UPDATE: Success at last! I took everyone's advice here and: 1. Called at exactly 8:00 AM this morning 2. Got through after only a 45 minute wait (miracle!) 3. Spoke with an agent who confirmed our application WAS in the system The problem? Both my ex-husband and I had to complete separate contributor sections, and while I did mine correctly, my ex apparently never finished his part (despite claiming he did). The agent was able to send him a direct link to complete just his portion. Also learned our daughter's school can actually process a "provisional" financial aid package based on last year's information while we get this sorted out. THANK YOU all for the help and commiseration. This system is still a nightmare, but at least we're making progress now!

This is such a relief to read your update! I've been following this thread because I'm going through the exact same nightmare with my twin daughters' applications. The tip about calling right at 8 AM is gold - I'm setting my alarm for tomorrow morning. It's ridiculous that the system doesn't clearly communicate when a contributor hasn't finished their section. How are parents supposed to know if there's no notification? At least now I know what to ask about when I (hopefully) get through to someone. Did the agent mention anything about how long it typically takes once both contributors complete their sections? My girls' enrollment deadlines are coming up fast too and I'm starting to panic.

Hi StardustSeeker! As a newcomer here but someone who just completed the 2025-2026 FAFSA for my daughter, I can confirm that yes, the student still initiates the application first! Your son will log in with his FSA ID, start the application, and then invite you as a contributor via email when he reaches that section. You'll use your own FSA ID to complete your portion separately. A couple of things I wish I'd known going in: First, make sure both of your FSA IDs have current contact information - the system is stricter about verification now. Second, while they did reduce the number of questions, the layout and wording changed significantly from previous years, so read everything carefully rather than relying on memory. Finally, definitely complete it during off-peak hours if possible - I found early mornings worked best to avoid system slowdowns. Since this is your last year, I'd recommend starting well before any priority deadlines. The new system generally works better than the old one, but it's always good to have buffer time just in case. Good luck with your son's senior year!

Hey there! As someone new to this community but who just went through the 2025-2026 FAFSA process with my twins, I can definitely confirm that the student still starts the application first! The basic workflow you're familiar with hasn't changed - your son will log in with his FSA ID, begin the application, and then send you an invitation email to complete your contributor section when he gets to that part. One thing I'd add that I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're using a different computer or device than in previous years, make sure to have your FSA ID recovery information handy. I got locked out of mine because I couldn't remember the exact answers to my security questions from years ago! Also, the new system seems to be more sensitive about browser settings, so if you run into any weird issues, try switching to an incognito/private browsing window. Since this is your final FAFSA journey, definitely savor the moment (even though it's paperwork!) and good luck with your son's senior year. You've got this!

I'm new to this community but wanted to jump in because I'm dealing with a very similar situation! My daughter's SAI came back at 7198 and we're also not seeing any Pell Grant in her aid package, which is really stressing me out since we were counting on that funding. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like there are a lot of processing issues and verification flags with the new FAFSA system that aren't being communicated clearly to families. The fact that so many people with SAIs in our range have been able to get their Pell Grants after resolving these behind-the-scenes issues gives me a lot of hope. I'm planning to call our financial aid office first thing Monday morning and specifically ask them to check for any verification flags or processing holds that might be preventing the award, even though we haven't been notified of any issues. The advice about asking them to explain exactly what's blocking the Pell despite having a qualifying SAI is really smart. Sebastian, I hope you get answers soon! It sounds like with your SAI of 7261 you should definitely qualify for at least some Pell funding. Please keep us updated on what you find out - I'm sure there are other families dealing with this same frustrating situation who would benefit from hearing how it gets resolved.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! As someone new to this community but currently navigating similar FAFSA challenges, I wanted to add my voice of support. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening about how many families are experiencing processing issues with the new FAFSA system. Your SAI of 7261 should absolutely qualify for at least some Pell Grant funding based on the 7380 cutoff everyone has mentioned. What really stands out to me is how many people have discovered "silent flags" or verification requirements that were blocking their awards without any notification. It seems like the new system has created a lot of behind-the-scenes problems that families aren't being told about. Based on everyone's advice here, I'd definitely recommend calling your daughter's financial aid office and specifically asking them to check for any processing flags, verification holds, or technical issues that might be preventing the Pell Grant from being awarded despite your qualifying SAI. Don't just ask if she's eligible - ask them to walk through exactly what's blocking it. Also, definitely mention having two children in college now. Even though the federal formula no longer accounts for this, many schools are using institutional aid to help families bridge that gap. I hope you get this resolved quickly! Please keep us updated - I'm sure there are many other families dealing with similar situations who would benefit from hearing how it works out.

I'm completely new to this community but this discussion is exactly what I needed to find! My family is just starting to navigate the college financial aid process and honestly, reading through everyone's experiences here is both terrifying and incredibly helpful at the same time. The fact that FAFSA completely ignores regional housing costs seems like such an obvious flaw in the system - how can they expect families to contribute the same percentage of income when housing costs vary so dramatically across the country? We're looking at colleges for next year and I'm already worried we're going to face the same impossible calculations everyone is describing here. I'm taking notes on all the strategies mentioned - Professional Judgment appeals, community college transfer routes, state grant programs, employer partnerships. It's frustrating that families have to become financial aid experts just to make education affordable, but I'm grateful this community exists to share real-world solutions. @Tobias Lancaster - I really hope some of these approaches work out for you and your son. The engineering community college transfer strategy that @Kyle Wallace and @Carmen Vega described sounds like it could save tens of thousands while still getting the same degree outcome. Wishing you the best as you navigate this broken system!

I'm new to this community and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening about the FAFSA housing cost issue! As someone just starting to research college financing options, I had no idea that the system completely ignores regional cost of living differences. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that the $3,600/month expectation while paying a $2,200 mortgage is unfortunately common across high-cost areas. What strikes me most is how many practical solutions this community has shared despite dealing with such a fundamentally broken system. The Professional Judgment appeals process seems like a crucial first step that many families don't know about. And the success stories from @Kyle Wallace and @Carmen Vega with the community college transfer route are really encouraging - saving $45,000 and $28,000 respectively while still getting degrees from their target schools shows there are viable paths forward. I'm bookmarking this entire discussion for when my family faces this process. Thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences and solutions - it's invaluable information for families trying to navigate college affordability without financial ruin!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how invaluable this entire discussion has been! I'm currently facing this exact situation with my son's college applications - I'm divorced and the custodial parent, and I've been incredibly anxious about whether having different parent information on Common App versus FAFSA would create problems or raise red flags with admissions offices. Reading through everyone's real experiences here has provided such tremendous relief! The consistent message from families who've successfully navigated this process is so reassuring - that colleges completely understand this situation since they see divorced families constantly, and that it makes perfect sense for Common App (complete family information for admissions) to differ from FAFSA (custodial parent information for financial aid calculations) since they serve entirely different purposes. I'm absolutely going to follow all the practical advice shared here: getting our divorce documentation organized immediately (decree, custody agreement, tax returns), researching CSS Profile requirements for our target schools, and understanding that consistency within each application matters more than consistency across different systems. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and wisdom - this community support has been more helpful than any official guidance I've found, and it's given me the confidence to move forward with this process knowing we can handle it successfully!

As a newcomer to this community and someone currently going through this exact situation, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful experiences! My daughter and I are facing the same dilemma - I'm the custodial parent after a divorce 3 years ago, and I've been incredibly stressed about whether having different parent information on Common App versus FAFSA would somehow hurt her chances or create red flags. Reading through all these real-world experiences has been such a relief! The consistent message that colleges see this situation all the time and completely understand why divorced families would have different parent info across these systems really puts my mind at ease. It makes perfect sense that Common App needs complete family information for admissions while FAFSA follows custodial parent rules for financial aid calculations - they're serving different purposes. I'm definitely taking everyone's advice about getting all our documentation organized early (divorce decree, custody agreement, tax returns) and checking CSS Profile requirements for the schools on her list. It's so reassuring to know that what felt like an impossible contradiction is actually just standard procedure for divorced families. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share - this community support has been more valuable than any official guidance I've found online!