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Just wanted to add something that might help with your situation - if you're looking at ways to maximize aid for your kids, consider timing any major financial decisions carefully. For example, if you're planning to make a large retirement account contribution or have flexibility in when you realize capital gains/losses, the timing relative to the FAFSA filing years can impact your aid eligibility. Also, don't forget about work-study programs and institutional grants that individual colleges offer. These often have different criteria than federal aid and might be more accessible even with higher family income. Some schools are surprisingly generous with merit aid that isn't need-based at all. Good luck with the process - it's definitely confusing but you're asking all the right questions!
This is really great advice about timing financial decisions! I hadn't thought about how the timing of retirement contributions or capital gains could affect our FAFSA calculations. Do you know if there's a specific window of income years that FAFSA looks at? Like, if my daughter is applying for fall 2025, which tax year would they be using? I want to make sure I understand the timing before we make any major financial moves.
Welcome to the community! I see you're getting great advice here. As someone who went through this process recently with my own kids, I wanted to add that it's worth checking if your state has any special programs for parents who are returning to school. Some states offer grants or scholarships specifically for adult learners that aren't tied to your previous federal aid usage. Also, regarding your kids' aid - while you can't transfer Pell eligibility, if you do decide to go back to school yourself while they're in college, having a parent in school can sometimes be factored into the family's overall financial aid picture at certain institutions. It's not common, but worth asking about during the aid process. The FAFSA system definitely isn't intuitive, but you're doing great by asking these questions early in the process!
Thank you for the warm welcome! That's really interesting about state programs for adult learners - I hadn't even thought to look into that angle. Do you happen to know if those programs typically have income limits like federal aid does, or are they more merit/completion-based? And wow, I never considered that me being in school at the same time as my kids could potentially help their aid situation. That's definitely something worth exploring further, especially since I've been thinking about going back anyway. Thanks for pointing out these possibilities I wouldn't have thought of on my own!
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This is such valuable information! I'm a newcomer here and going through the exact same situation with my daughter's FAFSA. Our SAI came back at around $45k and we also got that "may qualify for small Pell Grant" message. I was convinced it had to be an error since everything I'd read online said Pell was only for much lower income families. Reading all these responses about multiple students in college affecting the calculation makes so much sense now - we also have my older son finishing his senior year. It's reassuring to hear from people who actually received small Pell grants despite higher SAIs. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences!
Welcome to the community! It's so great to have another parent going through this process. Your situation sounds very similar to what we're experiencing. Having that older son still in college should definitely help with the Pell calculation just like everyone mentioned about our twins. It's such a relief to find this community where people share real experiences instead of just the general rules you find online. Good luck with your daughter's financial aid process!
Welcome to the community! I'm new here too and this thread has been incredibly helpful. My family is in a very similar situation - our SAI came back at $51,000 and we also got that confusing "may qualify for small Pell Grant" message. Like you, I was absolutely convinced it was a system error since everything I'd read suggested Pell was only for much lower income families. We don't have multiple kids in college, but my spouse is currently enrolled in a graduate program while working, so that might be our "multiple family members in college" factor. Reading all these real experiences from people who actually received small Pell grants despite higher SAIs gives me so much hope! It's amazing how much more helpful this community is than just reading the official guidelines online. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - it's making this whole confusing process feel much less overwhelming.
Welcome to the community, Kayla! Your situation with your spouse in graduate school is exactly the kind of scenario that can affect Pell eligibility in ways that aren't immediately obvious from the standard guidelines. It's so frustrating how the official FAFSA information doesn't clearly explain these nuanced situations where families might still qualify despite higher SAIs. I'm really glad this thread has been helpful - I was feeling so lost when I first posted, but everyone's real-world experiences have been invaluable. It sounds like you have a good chance of actually receiving that small Pell grant! Fingers crossed for both of our families when the official aid packages come through.
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I'm new to this community and experiencing the exact same frustrating situation! Filed my FAFSA in early March, received my SAI confirmation about 2 weeks ago, but my NJFAMS portal is completely empty regarding my TAG grant status. I was really starting to worry that I had made some mistake in my application, but reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief! It's clear that these 4-6 week processing delays are unfortunately the new normal this year due to the FAFSA Simplification Act implementation. I really appreciate all the practical advice shared here - especially the tip about checking NJFAMS on weekends (thanks Jade!), waiting until the 30-day processed mark before calling HESAA, and using that Claimyr service to potentially get through phone queues faster. It's so helpful to have realistic timelines from people who've actually been through this process. Caleb's update about his data finally appearing after 34 days gives me hope that mine will show up soon too. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space - it makes this stressful waiting period so much more manageable knowing we're all in this together!
Welcome to the community, Chloe! I'm also new here and dealing with the exact same timeline - filed my FAFSA in early March and got my SAI about 2 weeks ago too. This thread has been such a blessing to find! I was getting so anxious thinking I'd done something wrong, but seeing everyone's experiences makes it clear these delays are just the unfortunate reality this year. I'm definitely going to try all the tips shared here, especially checking on weekends and being patient until that 30-day mark. It's incredible how much less stressful this feels when you know you're not alone in the process. Thanks for sharing your experience and adding to this helpful discussion!
I'm a new member here and facing the exact same issue! Submitted my FAFSA in mid-February, got my SAI processed about 3.5 weeks ago, but my NJFAMS portal is still completely blank for TAG status. I was really starting to panic thinking I'd messed something up, but this entire thread has been so incredibly reassuring! It's amazing to see that these 4-6 week delays are apparently the norm this year due to the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. I had no idea that was even a factor. All the advice here is so practical - I'm definitely going to start checking NJFAMS on weekends (great tip, Jade!), wait until I hit that 30-day processed mark before calling HESAA, and I might even try that Claimyr service if I need to get through to them. Seeing Caleb's update about his data finally appearing after 34 days gives me real hope that mine will show up soon too. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive environment - it makes this stressful waiting game so much more bearable knowing we're all going through this together!
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This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm actually in a similar situation with my cousin who has TPS from El Salvador. She's been hesitant to even apply for FAFSA because she was told by someone at her high school that "temporary" status meant she wouldn't qualify for anything. Reading all these success stories and detailed guidance has completely changed our perspective. I especially appreciate the breakdown of required documents and the clarification that TPS holders ARE eligible for federal aid - this seems to be such a common misconception even among some school counselors. The tip about using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to reduce verification chances is gold, and I'm definitely going to make sure we start early next October when the 2026-2027 FAFSA opens. One question - for those who have been through this process, did you find that some colleges were more knowledgeable about TPS eligibility than others? We're looking at both community colleges and 4-year universities, and I'm wondering if we should prioritize schools that seem more experienced with immigrant student populations.
That's such a great question about college knowledge differences! From my experience helping other families, you're absolutely right that some schools are much more knowledgeable about TPS eligibility than others. Community colleges, especially those in areas with larger immigrant populations, tend to have more experience with these situations. Four-year universities can be hit or miss - larger public universities often have more resources and training for their financial aid staff, while smaller private schools might be less familiar with the process. I'd definitely recommend reaching out to the financial aid offices directly and asking specific questions about their experience with TPS students. You can tell pretty quickly if they know what they're talking about or if they seem uncertain. Schools that have dedicated support programs for immigrant students or first-generation college students are usually a good sign too. Also, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) typically have more expertise in this area. Don't let one uninformed counselor discourage you though - even at schools that are less experienced, there's usually someone higher up who knows the rules. The federal eligibility is the same everywhere, so it's really just about finding the right person to talk to!
This has been such an incredibly helpful thread! As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed by how much valuable information has been shared here. My sister will be applying for FAFSA next year with TPS status from Guatemala, and reading through all these detailed experiences has given me so much confidence that we can navigate this process successfully. The practical tips about document preparation, timing, and what to expect during verification have been especially valuable. It's also really encouraging to see so many success stories of TPS students receiving significant federal aid. I'm already starting to prepare by gathering all her immigration documents and making sure everything is in order well before the application period opens. One thing that really stands out to me is how important it is to find knowledgeable financial aid counselors - it seems like there's still a lot of misinformation out there about TPS eligibility. I'll definitely be doing my research on schools that have experience with immigrant student populations. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and advice. This kind of community support makes such a difference when dealing with complex processes like this!
Welcome to the community! I'm so glad you found this thread helpful - it really has become an amazing resource for families navigating FAFSA with TPS status. Your sister is lucky to have you helping her prepare so far in advance! One additional tip I'd suggest is to also look into whether Guatemala has any specific bilateral education agreements or scholarship programs with the US that might provide additional funding opportunities beyond federal aid. Sometimes there are country-specific resources that people don't know about. Also, once you start visiting colleges, don't hesitate to ask about their track record with TPS students specifically - schools that have successfully helped other TPS holders tend to have streamlined processes and know exactly what documentation to expect. Best of luck with your sister's college journey! Feel free to update us on how the process goes when you get there.
Nia Williams
Just wanna say that having three kids in college...respect! That's a huge financial undertaking even with merit scholarships. Hope your youngest does great!
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Omar Farouk
•Thank you! It's definitely been a journey (and expensive!). Fortunately this is our last one, so we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, haha!
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CosmicCrusader
This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation with my daughter who has a partial merit scholarship. Reading through all these responses really clarifies the distinction between scholarships used for qualified vs. non-qualified expenses. It sounds like most of us are overthinking this question - if the scholarship money went toward tuition and fees and we didn't report any of it as income on our tax returns, then zero is the correct answer. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, especially the financial aid counselor's breakdown!
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Giovanni Colombo
•Absolutely agree! This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding this confusing FAFSA question. As someone new to the financial aid process, I was also worried about making mistakes with scholarship reporting. It's reassuring to see that so many families have similar questions and that the answer really comes down to whether the scholarship amounts were actually reported as income on tax returns. The financial aid counselor's explanation was especially clear about the qualified vs. non-qualified expense distinction. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge!
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