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!

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!

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.

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! 🌟

As someone who just went through this exact situation with my twins last year, I can confirm that colleges DO see the multiple children information from your FAFSA, but you absolutely need to be proactive about it. Don't assume they'll automatically help - you have to advocate for yourself. Here's what worked for us: I created a one-page "family circumstances summary" that I sent to each financial aid office along with enrollment verification for both kids. I explicitly asked each school about their institutional policy for multiple children and requested a special circumstances review. Out of 4 schools, 3 ended up providing additional institutional aid ranging from $3,000-$8,000 per child. The key is being persistent but polite, and getting your requests in writing. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you've submitted the CSS Profile wherever it's required - that form still accounts for multiple children in their calculations. With triplets, you have an even stronger case than we did with twins. Don't give up!

As a parent of twins who went through this process two years ago, I want to echo what others have said about being proactive. The colleges absolutely can see your triplets information on the FAFSA, but many financial aid offices are overwhelmed and won't automatically reach out to help. Here's my practical advice: Create a simple spreadsheet tracking each school's policy on multiple children. When you call (and definitely call, don't just email), ask these specific questions: 1. "What is your institutional policy for families with multiple children in college?" 2. "Do you have a special circumstances appeal process?" 3. "What documentation do you need from me?" 4. "When is the deadline for appeals?" Also, timing matters - submit any appeals or special circumstances requests as soon as possible after receiving your initial aid offers. Some schools have limited funds for these situations and it's first-come, first-served. With triplets, you're in an even more unique situation than most families. Don't be afraid to mention the financial strain this puts on your family - financial aid counselors are often parents themselves and understand the challenge. Good luck!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly valuable this thread has been! I'm currently dealing with my own FAFSA nightmare - our SAI came back at nearly $28,000 for a family income of $92,000, which seems completely unrealistic. Reading through all of your experiences has given me so much hope that this might be fixable. I'm definitely going to check if we accidentally included our home value (bought our house 12 years ago and it's appreciated significantly) and look into whether my husband's retirement contributions were double-counted. One question for the group: has anyone dealt with issues related to reporting rental property income? We have a small rental property that barely breaks even after expenses, but I'm wondering if the FAFSA is counting the full rental income without properly accounting for the mortgage, taxes, and maintenance costs we pay on it. Thank you all for sharing your stories and creating such a supportive space to navigate this confusing process!

Wow, this thread is exactly what I needed to find! I'm a first-time FAFSA parent and completely overwhelmed by the whole process. My son is starting college this fall and our SAI came back at $19,500 on a household income of $78,000 - which honestly feels impossible for us to manage. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm realizing we probably made some of these same mistakes. I'm pretty sure we might have incorrectly reported something because that number just doesn't add up with our actual financial situation. I'm going to follow the advice here and call Federal Student Aid tomorrow morning at 8am to request a detailed breakdown of our calculation. Also planning to ask our son's college about that "common FAFSA errors" document that was mentioned - such a great tip! One quick question for the group: if we do find errors and need to submit corrections, how long does it typically take for schools to recalculate financial aid packages? We're getting nervous about accepting/declining aid offers before the May 1st deadline. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and creating such a helpful resource. It's comforting to know we're not alone in finding this process confusing and that there might be light at the end of the tunnel!

Hey Amara! As someone who works in financial aid, I just wanted to jump in and echo what everyone else has said - you're doing everything absolutely right! The Pell Grant is indeed automatic when you submit your FAFSA, so no separate application needed. I also wanted to mention something that might help with your anxiety about the processing delay. Many schools have what we call "professional judgment" policies where we can work with students whose FAFSA processing is delayed due to system issues (which is super common this year). When you call your financial aid office tomorrow, mention that you're a first-gen student and ask if they have any interim processes for students with delayed FAFSA submissions. Also, here's a pro tip: when your FAFSA does finish processing, you'll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) via email. Save that document immediately - it contains your SAI and other important info you might need to reference later. Many students accidentally delete these emails! The first-gen college journey is tough, but seeing this supportive thread gives me so much hope. You're asking all the right questions and advocating for yourself perfectly. Keep it up! 🌟

Hey Amara! I'm also a first-gen student and just wanted to add my voice to this incredibly supportive thread! 🙋‍♀️ I went through the exact same FAFSA anxiety last year - the waiting really is the worst part! What helped me was creating a simple timeline in my head: FAFSA submitted ✅ → processing (you're here) → SAI calculated → school gets data → aid package created. It made the waiting feel more manageable when I could visualize where I was in the process. One thing I discovered is that you can actually call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 and ask for a status update on your application. The wait times are brutal (like 2+ hours), but they can sometimes tell you if there are any specific issues causing delays or if it's just the normal processing backlog. Also, don't stress too much about your school's deadline! Financial aid offices everywhere are dealing with these processing delays right now. Most schools have systems in place to work with students whose FAFSA is delayed through no fault of their own. You're being so proactive by asking these questions and staying on top of everything. That's exactly the kind of advocate-for-yourself attitude that's going to help you succeed in college! We're all rooting for you! 💙✨