This is such an inspiring thread to read as someone just starting to navigate the college process! McKenzie, congratulations on your success - you really showed how important it is to be your own advocate. For other families who might be lurking here with similar concerns, I think this conversation highlights some key red flags to watch for: - Schools pressuring for deposits without providing financial aid information - Admissions saying "don't worry" when you ask legitimate financial questions - Any school that seems reluctant to provide timelines or estimates The advice about contacting financial aid directly (not admissions) seems to be the golden rule here. It's also really encouraging to see that schools DO have flexibility with deadlines when you ask directly. One question for the group: Are there any other warning signs families should watch for during this process? I want to make sure I'm prepared when it's my turn!

This entire thread has been such a masterclass in advocating for yourself during the college process! McKenzie, I'm so thrilled that you got the extension and preliminary package - what a perfect example of how being informed and persistent pays off. As someone completely new to FAFSA and college financing, I had no idea that schools could play these kinds of timing games with deposits vs. aid packages. The distinction everyone's made between federal aid (locked in by your SAI) and institutional aid (at the school's discretion) is something I never would have understood without reading this conversation. The strategy of calling financial aid directly instead of going through admissions seems to be the key takeaway here. It's amazing how quickly they accommodated your requests once you knew to ask the right office with the right language! For other newcomers like me reading this - it seems like the main lesson is: don't let anyone pressure you into major financial commitments without complete information, and don't be afraid to ask for deadline extensions when you need more time to make informed decisions. This community is incredible for sharing real experiences and practical advice!

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! As someone who works as a peer counselor for people transitioning back to work after disability, I see situations like yours all the time, and I'm so impressed by how thoroughly this community has covered all the important angles. One additional resource I wanted to mention that I don't think has come up yet: many California community colleges participate in the "Basic Needs" initiative, which includes emergency financial assistance, food pantries, and housing support specifically for students. These programs are separate from FAFSA and typically don't count as income for benefit purposes since they're emergency/in-kind assistance rather than cash aid. Also, since you mentioned you're looking at part-time enrollment while recovering, you might want to ask about "accommodated reduced course load" through the DSPS office. If your injury impacts your ability to take a full course load, this accommodation can sometimes allow you to maintain full-time financial aid eligibility even while taking fewer units. This could be really helpful for maximizing your aid while minimizing any complications with your benefits. The fact that you're planning this out so carefully and asking all the right questions upfront tells me you're going to be successful. I've seen so many people transform their lives through education after disability - it's challenging but absolutely doable with the right support system. You've got this!

This has been such an amazing thread to follow! As someone who's currently on disability after a workplace accident and also considering going back to school, I can't believe how much valuable information has been shared here. What really stands out to me is how this conversation has evolved from Andre's initial question into basically a comprehensive guide for navigating education while on multiple benefit programs. The range of resources mentioned - from WIPA programs to student navigators to Basic Needs initiatives - shows there's way more support available than most people realize. I'm particularly struck by how many people emphasized the importance of getting everything documented and being proactive with communication. It seems like the key takeaway is that transparency with all agencies upfront, combined with meticulous record-keeping, can prevent most of the horror stories we hear about people losing benefits unexpectedly. The success stories shared here are really inspiring too - especially hearing from people like Freya who went through this exact situation and came out the other side with new career opportunities. It gives me hope that this challenging period could actually be a stepping stone to something better. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and expertise. This thread should honestly be required reading for anyone considering education while on benefits! The collective wisdom here is invaluable.

This is such a common issue! I just went through something similar with my daughter's FAFSA application. The FSA system really needs better design to prevent these conflicts from happening in the first place. It's great to see that the solution worked out so smoothly for you though. For any other parents reading this thread, I'd also recommend taking screenshots of each step when you're updating account information - it helped me keep track of what I'd already done when I had to troubleshoot my own issues. The whole process can be overwhelming but threads like this make it so much easier to navigate!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently facing the exact same issue with my son - he used my phone number when creating his FSA ID and now I can't create my own account. Reading through all the responses here, especially the step-by-step instructions from Zoey and the real experiences from other parents, has given me so much confidence that this is fixable. I was honestly starting to panic about missing deadlines, but seeing that multiple families have successfully resolved this makes me feel so much better. I'm going to have my son update his phone number tonight and follow the exact process outlined here. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing for supporting each other through these stressful processes!

Wow, what a relief to see this resolved! As a newcomer here, this thread is incredibly helpful. I'm just starting the FAFSA process for my daughter and had no idea about these common mistakes. The retirement account and home value errors seem to trip up a lot of families. I'm going to be extra careful when we fill ours out next month. Thanks for sharing the final update - it gives hope that even major discrepancies can be fixed with persistence!

This is such a valuable thread! I'm new to this community and currently helping my nephew navigate his first FAFSA application. Reading about all these common errors (retirement accounts, home values, business assets) is eye-opening - I had no idea these mistakes were so frequent or could cause such massive SAI discrepancies. The fact that you went from 160K+ down to 36.5K shows how critical it is to double-check everything. I'm definitely going to use this as a checklist when we submit his form. Thanks for sharing your journey from panic to resolution - it's reassuring to know that even major errors can be corrected with persistence and the right resources!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation last year! The signature order truly doesn't matter - I was the contributor for my nephew and I signed first while he was still at school, then he signed a few days later when he had time. What saved us was setting up a shared calendar reminder for the 14-day signature window so we didn't accidentally let it expire. Also, pro tip: after both signatures are complete, you'll get email confirmations to both the student and contributor email addresses, so you'll know for sure when the FAFSA is fully submitted. Good luck with your niece's application!

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter, I can confirm that signature order doesn't matter at all! What I learned though is to screenshot or save confirmation numbers at each step - especially after each person signs. The system sometimes has glitches and having those confirmation details saved me when we had to call support later. Also, if you're traveling for work, you can actually sign from anywhere as long as you have internet access and your FSA ID credentials. The system doesn't care about your location, just that you use the correct login. One last tip: if either of you runs into any technical issues during the signing process, don't keep trying the same thing over and over - that can actually lock you out temporarily. Take a break and try again later or call for help. Best of luck meeting your deadline!