As someone who just went through this process last year, I want to emphasize something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you understand the difference between the Parent PLUS loan application and the Master Promissory Note (MPN). The application is what you're doing now for this academic year, but if this is your first Parent PLUS loan ever, you'll also need to complete an MPN which is a separate document that covers future borrowing. The MPN is good for up to 10 years, so you won't need to redo it each year, just the annual application. Also, double-check that your son has completed his FAFSA first - Parent PLUS loans can't be processed until the student's FAFSA is on file. The whole process becomes much smoother in subsequent years once you know what to expect!

One thing I learned the hard way is to also check if your son's school offers payment plans! Some colleges let you spread out the semester costs over monthly payments with little to no interest, which can reduce how much you need to borrow through Parent PLUS loans. My daughter's school offers a 10-month payment plan that starts in the summer, and it's been a lifesaver for our budget. You might be able to lower that $22,500 amount if you can handle some of the costs through a payment plan instead. Worth asking the bursar's office about!

Just checking back - has your daughter's application status changed back to "processed" yet? It typically takes 3-5 business days, but with the system issues this year, some are taking longer.

That's such a relief to hear it went back to processed with the same SAI! I'm dealing with something similar right now - accidentally triggered a resubmission on my son's FAFSA two days ago and have been stressed about it ever since. Your experience gives me hope that it will sort itself out. The new FAFSA system really needs better warnings about what actions will cause a resubmission!

As someone who just went through this process last year, I totally understand your anxiety! I had a similar situation with 4 acceptances and varying timelines for aid packages. A few tips that helped me: 1) Create a spreadsheet to track when each school sent acceptance vs when you expect/receive aid packages, 2) Most schools have a "net price calculator" on their website that can give you a rough estimate while you wait, 3) Don't be afraid to ask about their internal deadlines - some schools commit to sending packages by certain dates but don't advertise it. Also, if you're considering applying for outside scholarships, don't wait for the school packages - keep applying! The combination of school aid + outside scholarships made my final choice much clearer. Good luck with your decision!

I'm in the exact same boat! Got accepted to 3 schools in early March and still waiting on aid packages from 2 of them. It's so stressful not knowing the real costs when the May 1st deadline is approaching. Based on what everyone's saying here, I think I'm going to call both schools tomorrow to check if they have all my documents. I keep refreshing my student portals hoping something will appear! The waiting is honestly the worst part of this whole process.

I went through this exact same situation last month with my twin daughters' applications! The new FAFSA contributor system is definitely confusing, especially for married parents. What worked for us was having my husband (who I had initially added as the contributor) log into his FSA ID account and add me as his spouse in the contributor section. Then I got an email invitation to create my own FSA ID and complete my portion. The whole process took about 3-4 days once we figured out the right steps. The important thing is that both parents need to be in the system even if only one has income - the FAFSA will still use your joint tax return information for the SAI calculation. Don't worry about starting over, you can definitely fix this! Just make sure both of you complete your sections before your son's school deadlines.

Just wanted to jump in as someone who works in college financial aid! You're definitely not alone - we're seeing this exact confusion with the new contributor system constantly. The good news is you absolutely DO NOT need to start over. Here's what needs to happen: your wife logs into her FSA ID, goes to her contributor section, indicates she's married, and adds your information. You'll then get an invitation to complete your part. Even though she doesn't have income, both parents must be listed when you file jointly - the system will correctly pull your joint tax info for the SAI calculation once both contributors are properly linked. One tip: make sure you both use your exact legal names as they appear on your Social Security cards and tax returns to avoid verification delays. The whole process usually takes 3-5 business days once you get started. Don't stress about the deadlines - as long as you get this fixed soon, you'll be fine!

Welcome to the community! As someone who works in financial aid, I can confirm what others have said - having multiple family members in college is generally beneficial for aid eligibility. One tip I'd add is to keep detailed records of all communications with financial aid offices and save copies of every form you submit. Also, if either of you are planning to take classes part-time (less than 6 credit hours), make sure to clarify how that affects the "number in college" calculation, as some schools have specific policies about enrollment status. Best of luck to both of you on this educational journey!

Hi Mateo! Congratulations on both of you pursuing higher education - that's really inspiring! I went through this exact situation with my daughter three years ago. One thing I'd recommend is timing the submission of your FAFSA carefully. Since your son has already filed his, you'll want to submit yours soon so both schools can process the multiple-in-college adjustments before aid disbursement deadlines. Also, don't be surprised if one school processes the update faster than the other - each institution has their own timeline. Keep copies of everything and follow up if you don't hear back within a few weeks. The extra paperwork is worth it - we both ended up with significantly more aid once everything was processed correctly!