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!

I'm new to this community and unfortunately going through the exact same devastating situation! Our SAI is $38k, total cost is $59k, and we got offered only $2,100 in merit aid. I had absolutely no idea that SAI was basically just a suggestion that schools could completely ignore - I genuinely thought it represented what we'd actually be expected to pay! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both eye-opening and heartbreaking. The "middle-class squeeze" is so real - we're trapped in this awful spot where we make too much for meaningful aid but nowhere near enough to afford these astronomical costs without going into massive debt. It feels like we're being punished for saving responsibly and working hard. I'm definitely going to try appealing based on some of the great advice shared here. We have some significant medical expenses for my elderly parent and my income was unusually high that tax year due to a one-time consulting contract. Also planning to reach out about departmental scholarships and institutional grants that might not have been included initially. It's so frustrating that the entire college planning industry doesn't prepare families for this reality. Everything you read makes it sound like SAI equals your family contribution, not just the starting point for schools to potentially offer nothing. Thank you all for sharing your stories and strategies - knowing we're not alone in this broken system at least helps with the emotional side of this nightmare!

I'm also new to this community and unfortunately dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! Our SAI came back at $33k, school costs $55k total, and they offered us a pathetic $1,900 in grants. Like everyone else here, I was completely blindsided to learn that SAI is basically meaningless - I thought it was actually what we'd be expected to pay! Reading through all these stories has been both devastating and oddly comforting. Devastating to see how broken and misleading this whole system is, but comforting to know we're not doing something wrong or missing some obvious solution. The "middle-class squeeze" term really captures it perfectly - we're stuck in this impossible position where we make too much for real aid but definitely not enough to afford $22k on top of our SAI without destroying our financial future. I'm planning to appeal based on some of the excellent advice shared here. We had some major home repairs after storm damage and my spouse had a temporary second job that inflated our income that year. Also going to dig into departmental scholarships and ask about any institutional grants that weren't automatically included. It's just so heartbreaking watching your kid work incredibly hard to get into their dream school only to discover it's financially impossible. The whole college planning industry really needs to be honest about how this actually works instead of letting families believe SAI equals affordability. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this community has already been a lifeline in understanding we're not alone in this mess!

I'm new to this community but had to jump in because this thread really hits home. My family is going through the exact same FAFSA nightmare right now with my daughter who's looking at colleges next year. We live in Denver where housing costs have skyrocketed, but FAFSA acts like we're living in some fantasy world where rent doesn't exist. What really strikes me reading all these responses is how many practical solutions everyone has shared despite dealing with such a broken system. The Professional Judgment appeals, community college transfer routes, state grant programs, employer partnerships - I'm taking notes on all of this because we're going to need every single strategy mentioned here. It's both comforting and infuriating to see so many families struggling with the same issue. Comforting because we're not alone in feeling like the system is completely out of touch with reality, but infuriating because this clearly affects thousands of middle-class families who are just trying to give their kids an education without going bankrupt. @Tobias Lancaster - your situation with the $3,600/month expectation while paying a $2,200 mortgage is absolutely insane, but it sounds like you're getting some really solid advice here. The engineering community college transfer route seems especially smart since those foundational courses are so standardized. Wishing you and your son the best as you navigate this mess!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar last year. We live in Massachusetts where our mortgage is $2,800/month, and FAFSA expected us to contribute $3,200/month for my daughter's college - it felt completely impossible and honestly made me question if I was doing something fundamentally wrong with our finances. What ended up helping us was a multi-pronged approach that several people have already mentioned here: 1. We filed a Professional Judgment appeal with extensive documentation - not just our mortgage, but comparative housing cost data for our area vs. national averages, utility costs, property taxes, everything. While they couldn't adjust our SAI, the school did offer an additional $4,000 in institutional grants. 2. We negotiated a 12-month payment plan instead of semester payments, which helped enormously with cash flow. 3. Most importantly, we had my daughter start at our local community college for her first year while living at home. She's transferring this fall to her original choice school as a sophomore, and we'll save about $28,000 total while she still gets her degree from the school she wanted. The system is absolutely broken when it comes to housing costs, but don't lose hope. There are ways to make it work without destroying your family's financial stability. Your son's engineering focus actually works in your favor for the community college route since those foundational math and science courses transfer seamlessly. Hang in there - you're definitely not alone in this struggle!

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread! As someone who's been on the fence about applying to WGU for their nursing program, reading through everyone's real experiences with the FAFSA process has answered so many questions I didn't even know I had. The breakdown of how their competency-based model works with federal aid is exactly what I needed to understand. It sounds like the key is really being strategic about course sequencing and realistic about your ability to accelerate while maintaining quality learning. The fact that you work on one course at a time rather than juggling multiple classes actually appeals to me since I learn better with focused attention. I'm particularly interested in the employer partnership angle that @Tyrone Johnson mentioned. I work at a hospital that has tuition assistance, but I wasn't sure how it would work with WGU's unique term structure. Sounds like it's worth having that conversation with HR before I apply. One question for current students - how do you balance the desire to accelerate (to save money) with making sure you're actually mastering the material? I don't want to rush through just to finish faster if it means I'm not adequately prepared for my career. Any tips for finding that sweet spot between efficiency and thoroughness?

As someone who just started researching WGU for my own educational goals, this thread has been absolutely invaluable! The detailed breakdown of how FAFSA works with their competency-based model is exactly what I needed to understand before making my decision. What really stands out to me is how the flat-rate tuition structure could actually make education more affordable if you're motivated to accelerate. The fact that your cousin is 24 and will be considered independent for FAFSA purposes is a huge advantage - those higher loan limits combined with WGU's model could really work in her favor. I'm also impressed by how many current students have shared positive experiences with the financial aid process, especially the recent improvements in customer service response times. It sounds like WGU has addressed many of the issues that were problems in earlier years. One thing I'd add for your cousin's consideration - since she's been working in her field, she should definitely take advantage of WGU's prior learning assessment opportunities. Many students don't realize they can potentially test out of courses based on work experience, which could save both time and money. Combined with the accelerated course completion that others have mentioned, she could potentially finish much faster than a traditional 4-year program. The employer partnership angle is brilliant too - even if her company doesn't have a formal WGU partnership, the predictable flat-rate structure makes it easier for employers to budget tuition assistance. Definitely worth that HR conversation!

As a newcomer to both this community and the Parent PLUS loan process, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and practical advice! This thread has been incredibly educational for me as I'm facing a similar situation with my daughter starting college in the fall. Reading through all these experiences, I'm convinced that the specific amount approach is definitely the way to go. The stories about excess funds being spent on non-educational expenses really drive home why precision matters so much, especially with those high interest rates. I have a follow-up question: for those who successfully used the specific calculation method, how did you handle potential changes in costs between when you applied for the loan and when bills were actually due? I'm thinking about things like textbook costs that might be higher or lower than estimated, or unexpected fees that pop up during registration. Did you find that your buffer amount was sufficient, or did some of you need to make adjustments mid-year? Also, I'm wondering about the timing of when to submit the Parent PLUS application relative to when financial aid packages are finalized. Should I wait until I have the absolute final numbers from the school, or is it okay to apply based on preliminary estimates? Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative discussion - it's exactly what nervous parents like me need when navigating this complex process!

As someone completely new to the Parent PLUS loan process, this entire discussion has been incredibly valuable! I'm facing a similar situation with my son starting college this fall, and reading through everyone's real-world experiences has convinced me that the specific amount approach is absolutely the right way to go. What really strikes me is how consistently those who borrowed precisely what they needed felt good about their decisions, while the stories about excess funds being misused serve as such important cautionary tales. The psychological aspect that Owen mentioned about having "extra" money leading to rationalized spending is something I hadn't considered but makes perfect sense. I'm planning to follow the advice here: calculate our exact gap ($38,750 - aid received), add a modest buffer for legitimate academic surprises (around $1,200-1,500), and request that specific amount. The tips about contacting the bursar's office early to ensure any refunds come to me rather than my son, and keeping detailed records of what the loan covers, are going straight onto my to-do list. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - both the successes and the mistakes. This kind of peer-to-peer guidance is invaluable for families navigating this complex process for the first time. I feel much more confident about making an informed decision now!