Hey Charlotte! I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago when I forgot to add UCLA to my FAFSA. I was totally panicking just like you are now, but it really is much easier to fix than you'd think! The correction process on studentaid.gov is super user-friendly - it literally took me like 10 minutes to add the school. One thing I'd suggest is to screenshot or write down your confirmation number after you submit the correction, just so you have proof that you made the change. Also, if you're applying to other UCs, double-check that you have all of them on there since the application deadlines are usually similar. You're going to be fine - this happens to SO many people and the schools are used to getting late FAFSA additions!

Hey Charlotte! I totally get the panic - I literally did the exact same thing last year and thought my college dreams were over! 😅 But seriously, everyone here is giving you great advice. The correction process is honestly super simple once you get into it. Just wanted to add that when you log into studentaid.gov, make sure you have your FSA ID handy and give yourself like 15-20 minutes to do it properly (don't rush like I did the first time and accidentally hit the wrong buttons). Also, Berkeley's financial aid office is actually really helpful if you need to call them - they deal with this situation literally every day during application season. You're definitely not as disorganized as you think - this stuff is genuinely confusing and you're handling it way better than I did! Good luck with everything! 🍀

Congratulations on getting through the process! As someone who just went through this with my oldest last year, I wanted to add one more tip: make sure to save a PDF copy of your completed FAFSA before submitting it. The system sometimes has glitches where submitted forms get lost or corrupted, and having that backup saved us when we had to resubmit after a technical error. Also, keep an eye on your email for any requests for additional documentation - some schools require verification documents even if your FAFSA processes smoothly. Good luck to your son with his college applications!

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - yes, you absolutely need your own FSA ID! I made the mistake of thinking my daughter could just add me to hers somehow, but that's not how it works at all. Each parent needs their own account with their own email address and login credentials. The process is actually pretty straightforward once you understand it: create your FSA ID, wait for verification (which can take a few days), then your son can add you as a contributor to his FAFSA. You'll be able to log in with your own credentials to complete the parent sections and digitally sign the form. Don't stress too much about it - millions of parents go through this every year! Just make sure to start the FSA ID creation process soon since you mentioned December deadlines.

Glad to hear you're making progress! One other thing to check - make sure both applications have the same Asset Protection Allowance. With the new FAFSA formula, this is calculated based on the age of the oldest contributor, and sometimes the system pulls different ages for the same person across applications. A small difference there can dramatically change the SAI calculation.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! My daughter's FAFSA was submitted in February and has been stuck in "processing" for weeks with no SAI calculated, while her friend who applied later already got her aid package. I keep checking studentaid.gov but there's no update or explanation for the delay. It's so frustrating when you submit everything correctly and the system just... doesn't work. Has anyone found a way to get processing unstuck without waiting months? Really hoping your twins' situation gets resolved quickly - it's scary how much these system glitches can impact our kids' college plans.

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress! As someone new to the FAFSA process, I'm finding it really eye-opening (and terrifying) to read about these discrepancies between the estimator and actual SAI. It sounds like you're getting some really solid advice here about contacting the financial aid office and requesting a professional judgment review. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that once you get the full aid package, it won't be as bad as you're fearing right now. The fact that schools are apparently trying to compensate for the new formula issues gives me some hope for all of us dealing with this. Please keep us updated on how it goes - I have a feeling a lot of families are going to be in similar situations this year!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Our SAI came back $6,800 higher than the estimator predicted, and I've been losing sleep over it for the past week. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful though. I had no idea about the professional judgment review process or that schools might have additional institutional funds to help bridge these gaps. The advice about creating a comparison spreadsheet and gathering documentation of medical expenses or other hardships is something I'm definitely going to do. We also have some unusual circumstances (caring for my elderly father) that the FAFSA doesn't really capture well. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's reassuring to know we're not alone in this, even though the whole process is incredibly stressful. I'm going to start making calls to our school's financial aid office tomorrow morning!

So glad to hear you got it sorted out! This thread is going to be really helpful for other families dealing with the same issue. The contributor invitation system really has been a nightmare for so many people this year. It's reassuring to know that creating your own FSA ID is a reliable workaround. Hopefully the Department of Education fixes these technical issues before next year's FAFSA cycle!

I'm so relieved to find this thread! I've been in the exact same situation with my daughter's FAFSA - no contributor email for over 3 weeks now. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me confidence to just go ahead and create my own FSA ID. It's honestly ridiculous that the Department of Education created a system that causes so much unnecessary stress for families during an already overwhelming process. Thank you all for sharing your solutions - this community is invaluable when the official system fails us!