Hannah, what an amazing thread this has become! As someone new to this community, I'm really impressed by how everyone came together to help you navigate this confusing situation. The VA/FAFSA separation issue seems to trip up so many students, and it's clear the system really needs better integration. I wanted to add one small but potentially important detail that I didn't see mentioned: when you start receiving your Chapter 35 payments, make sure to keep detailed records of all the money you receive throughout the year. You'll likely need this information for next year's FAFSA application, as VA education benefits do need to be reported as "untaxed income" in certain sections of the form. Also, if you end up taking any summer classes, remember that Chapter 35 benefits are available year-round as long as you're enrolled and certified by your school's Veterans Services office. Some students forget about summer availability and miss out on those additional payments. It sounds like you have an excellent plan now thanks to everyone's advice. The checklist Jade created is spot-on, and you're clearly asking all the right questions. Your dad must be proud that his service is helping make your education possible - what a wonderful way to honor that sacrifice. Best of luck with everything, and please do keep us updated on how it all works out! 🎓

Hannah, I'm new here but had to jump in because I literally just went through this exact same situation last month! Reading your original post was like looking in a mirror - I had the exact same panic when my aid package came back with no mention of my Chapter 35 benefits. Everyone here has given you absolutely incredible advice, and I can confirm from recent experience that it's all spot-on. The separate application process is confusing but totally worth it once you get through it. One tiny thing I'd add that helped me: when you call your school's Veterans Services office (not financial aid!), ask them if they have a pre-enrollment checklist specifically for Chapter 35 students. My school had a really helpful one-page guide that walked through the timing of everything - when to apply, when to expect your Certificate of Eligibility, when they need to certify your enrollment, etc. It was way more clear than anything I found on the VA website. Also, don't feel bad about your high school counselor not explaining this properly. Mine didn't either, and apparently it's super common! The whole system really is needlessly complicated for something that should be straightforward. You're going to do great with this - your proactive approach to figuring it all out shows you've got this handled. And that monthly payment is going to be such a game-changer for your college expenses! 🙌

oh also tell her to apply for scholarhsips for foster youth even if shes just in guardianship!! my cousin got like 3 different ones bc there not many people who apply for them!

Just wanted to add another resource that might be helpful - the National Foster Youth Institute has a FAFSA guide specifically for youth who aged out of foster care or are in guardianship situations. They break down all the dependency questions really clearly and have sample documentation you might need. Also, don't forget to look into your state's tuition waiver programs for former foster youth - many states have these even for students in guardianship situations. Your daughter might qualify for in-state tuition waivers or other benefits beyond just federal aid. Worth checking with your state's higher education agency!

This thread has been incredibly helpful and I'm in a very similar situation! My daughter's SAI came back at 41,000 with our household income around $125k, and we're looking at similar out-of-pocket costs. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from our financial advisor - if you have any unusual expenses like medical bills, elder care costs, or recent job loss/income reduction that wasn't reflected in your tax year, definitely document those for professional judgment appeals. Schools can sometimes adjust your aid based on circumstances the FAFSA formula doesn't capture. Also, I've been researching external scholarship opportunities through sites like Fastweb and Scholarships.com - even small $500-1000 scholarships can add up and every bit helps when you're facing these kinds of costs. @Jade Lopez - definitely wait to see all your packages before making any decisions. The variation between schools can be huge, even among similar institutions. Hang in there!

I'm so sorry you're experiencing this sticker shock - it's unfortunately becoming the norm for middle-income families with the new FAFSA changes. Your situation sounds incredibly frustrating but sadly typical. A few thoughts based on what others have shared and my own research: 1. That missing unsubsidized loan amount is a red flag - definitely call tomorrow about the additional ~$3,750 in federal loans your daughter should qualify for as a freshman. 2. Start documenting everything now for appeals, especially the fact that you'll have two kids in college next year. Even though the new FAFSA doesn't automatically factor this in, schools can still consider it through professional judgment. 3. Don't overlook payment plan options - many schools offer 10-month payment plans that can help with cash flow even if they don't reduce the total cost. 4. Consider asking about work-study opportunities or on-campus jobs that might not have been included in the initial package. The "middle-class penalty" is so real - you're caught between making too much for significant need-based aid but not enough to comfortably afford these astronomical costs. Hang in there until you see all your offers, then advocate hard. Many families have had success with appeals and negotiations!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this incredibly helpful thread! I'm currently dealing with the exact same MPN processing issue for my twin daughters. They both completed their MPNs and entrance counseling over 5 weeks ago, and while StudentAid.gov shows everything as complete, both schools still show "MPN - Unsatisfied Requirement" in their portals. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both reassuring and educational. It's clear this is a widespread system problem affecting thousands of families, not individual mistakes. The practical solutions shared here - especially the early morning calling strategy, specific email subject line format, and having screenshots ready - are exactly what I needed to hear. I'm particularly grateful for the confirmation from the financial aid counselor that schools absolutely CAN do manual overrides. One of my daughters' schools initially told me they "couldn't override federal requirements," but now I know that's simply not true and I can escalate confidently. I'm planning to email both schools today using the "URGENT: MPN Manual Override Request" subject line format with complete documentation attached. If that doesn't work, I'll try the 8 AM calling strategy and be prepared to escalate immediately. Thank you all for turning what felt like an impossible crisis into a manageable problem with clear action steps!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful I found this thread! I'm currently experiencing the exact same MPN processing delays with my daughter - completed everything on StudentAid.gov 3 weeks ago but her school portal still shows it as unsatisfied. What's been most helpful is learning this is a widespread system issue, not something we did wrong. The practical advice here is invaluable - I had no idea schools could do manual overrides or that calling at 8 AM would be more effective. I'm definitely going to try the email approach first with screenshots and that specific urgent subject line format. It's frustrating that the Department of Education hasn't communicated about these delays more clearly, leaving families to figure it out ourselves. But I'm grateful for communities like this where we can share solutions and support each other. I'll update once I hear back from the school - hopefully it'll be another success story to add to this thread!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm blown away by how this thread turned into a comprehensive guide for solving MPN processing issues! Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea that the FAFSA system had so many technical pitfalls that could completely derail a student's financial aid. The fact that Lily was able to resolve her son's situation using multiple strategies shared here (Claimyr for reaching an actual human, the specific override terminology from Wesley, and the name matching issue identified by the FSA agent) really demonstrates the power of community knowledge. I'm currently preparing to help my sister navigate her graduate school financial aid applications, and I'm already implementing the preventive tips from this thread - making sure all names match exactly across systems, saving screenshots of every confirmation page, and knowing about backup options like Claimyr if the normal process fails. It's both reassuring and frustrating that so many students face these same bureaucratic nightmares, but having access to real solutions from people who've actually been through it makes all the difference. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise!

As a newcomer to this community who just discovered this thread while researching my own FAFSA issues, I'm absolutely amazed by how this discussion evolved into such a comprehensive troubleshooting guide! Reading through everyone's experiences has been both educational and validating - it's clear that the FSA system's technical problems are widespread and affect so many students trying to access basic financial aid. I'm particularly impressed by how the community rallied around Lily's urgent situation with practical solutions, from Kennedy's name-matching insight to Grace's insider knowledge about COD overrides, and Hunter's recommendation of Claimyr as an actual way to reach human support. The fact that something as minor as a missing middle name could completely freeze loan processing is both fascinating and terrifying from a systems perspective. What strikes me most is how much institutional knowledge exists in this community that you simply cannot find in any official FSA documentation or help resources. I'm definitely bookmarking this entire thread as a reference guide for helping other students navigate these bureaucratic nightmares. It's unfortunate that we need these workarounds just to access education funding, but I'm so grateful that communities like this exist to share real solutions that actually work when the official systems fail us!