I'm a newcomer to this community but unfortunately experiencing the exact same frustrating issue! My son's FAFSA has been showing "Processed" for nearly a month, but three of his target schools have told us they either haven't received it or that it shows as "rejected" in their systems. Reading through all of these responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea that "Processed" status could be so misleading! It really should be labeled as "Partially Processed" or something more accurate. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm going to start by checking the school codes first thing tomorrow (sounds like that's the most common fix), then dig into that SAI report to look for hidden error messages. I really appreciate all the practical advice shared here, especially about contacting admissions offices for deposit deadline extensions and keeping detailed logs of all communications. The tip about being able to add up to 10 schools during corrections is also super helpful since my son applied to 7 schools. This whole "Better FAFSA" rollout has been such a nightmare for families like us who are already stressed about college financing. Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences - it's both reassuring to know we're not alone and incredibly helpful to learn from others who've successfully navigated these issues!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately dealing with the exact same issue! My daughter's FAFSA has shown "Processed" for about 5 weeks now, but when I called her top choice school today, they said it was "rejected due to missing information." Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there were so many potential pitfalls even after getting that "Processed" status! Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm going to check the school code first (seems to be the most common culprit), then review that SAI report for any hidden error messages that don't show on the main dashboard. I really appreciate the advice about contacting both admissions and financial aid offices regarding deposit deadline extensions - with how widespread these FAFSA issues are this year, I'm hoping schools are being understanding. One thing I wanted to add that might help other parents: I discovered that you can actually see a history of all your FAFSA submissions and corrections by logging into studentaid.gov and clicking on "View Details" under your application. It shows timestamps for when corrections were submitted and when they were processed, which has been helpful for tracking the timeline when talking to school financial aid offices. This whole "Better FAFSA" situation has been such a source of stress during an already overwhelming time. Thank you to everyone who's shared their experiences and solutions - this community has been a lifesaver!

This thread has been such a lifesaver for understanding the FAFSA complexities! As someone who's completely new to this process, I had no idea that unmarried parents living together had such specific requirements or that the "primary contributor" designation could affect the entire application flow. Miguel, thank you for sharing your experience AND the solution - that's exactly what newcomers like me need to see! What really impressed me is how this community provided not just quick fixes but detailed explanations of why these issues happen. The step-by-step instructions from Zainab and professional insights from the financial aid officers have made this feel so much more manageable. I'm definitely going to take my time with that contributor question and double-check everything before moving forward. It's amazing how one early question can have such big implications, but knowing that mistakes can be fixed without starting over is really reassuring!

As someone who's just starting to research the FAFSA process for my upcoming college applications, this entire thread has been incredibly educational! I had absolutely no idea that unmarried parents living together had such complex requirements or that there was this whole "primary contributor" system that could affect which parent's information gets requested first. Miguel, thank you so much for not only sharing your initial confusion but also coming back with the exact solution - seeing the complete journey from problem to resolution is exactly what helps newcomers like me understand how to handle similar situations. What really strikes me is how one seemingly straightforward question early in the application about financial support can have such major consequences later on. The detailed explanations from financial aid professionals and the step-by-step navigation instructions have made this feel so much less intimidating. I'm definitely going to bookmark this discussion and be extra careful with that contributor designation when it's my turn to tackle the FAFSA. It's reassuring to know that even when things go wrong, there are ways to fix them and knowledgeable people willing to help!

As a parent who recently went through this with my son, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - CSS Profile is definitely more straightforward than FAFSA for account setup! Your son will use his existing College Board account from the SAT to start the application, and when he reaches the parent section, he can invite you via email to complete your portion. You'll create a simple parent login through that secure link (takes about 2 minutes), but it's not a full College Board account like your son has. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given: make sure you and your son coordinate on timing! CSS Profile can be saved and resumed later, which is helpful since they ask for extensive financial details, but you'll want to make sure you both complete your sections before any school deadlines. Also, if your son is applying for merit scholarships at private schools, some of those may have earlier CSS Profile deadlines than regular admission, so double-check all the dates. The whole process was actually smoother than I expected once we got organized!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm starting this process with my daughter next month and was feeling completely overwhelmed after the FAFSA experience. Reading through everyone's detailed explanations has made CSS Profile seem so much more manageable. The key takeaways I'm getting are: my daughter uses her existing College Board account to start, she can email me an invitation to complete the parent section, and I'll create a simple parent login (not a full account) through that secure link. Plus the advice about gathering all financial documents first since CSS asks for much more detail than FAFSA is invaluable. I'm also going to check out that worksheet feature to preview questions beforehand and make sure to verify which schools actually require CSS versus just FAFSA. Thank you all for being so generous with sharing your recent experiences - this community is amazing!

Hi Emma! Welcome to navigating the grant process - it's exciting that your lower SAI might qualify you for grants for the first time! Just to add to all the excellent advice here, I wanted to mention that timing can be really important. While grants do typically appear automatically in your aid packages, some schools have earlier deadlines for accepting aid than others. I'd recommend creating a calendar with each school's acceptance deadline so you don't accidentally miss any cutoffs. Also, if you're comparing offers from multiple schools, keep in mind that some schools might package grants differently - one might front-load grants in the award letter while another might show them as separate line items. Don't be afraid to ask each financial aid office to walk you through exactly what's included and what steps you need to take. They deal with these questions all the time and want to make sure families don't leave money on the table. Good luck with everything!

Hi Emma! As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share something that really helped me when I was in a similar situation last year. One thing I learned is that it's worth checking if your daughter's schools participate in the Common Application's CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. Some schools use CSS Profile data to award their own institutional grants, and with your improved financial situation, you might qualify for additional school-specific aid that goes beyond federal grants. Also, I'd suggest keeping a simple checklist for each school that includes: 1) FAFSA submitted date, 2) Award letter received date, 3) Acceptance deadline, 4) Special circumstances appeal filed (if applicable), and 5) Aid package accepted date. This helped me stay organized across multiple schools and made sure I didn't miss any important steps. The community here has given you excellent advice - you're definitely on the right track by asking these questions early in the process!

This is such valuable information! I'm in a similar situation with my son who's a sophomore in high school - his great-grandfather set up a UTMA account that now has about $8,000 in it. Reading through all these responses, I'm realizing I need to start planning NOW rather than waiting until his senior year. The idea of spreading out educational expenses over multiple years is brilliant. I think I'll talk to the custodian about using some funds for SAT prep, a better laptop for his coursework, and maybe some dual enrollment courses. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is going to save us from making the same mistakes!

As someone who works in financial aid administration, I want to emphasize a few key points that have been touched on but are worth repeating clearly: 1) UTMA/UGMA accounts are ALWAYS student assets on FAFSA, regardless of who the custodian is - this is federal law, not negotiable. 2) The 20% assessment rate means $14,300 would increase your SAI by approximately $2,860, which could significantly impact aid eligibility. 3) Spending down these accounts on legitimate educational expenses BEFORE filing FAFSA is completely legal and ethical when done properly through the custodian. 4) For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, report the account balance as of the day you submit your application - so timing matters if you're planning to spend some funds first. One additional strategy to consider: if your daughter has any educational expenses this spring (books for dual enrollment, computer equipment, etc.), those could be paid from the UTMA account now to reduce the reportable balance. Just make sure grandmother approves all expenditures since she's still the custodian. Good luck navigating this - it's a common situation that catches many families off guard!