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One final piece of advice: since the 2025-26 FAFSA will be evaluating your 2023 tax year information, start gathering documentation now for any significant financial changes that have occurred since 2023. If your income has decreased or you've had major expenses arise, you'll want to prepare for potential professional judgment appeals at each institution. Also, with two in college, don't overlook the CSS Profile if your students are applying to private institutions. Unlike the FAFSA, the CSS Profile still factors in multiple family members in college when determining aid eligibility at many private schools.
That's excellent advice! My income actually did decrease in 2024 after a job change, so I'll start gathering documentation. And I'll definitely look into the CSS Profile - my older child is at a state university, but my younger one is considering some private colleges too.
Aaliyah Reed
As a new parent to this process, I'm finding all this information incredibly helpful! I have twin juniors in high school who will both be starting college in fall 2026, so I'm trying to learn everything I can now. Quick question - when you mention that each student needs to start their own application first, do they both need to complete their entire student portion before I can do anything as a parent? Or can I start working on my contributor section for the first child while the second is still working on their application?
Khalid Howes
•Welcome to the group! You can definitely work on your contributor section for the first child while the second is still working on their application. Each student's FAFSA is completely independent - once your first twin adds you as a contributor and you receive that invitation email, you can complete your portion for them right away. You don't need to wait for your second child to finish or even start their application. When your second twin is ready and adds you as a contributor, you'll just log in with the same FSA ID and complete a separate contributor section for them. It's actually better to handle them as they come rather than trying to coordinate everything at once!
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My daughter's situation was exactly like this last month! Her SAI changed by about $1200 after corrections and only one school adjusted their offer (and it was only by about $400). Most schools build in a little buffer for these kinds of changes. The most important thing is that you got it fixed before final aid packages go out!
Ravi Gupta
Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact same thing with my son two weeks ago! The "corrections needed" status is definitely confusing but it's totally normal. What helped me understand it was thinking of it like a draft vs. final version - schools get the draft (which is still useful for them to start planning) while you work on the final version. The key thing is to make those corrections as soon as possible because some schools have earlier deadlines for finalizing aid packages. Also, don't panic if you see multiple correction requests over time - sometimes fixing one issue reveals another that needs attention. The system is definitely not perfect but it does work eventually!
Omar Fawzi
•Thanks for sharing your experience! The "draft vs final" analogy is really helpful - that makes so much more sense than how the website explains it. I'm curious, when you say some schools have earlier deadlines for finalizing aid packages, do you know if there's a way to find out what those deadlines are for each school? I want to make sure we don't miss anything important while waiting for the corrections to process.
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Lydia Bailey
This is such valuable information for divorced/separated parents! I'm in a similar boat - my daughter lives with me about 60% of the time and I cover all her expenses (clothes, school activities, medical bills, etc.) even though my ex makes more money. I was panicking thinking his higher income would automatically make him the contributor. One question for those who've been through verification - how far back do they typically want documentation? I've been keeping receipts for about 8 months now, but should I try to gather records going back a full year? And do things like grocery receipts count as supporting the student, or do they mainly want school-specific expenses? Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this thread is a lifesaver for navigating these confusing FAFSA rules!
Malik Thomas
•Great question about the documentation! From what I've seen in verification processes, they typically want records covering the 12 months prior to filing the FAFSA. So if you're filing for 2025-2026, they'd want documentation from roughly March 2024-March 2025. As for what counts - they usually want to see expenses directly related to the student's needs: clothing, school supplies, medical expenses, extracurricular activities, etc. Grocery receipts can be tricky since they cover household expenses, but if you can show receipts for things specifically for your daughter (like special dietary needs, school lunches you pack, etc.) those might help. I'd focus on the clearer student-specific expenses first, then add grocery documentation as supporting evidence if needed. The key is showing a pattern of you consistently covering her major expenses throughout the year. Don't stress too much about having every single receipt - they're looking for clear evidence that you're the primary financial supporter, not an exact accounting of every penny spent!
Emma Davis
As someone who went through this exact situation with my son two years ago, I can't stress enough how important it is to list yourself as the contributor! The FAFSA really does care about who provides the actual financial support, not custody arrangements or income levels. My ex made almost double what I did, but I was covering all of my son's real expenses just like you are. I was so nervous about getting it "wrong" but listing myself as the contributor was absolutely the right call - we qualified for significant aid that would have been impossible with his father's income. One practical tip: start a simple spreadsheet now tracking every expense you pay for your son (clothes, school fees, medical, etc.) with dates and amounts. If you get selected for verification, having this organized record makes the process so much smoother. Also, save receipts for major purchases - even photos of receipts on your phone work! The hardest part is overcoming that fear that you're somehow "cheating the system" by not using the higher income. But you're not - you're accurately reporting who actually supports your child. Trust yourself on this one!
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Hey Christopher! Just wanted to chime in as another first-gen student who went through this same panic last year 😅 Everyone's advice here is spot on - the federal portal is basically useless for tracking actual aid awards. What helped me was creating a spreadsheet to track when each of my schools said they'd release aid packages, because every school has different timelines (some as late as May/June). Also, don't be afraid to call the financial aid offices if you haven't heard anything by their stated deadlines - they're usually super helpful and understand that first-gen students need extra guidance. You've got this! The waiting is the hardest part but it sounds like you did everything right with your FAFSA submission.
This is such amazing advice Camila! The spreadsheet idea is brilliant - I'm definitely going to do that to keep track of all my schools' different timelines. It's so reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same panic and came out the other side successfully! I really appreciate you sharing your experience as a fellow first-gen student. Sometimes I feel like I'm fumbling around in the dark with all this financial aid stuff, but hearing that other people felt the same way and that it all worked out makes me feel so much better. Thanks for the encouragement and the practical tips - you're all making this feel so much less overwhelming! 🙌
Hey Christopher! Just wanted to add some reassurance as someone who works with financial aid - you're absolutely on the right track! The fact that your FAFSA shows "Processed" means the hardest part is done. One thing that might help ease your anxiety: you can actually check your Student Aid Report (SAR) on studentaid.gov to see your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or Student Aid Index (SAI) if you used the new FAFSA. This will give you a better idea of what aid you might be eligible for while you wait for school packages. Also, keep in mind that schools are still adjusting to the new FAFSA timeline this year, so some may be running a bit behind their usual schedules. You're doing great navigating this as a first-gen student - don't hesitate to reach out to your schools' aid offices if you need updates! 🌟
Haley Bennett
As someone who just went through this process with my son at Penn State Beaver, I can confirm everything everyone is saying here! The confusion is totally normal - I was panicking about the same thing last fall. Just select University Park on all your federal aid applications and don't second-guess it. The Penn State financial aid system is actually pretty efficient once you understand how it works. Your daughter's aid will show up correctly on her Altoona campus bill. The only thing I'd add is to take screenshots of all your FAFSA submissions just in case you need to reference them later. Good luck and congratulations to your daughter!
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Lilly Curtis
•Thanks so much for sharing your experience with Penn State Beaver! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who just went through this. The screenshot tip is brilliant - I never would have thought of that but it makes total sense to have that documentation. Did you run into any other unexpected steps in the process that caught you off guard?
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Sean Flanagan
I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and seeing all these responses is so helpful! My daughter just got accepted to Penn State Mont Alto and I was having the exact same confusion about the campus selection. It's such a relief to know that selecting University Park is the correct thing to do even when your student will be at a commonwealth campus. I was worried I was doing something wrong! Quick question though - when we eventually need to apply for loans for future years, do we continue to always select University Park, or does that change if she transfers to the main campus through the 2+2 program?
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Liam Duke
•Welcome to the FAFSA journey! You'll always select University Park on the FAFSA regardless of whether your daughter stays at Mont Alto or transfers to University Park through the 2+2 program. The Penn State system handles all the campus routing automatically based on where she's actually enrolled each semester. So even if she does transfer to main campus later, you won't need to change anything on future FAFSA applications - just keep selecting University Park every year. The financial aid office tracks her enrollment location internally and sends the funds to the right place. One less thing to worry about!
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