Hey Nathaniel! I went through something similar about 3 years ago. The biggest thing that helped me was getting organized first - I made a spreadsheet with all my loan info, servicer contact details, and payment history. Also, don't forget to check if you qualify for any state-specific financial aid programs when you go back. Some states have "second chance" grants for students returning after a break. The federal stuff is important but state aid can really help fill in gaps. Good luck with everything - it's totally doable even though it feels overwhelming right now!

Just wanted to add my experience here since I was in almost exactly the same situation! I dropped out in 2017 with about $15k in loans and went back in 2022. The most important thing is definitely checking your loan status on studentaid.gov first - mine were actually in default even though I thought they were just in normal repayment. Had to do the rehabilitation program which took about 10 months, but once that was done I was able to get full financial aid including Pell grants. The whole process was frustrating but absolutely worth it. One thing I wish someone had told me is to also check with your state's higher education agency - many states have programs specifically for adult learners returning to school that can supplement federal aid. Don't give up on your degree dreams! It's definitely possible to make it work.

As a parent who's been through this multiple times, I can confirm that you absolutely must report the balance showing in your account on the day you submit your FAFSA - those outstanding checks don't matter for reporting purposes. I know it feels unfair when you know that money is already committed to bills, but the FAFSA requires a snapshot of what's actually in your accounts at that moment. The silver lining is that parent assets really don't have as big an impact as most people think. At the 5.64% assessment rate, even if you're reporting an extra $1,700 because checks haven't cleared, that only adds about $96 to your Student Aid Index at most. That's unlikely to significantly change your aid package. My advice? Don't stress too much about timing it perfectly around when bills clear - just make sure you submit accurately and on time. Missing priority deadlines while trying to optimize your asset reporting can cost you way more in aid than the minor difference in assessment would save you.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact dilemma last year! I had about $2,000 in outstanding checks when I needed to submit my daughter's FAFSA, and I was so worried about "overreporting" our assets. After reading through all the guidance and talking to our school's financial aid office, I reported the actual bank balance on submission day. Everything worked out fine - we weren't selected for verification, and the aid package was pretty much what we expected based on our income. Looking back, I wish I hadn't spent so much time stressing about it. The parent asset assessment rate really is minimal compared to how income affects your aid eligibility. My advice to anyone in this situation: report what's actually in your account, submit before any priority deadlines, and don't let perfect be the enemy of good. The FAFSA process has enough genuine complexities without creating extra anxiety over timing issues that barely impact the final result!

I'm going through the exact same frustrating situation! My FAFSA was processed about 3.5 weeks ago, my SAI is around 11,100, and my NJFAMS dashboard is completely empty too. I've gotten financial aid packages from two NJ schools but zero mention of state grants anywhere. Reading through everyone's responses here has been SO helpful - it sounds like we're all experiencing the normal (though painfully slow) HESAA timeline. I'm definitely going to try calling my schools' financial aid offices tomorrow since that seems more productive than trying to reach HESAA directly. I'm also going to hunt around for that hidden status checker tool Isaac mentioned - I had no idea that existed! Thanks for posting this because I was also starting to panic that I'd missed some critical deadline or form. It's reassuring to know we're all in the same boat waiting for HESAA to catch up!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! My FAFSA was processed about 3 weeks ago, SAI is around 10,600, and my NJFAMS dashboard is completely blank too. I've received financial aid packages from Montclair and Stockton but no mention of NJ state grants anywhere. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like we're all experiencing the normal (albeit frustrating) HESAA timeline of 4-6 weeks after FAFSA processing. I'm definitely going to look for that hidden status checker tool Isaac mentioned and try calling my schools' financial aid offices directly tomorrow. Thanks for posting this because I was also starting to think I'd missed some crucial step or deadline. It's so helpful to know we're all in the same waiting period!

Welcome to the community! As a newcomer here, I'm really grateful to have found such a supportive group of parents dealing with similar FAFSA challenges. I'm actually in almost the exact same boat - my daughter was initially planning on an out-of-state school but just got accepted to our state university. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening! I had no idea that the federal FAFSA amount stays consistent regardless of school choice, but that in-state schools often have access to so many additional funding opportunities through state grants and institutional aid. The advice about updating the FAFSA to include the new school code and scheduling an in-person meeting with financial aid is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm also planning to research our state's specific grant programs - it sounds like many states have substantial aid available that I wasn't even aware of. One thing I'm curious about - for those who made the switch from out-of-state to in-state plans, did you find the transition easy for your student emotionally? My daughter had her heart set on the out-of-state experience, so I'm trying to help her see all the benefits of staying closer to home with better financial support. Thanks for creating such a valuable resource for navigating these complex decisions!

Welcome to the community! As a newcomer here, I'm really amazed by how helpful and knowledgeable everyone has been in this thread. I'm actually dealing with a very similar situation with my son who was originally accepted to an out-of-state school but just got into our state university as well. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational - I had no idea that the federal FAFSA amount stays the same regardless of which school you choose! The information about state-specific grants and the importance of meeting with financial aid counselors in person is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about updating our FAFSA to include the in-state school code and scheduling that face-to-face meeting with their financial aid office. It sounds like there could be significant additional funding available through state programs that I wasn't even aware of. One question I have - for those who've successfully navigated this transition, how long did it typically take to receive a complete financial aid package from the in-state school after updating your FAFSA? I want to make sure we have realistic expectations about timing as we make this important decision. Thanks so much for creating such a supportive space to work through these complex financial aid challenges!

This situation is absolutely infuriating and unfortunately way too common this year! I'm a college junior and this exact same thing happened to me - my institutional grant was cut by $5,500 despite identical FAFSA info. After reading through all the amazing advice in this thread, I wanted to add one thing that worked for me: I brought a parent with me to the financial aid meeting. Having an adult advocate there seemed to make them take the situation more seriously, and my mom was able to ask questions I wouldn't have thought of. Also, don't let them brush you off with vague answers! When they told me it was "budget constraints," I politely but firmly asked for specific details about what changed in their funding formula and why continuing students were being penalized. Sometimes pushing for actual explanations can reveal that their decision wasn't as thoroughly considered as they want you to believe. You've got this - the preparation and research you're doing shows you're going to be a strong advocate for your daughter. Really hoping Monday's meeting results in getting at least most of that aid restored! Keep fighting!

This whole situation is so frustrating and scary! As a senior in high school who just got accepted to college, reading about all these unexpected aid cuts has me worried about what might happen to my own financial aid package in future years. What really bothers me is how colleges seem to treat these aid packages like they're not real commitments to families. When you accept a student and give them a certain level of aid, that student and their family are making major financial decisions based on that information. Then to just randomly cut it with minimal explanation feels like a breach of trust. I'm definitely saving all the advice in this thread for future reference - the strategies about in-person meetings, written documentation, involving ombudsmen, and exploring departmental funding sources are all things I never would have known to try. It's clear that students and families need to be much more proactive advocates than I realized. Good luck with your Monday meeting! I really hope you're able to get at least a significant portion of your daughter's aid restored. The way you're approaching this with thorough preparation and multiple backup strategies gives me hope that persistence can make a difference in these situations. Please keep us updated on how it goes - your experience is going to help so many other families who find themselves in similar positions!