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I'm having this exact same issue! I've been trying to use the DRT for three days now and keep getting the same error message. Reading through everyone's suggestions here has been so helpful - I had no idea this was affecting so many people. I'm going to start with checking my address formatting since that seems like the simplest fix to try first. If that doesn't work, I'll try switching browsers and disabling my extensions. Really hoping I don't have to resort to that 3 AM attempt, but honestly at this point I'm desperate enough to try anything to avoid manually entering all those tax numbers again! Has anyone heard any updates on that 72-hour fix that was mentioned?
I haven't seen any official updates on that 72-hour fix yet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I'm in the exact same boat as you - been fighting with this DRT error for days now. I actually just tried the address formatting fix after reading Giovanni's suggestion and I think that might have been my issue too! I had "Unit 5" on my FAFSA but "Apt 5" on my tax return. Going to give it another shot tonight and see if that small change makes all the difference. If you try the address fix, let us know if it works for you too - it would be amazing if such a simple solution could save us all from hours of manual data entry!
I'm dealing with this exact same issue and it's driving me crazy! I've been trying for 4 days straight and the DRT just keeps timing out with that same "Unable to retrieve tax information" error. After reading through all these suggestions, I'm definitely going to try the address formatting fix first - I just realized I might have "Street" abbreviated as "St" on my FAFSA but spelled out fully on my tax return. If that doesn't work, I'll try Firefox with all extensions disabled since I've been using Chrome this whole time. Really hoping that Department of Education fix comes through soon because the thought of manually entering all my W-2 and 1099 information again makes me want to cry! Thank you all for sharing your experiences - at least I know I'm not alone in this struggle!
I'm going through the exact same nightmare! Been trying the DRT for almost a week now and getting nowhere. The address formatting tip is genius - I just checked and I have "Ave" on my FAFSA but "Avenue" on my tax return, so that could definitely be my problem! I'm also going to try that Firefox suggestion since I've only been using Chrome. It's so frustrating that something as simple as address formatting could cause such a major roadblock, but at least now I have some concrete things to try before giving up completely. Really hoping one of these solutions works because the manual entry process looks absolutely brutal. Thank you everyone for all these helpful suggestions!
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I'm going through the exact same frustrating situation! My FAFSA was processed about 3.5 weeks ago, my SAI is around 11,100, and my NJFAMS dashboard is completely empty too. I've gotten financial aid packages from two NJ schools but zero mention of state grants anywhere. Reading through everyone's responses here has been SO helpful - it sounds like we're all experiencing the normal (though painfully slow) HESAA timeline. I'm definitely going to try calling my schools' financial aid offices tomorrow since that seems more productive than trying to reach HESAA directly. I'm also going to hunt around for that hidden status checker tool Isaac mentioned - I had no idea that existed! Thanks for posting this because I was also starting to panic that I'd missed some critical deadline or form. It's reassuring to know we're all in the same boat waiting for HESAA to catch up!
I'm in the exact same situation too! My FAFSA was processed about 3 weeks ago, SAI is around 10,800, and my NJFAMS dashboard is also completely blank. I've been refreshing it daily hoping something would appear! It's such a relief to read through all these responses and realize this is just normal HESAA timing rather than us doing something wrong. Your SAI of 11,100 should definitely still be in the range for at least partial awards based on what others have shared. I'm also planning to call my schools tomorrow and hunt for that status checker tool. We should all report back with what we find out - this thread has been more helpful than any official HESAA information I've found online!
I'm dealing with this exact same issue! My FAFSA was processed about 3 weeks ago, SAI is around 10,600, and my NJFAMS dashboard is completely blank too. I've received financial aid packages from Montclair and Stockton but no mention of NJ state grants anywhere. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like we're all experiencing the normal (albeit frustrating) HESAA timeline of 4-6 weeks after FAFSA processing. I'm definitely going to look for that hidden status checker tool Isaac mentioned and try calling my schools' financial aid offices directly tomorrow. Thanks for posting this because I was also starting to think I'd missed some crucial step or deadline. It's so helpful to know we're all in the same waiting period!
I'm so glad you posted this too! Your SAI of 10,600 should definitely put you in good position for NJ grants based on what everyone's been sharing. I'm also dealing with the exact same timeline - FAFSA processed about 3 weeks ago and that blank NJFAMS dashboard that tells us nothing! It's been driving me crazy refreshing it every day. Reading through this whole thread has been such a lifesaver because I was also convinced I'd messed something up or missed a deadline. The fact that so many of us are experiencing identical timelines really confirms this is just HESAA being incredibly slow. I'm also planning to hunt for that status checker tool and call my schools tomorrow. We should definitely all update this thread with what we find out!
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As a parent who just finished this process with my son last year, I want to emphasize something that really helped us - don't just focus on the FAFSA timing, but also pay attention to state aid deadlines! Many states have their own priority deadlines for state grants that can be even earlier than college deadlines. For example, in our state, the priority deadline for state grants was February 1st, but some of the colleges my son applied to had March deadlines. We almost missed out on $2,000 per year in state aid because we were so focused on the federal and institutional deadlines. Also, with twins, definitely check if your state offers any special programs or additional aid for multiple kids in college simultaneously. Some states have provisions that can increase your aid when you have multiple children enrolled at the same time. I'd recommend making a three-column spreadsheet: federal deadlines, state deadlines, and individual school deadlines. This saved us from missing any opportunities and might be especially helpful when you're managing applications for two kids at once!
This is such an important point that I completely overlooked! State aid deadlines being earlier than federal ones could be a costly mistake. With twins, missing out on $2,000 per year each would be $16,000 over four years - that's huge! I'll definitely research our state's specific deadlines and any multiple-child provisions. The three-column spreadsheet approach sounds perfect for keeping everything straight. Do you happen to know if most states publish their priority deadlines clearly, or is this something I'll need to dig around to find? I want to make sure I'm not missing any state-specific opportunities while focusing so much on the federal and institutional aid timing. Thanks for bringing up this additional layer - it's exactly the kind of detail that could make a real difference for our family!
As a newcomer to this discussion but someone who's been stressing about the same timing questions, this thread has been incredibly enlightening! Reading everyone's experiences really drives home that early FAFSA submission is crucial - not just for federal aid but especially for institutional grants and favorable aid packaging. What strikes me most is how the "first-come, first-served" reality isn't always clearly communicated by schools. The insight about grant-to-loan ratios being better for early applicants is something I never would have considered, but it makes total sense from a budgeting perspective. For those of us with multiple kids or twins, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1. Submit FAFSA on October 1st regardless 2. File taxes early to use IRS Data Retrieval Tool 3. Create comprehensive deadline tracking for federal, state, and institutional requirements 4. Contact each school's financial aid office directly for their specific priority dates 5. Don't forget about state aid deadlines which can be even earlier This community's willingness to share real dollar amounts and specific experiences is so valuable. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their stories - it's helping nervous parents like me feel more prepared to navigate this complex process!
Welcome to the conversation! You've done a great job summarizing all the key insights from this thread. As someone new to this process myself, I found it really reassuring to see so many concrete examples and dollar amounts from families who've actually been through it. Your five takeaways are spot-on and I'm definitely bookmarking this thread as my action plan. The point about schools not clearly communicating their "first-come, first-served" policies really resonates - it seems like you have to dig deeper and ask direct questions to get the full picture. One thing I'm taking away is that this early submission strategy seems to be a low-risk, high-reward approach. Even if the timing doesn't make a huge difference at every school, the potential benefits (better grant ratios, more institutional aid, buffer time for verification) far outweigh any downsides of applying early. Thanks for summarizing everything so clearly - it helps confirm that we're all on the right track with the October 1st strategy!
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I'm so relieved to see this thread! My daughter and I have been dealing with the exact same situation for weeks now. My partner is undocumented and we kept hitting walls with the FAFSA system. Reading through everyone's experiences here has given me hope that we can actually get through this process. I'm going to try the zeros approach for the SSN field tomorrow and gather all the tax documents with his ITIN. It's honestly been so stressful wondering if my daughter would be able to get financial aid because of our family situation. Thank you all for sharing your stories and advice - it means more than you know to families like ours who are just trying to help our kids get an education.
You're definitely not alone in this - it's heartbreaking how many families get stuck in this exact same situation! The stress is so real when you're trying to navigate a system that wasn't really designed for mixed-status families. But seeing all the success stories in this thread gives me hope too. The zeros approach really does work, and once you get past that initial hurdle of submitting the application, the verification process is just paperwork. Your daughter is lucky to have a parent who's fighting this hard for her education. Don't give up - there are people at the financial aid office who know how to handle these cases, you just have to get to the right person sometimes. Wishing you both the best with the resubmission!
I'm a new college student going through this exact situation right now! My mom is a citizen but my dad is undocumented, and we just went through the whole FAFSA process last month. What really helped us was calling the school's financial aid office and specifically asking to speak with someone who handles "special circumstances" cases - that's the key phrase that gets you to someone who actually knows how to deal with mixed-status families. They walked us through everything step by step and even helped us submit some of the verification documents directly through their system. Also, don't be discouraged if the first person you talk to doesn't know what to do - we had to ask to speak to a supervisor twice before getting to someone with the right expertise. The whole thing took about 3 weeks from start to finish, but we got our aid package approved! Your daughter will get through this too.
This is exactly the kind of detailed, step-by-step guidance that families in this situation need! The "special circumstances" phrase is so important - I wish more people knew about that magic phrase. It's frustrating that you had to ask for supervisors multiple times just to get to someone with the right knowledge, but I'm so glad you persisted. Your timeline of 3 weeks gives realistic expectations too, which is really helpful. Thank you for sharing your recent experience - it's going to help so many families who are currently struggling with this same process!
James Johnson
Coming at this from a parent who just survived the 2024-25 FAFSA nightmare with twins! We filed in early November last year (after waiting for the bugs to get worked out) and it was still a mess, but manageable. Here's what I learned: 1) The "simplified" process still requires the SAME documents as before, so don't let that fool you into being unprepared. 2) Screenshot EVERYTHING as you go - we had our application mysteriously reset twice and having screenshots saved us hours of re-entering data. 3) If you have divorced parents, start gathering those documents NOW because the contributor determination process was the biggest source of delays last year. 4) Consider filing a practice run on the FAFSA simulator first to catch any weird situations with your family's finances. My twins got into their top choices and we didn't miss out on institutional aid by filing in November, but I'd probably aim for late October this year just to be safe. The anxiety is real, but you've got this!
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Zoe Papadopoulos
•Thank you so much for sharing your experience with twins - that must have been incredibly stressful! The screenshot tip is brilliant, I never would have thought of that but it makes total sense given all the technical issues people faced. Quick question about the FAFSA simulator - is that different from the preview worksheet that Diego mentioned earlier? I want to make sure I'm using the right tools to prepare. Also, did you end up needing to file any corrections after your initial submission, or did the November timing help you avoid most of the major glitches?
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Isabella Ferreira
First-time FAFSA parent here and honestly feeling overwhelmed by all the horror stories! My daughter is a junior now so we have one more year to prepare, but reading through everyone's experiences is both terrifying and incredibly helpful. A few questions for the group: 1) For those who mentioned printing everything - are you literally printing every single page as you fill it out, or just the final submission confirmation? 2) Has anyone tried calling their state's financial aid agency for guidance, or is it better to stick with the federal resources? 3) I keep seeing mentions of "verification" - is this something that happens to everyone or only certain applications? Really appreciate this community sharing real experiences rather than just the official government guidance that makes it sound so simple!
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Luca Marino
•Great questions! I went through this last year and can help with your verification question - it's not random. You get selected for verification if there are inconsistencies in your data (like your FAFSA info doesn't match IRS records), if you're chosen for a random audit, or if you left certain fields blank. About 1 in 3 applications get verified, so it's pretty common. For printing, I'd recommend saving PDFs of each completed section plus your final submission confirmation - you don't need every single page, but having proof of what you submitted is crucial if there are disputes later. And definitely reach out to your state agency if you have one - many states have their own grant programs with separate deadlines that the federal folks won't tell you about. You're smart to start preparing now!
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