown of all 5 steps. It's honestly ridiculous that they make "approved" sound like you're done when you're really only 20% through the process! Omar, your insider perspective as a financial aid counselor has been invaluable - knowing that 80% of parents miss the MPN step makes me feel way less stupid about this whole situation. I'm definitely calling my daughter's school tomorrow morning with all the great advice from this thread: ask for a counselor specifically, have student ID and completion dates ready, ask about their batch processing schedule, and request that temporary payment hold. This community has turned what felt like a complete disaster into a manageable situation with clear next steps. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and proving that Parent PLUS panic is apparently a universal rite of passage! 🙏

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm a junior starting my FAFSA early and bookmarking this for when I need my parents to contribute next year. It's really concerning how many technical issues the new system has - you'd think something as important as financial aid would be more reliable. The fact that multiple people had to figure out the FSA ID requirement on their own instead of having clear instructions is pretty frustrating. Thanks to everyone who shared their solutions, especially the step-by-step breakdown from Nia. Hopefully they'll fix these bugs before more students run into deadline stress!

This is such a comprehensive thread on the parent contributor link issue! I'm dealing with this right now with my stepmom and was getting so frustrated - the blank page thing is exactly what's happening to us. Based on everyone's advice here, it sounds like the FSA ID creation step is crucial and needs to be done separately first. I'm definitely going to have her go to studentaid.gov tonight to set up her FSA ID before we try the invitation link again. It's really disappointing that the new FAFSA system has so many bugs, but I'm grateful for communities like this where we can troubleshoot together. The tip about using Chrome instead of Firefox is also good to know - we've been trying in Safari with no luck. Fingers crossed this works for us too!

I'm brand new to this community but unfortunately all too familiar with this exact nightmare! Just received our SAI results yesterday and I'm still reeling from the shock - $50K for my daughter (junior) and $49K for my son (incoming freshman), totaling $99,000 they apparently think we can just magically afford each year. Like everyone else here, our old EFC would have been around $26K each with the sibling adjustment, so we're facing nearly a 90% increase overnight with zero change in our actual financial situation! What really stings is that we specifically timed our kids' college years to overlap, thinking we'd benefit from the sibling discount that had been part of the system for decades. We saved in 529 plans, lived below our means, and did everything financial advisors recommended - only to have the rug completely pulled out from under us by this "simplification." I've already made initial calls to both schools and gotten the predictable "that's just how the new formula works" responses from general staff. But after reading through all the invaluable advice shared in this thread, I'm going back tomorrow armed with documentation showing old vs new calculations and demanding to speak specifically with Directors of Financial Aid about special circumstances appeals. The consistency of everyone's experiences here is both validating and absolutely terrifying - this isn't just affecting a few unlucky families, it's systematically devastating responsible middle-class families who played by the rules. Thank you all for creating this supportive community and sharing your strategies. It helps tremendously to know we're not fighting this broken system alone!

I'm completely new to this community but unfortunately dealing with this exact same devastating situation! Just got our SAI results this morning - $52K for my daughter (sophomore) and $50K for my son (incoming freshman), totaling $102,000 they expect us to somehow pay annually. I literally had to read the numbers three times because I couldn't believe they were real. Like so many others here, our old EFC would have been around $27K each with the sibling adjustment, so we're looking at nearly an 85% increase with absolutely no change in our income or assets! We specifically planned our finances around having overlapping college years to benefit from the sibling discount that had been part of the formula for decades. Now all that careful planning feels completely worthless. I've already contacted both schools and got the standard "that's the new system" responses from general staff. But after reading through all the incredible advice shared here, I'm going back tomorrow with proper documentation and demanding to speak with Directors of Financial Aid about special circumstances appeals. The consistency of everyone's experiences in this thread is both validating and absolutely terrifying - this clearly isn't affecting just a few unlucky families, it's systematically devastating middle-class families who saved responsibly and planned ahead. It's outrageous that we now have to fight tooth and nail for what used to be automatically calculated into the formula. Thank you all for sharing your strategies and experiences. Knowing we're not alone in this fight gives me hope that persistence might actually lead to some relief from this broken system!

As someone who went through this exact situation two years ago, I want to reassure you that an SAI of 58,017 doesn't mean your son won't get any financial assistance! My family had a similar income level and SAI, and while we didn't qualify for federal Pell Grants, we were still able to make college affordable through a combination of strategies. Here's what worked for us: 1) Applied for every veteran-dependent scholarship we could find (there are hundreds!), 2) Contacted each college's financial aid office directly to explain our veteran status - many schools have separate funds for military families that aren't tied to your FAFSA SAI, 3) Used the Chapter 35 DEA benefits which provided about $1,400/month, and 4) Found that several schools offered merit-based aid that had nothing to do with our financial situation. Don't give up hope - there are definitely paths forward for veteran families like ours, even with higher SAI scores. The key is being proactive and not just relying on the FAFSA results.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed advice shared here! I'm in a very similar situation - my spouse is a disabled veteran and we're just starting the college process with our eldest. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both eye-opening and reassuring. I had no idea about Chapter 35 benefits or that colleges have separate veteran affairs offices beyond just financial aid. The suggestion about professional judgment reviews is particularly interesting. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread and planning to follow the step-by-step advice from @Kristin Frank and @Katherine Shultz. It's clear that the FAFSA SAI is just the starting point, not the end of the road. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and helping families like ours navigate this complex process!

I'm dealing with something similar right now - trying to correct my birthdate on my FAFSA and running into the same verification issues. @Emma Taylor, when you uploaded your Social Security card photo, did they accept a phone photo or did it need to be scanned? Also, did the agent stay on the line while you uploaded it, or did you have to call back after uploading? I'm hoping to get this sorted out before my school's deadline too. Thanks for sharing your experience - it gives me hope that there's actually a solution that works!

Hey everyone! I just want to add that I've been following this thread because I'm dealing with a similar SSN issue on my FAFSA. @Emma Taylor, your success story is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been putting off calling because I assumed the wait times would be horrible, but knowing that 8pm has shorter waits is a game changer. For those asking about photo requirements - I actually work at my college's financial aid office (student worker), and I can confirm that phone photos of documents are generally acceptable as long as they're clear and all four corners of the document are visible. The agents are pretty understanding about students not having access to scanners. One thing I'd add is that if you're still having trouble getting through by phone, you can also reach out to your school's financial aid office. They can't fix the SSN directly, but they can put notes in your file about the correction being in progress so it doesn't hurt your aid consideration. Some schools will even help you navigate the FAFSA phone system if you come in person. Good luck to everyone dealing with this frustrating issue - sounds like there are definitely working solutions if you know the right approach!