Update: It finally moved to processing this morning - took exactly 8 business days! Now we're able to make corrections. Thanks everyone for your help and advice. I've already contacted his school to let them know corrections are coming.

Congrats on finally getting through to the processing phase! Eight business days seems to be pretty typical from what I'm seeing here. I'm dealing with a similar situation with my daughter's FAFSA - it's been pending for 5 days now and she also has some errors that need correcting (mixed up our tax info). This thread has been super helpful in understanding what to expect. Did you end up calling your son's school before the status changed, or are you planning to wait until after you submit the corrections?

I'm another parent dealing with this exact same nightmare! My son is applying for his junior year and I was completely lost when the familiar IRS Data Retrieval Tool wasn't there. After reading through all these helpful responses, I realize we're probably okay since we did check the consent box (though like everyone else, it was buried in those acknowledgments). What really frustrates me is how the Department of Education rolled out such a major change without clear communication - they should have had big bold notices explaining that the IRS tool was being replaced with automatic Direct Data Exchange. I've been doing FAFSA applications for years and felt completely clueless with this new system. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here, especially the financial aid office insider perspective - this thread has been more useful than hours of searching official FSA resources!

Wow, reading through this entire thread has been such a relief! I'm a first-generation college student and my family has never dealt with FAFSA before, so when I couldn't find the IRS Data Retrieval Tool that all the YouTube tutorials kept mentioning, I thought I was doing something terribly wrong. I've been stressing about this for weeks, thinking I'd somehow broken my application or missed a critical step. Learning that the Direct Data Exchange happens automatically in the background once you give consent is game-changing information that I wish was explained more clearly in the actual application. I just went and checked my "You & Your Finances" section and thankfully I did give consent (though like everyone else, I barely remember clicking through all those acknowledgment boxes). This community thread has been infinitely more helpful than the official FAFSA help pages or any of the outdated guides online. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences, especially Eve Freeman for the financial aid office perspective - you've probably saved hundreds of students from unnecessary panic! It's frustrating that we have to rely on each other to figure out these major system changes, but I'm so grateful this discussion exists.

When my dad got denied for the Parent PLUS my school automatically added like $4k in extra unsubsidized loans to my aid package. I didn't have to do anything special. BUT my mom was deceased so maybe that's why they didn't try to make her apply lol. No but seriously every school handles it differently and $4k is probably not enough to cover your shortfall. Have you thought about maybe taking a semester off and working to save up some $? Lots of people do that.

Hey Adriana! I went through this exact same situation two years ago when my mom got denied for Parent PLUS. The good news is they definitely won't force your dad to apply - especially since your parents are divorced and he's not involved financially. Here's what worked for me: Call your financial aid office ASAP and ask specifically about the "additional unsubsidized loan for dependent students whose parents were denied PLUS." Don't just wait for them to automatically process it. At my school, I had to submit a one-page form, but some schools do it automatically once they get the denial documentation from your mom. For the remaining gap after the extra $4k, definitely ask about emergency grants or institutional aid. My school had a "student emergency fund" that I didn't even know existed until I asked. Also, if you have good grades, ask if there are any late-deadline scholarships you can still apply for. Don't give up on State University yet - there are usually more options than they initially tell you about!

As someone who went through a similar professional judgment process two years ago, I want to emphasize something that hasn't been mentioned yet: keep detailed records of EVERY interaction you have with each school's financial aid office. I created a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, school name, person I spoke with, what was discussed, and what documents were requested or submitted. This saved me when one school claimed they never received my paperwork (they had), and when another school's financial aid officer left mid-process and I had to start over with someone new. Having that paper trail helped me quickly bring the new person up to speed. Also, don't be discouraged if the first person you talk to seems unfamiliar with professional judgment - it's a specialized process and not all front-line staff are trained on it. Politely ask to speak with someone who handles "special circumstances" or "professional judgment reviews" specifically. Your 50% income drop is exactly the type of significant change this process was designed for. Start making those calls this week - you've got this!

I'm going through something very similar - my income dropped about 45% after being laid off from my marketing job last year. I waited too long to start the professional judgment process and really regret it. Based on what everyone has shared here, I'd definitely recommend being proactive and contacting schools NOW rather than waiting for aid packages. One tip I learned the hard way: when you call, have all your documentation ready to reference specific dates and amounts. The financial aid officers will often ask detailed questions right on that first call, and being prepared with exact figures makes you sound more credible and organized. Also, if a school says they can't consider professional judgment until after admission, ask when exactly that process opens up and put a reminder in your calendar to follow up immediately. The process is definitely worth it though - even starting late, I was able to get an additional $4,200 in grants from my school. With your 50% income drop, you should be in a strong position for adjustments. Good luck!

I'm also navigating this exact situation with my twin daughters who will be starting college next fall. Our household income is around $158k and I was initially hesitant about completing the FAFSA for similar reasons. After reading through all these responses, I'm convinced we need to push through and complete it. The stories about families receiving $12k-23k in institutional aid at our income level are eye-opening! I had no idea private schools might be so generous to middle-income families. We're looking at both state schools and some private colleges, so it sounds like the FAFSA could open doors we didn't even know existed. For those dealing with FSA ID password issues - we actually just went through this process last month. Creating a new FSA ID was definitely the faster route, though it was frustrating to lose the saved school list. The whole process took about 30 minutes once we decided to start fresh, versus the weeks we spent trying to recover the old account. One question for those who received institutional aid - did you need to submit any additional documentation beyond the FAFSA, or did the schools automatically consider you based on the FAFSA submission alone?

As someone who works in college financial aid, I want to emphasize that the FAFSA is absolutely worth completing at your income level! I see families making $150k+ receive aid all the time, especially from private institutions. Here are a few key points: **Password Recovery Alternative**: Instead of struggling with the broken FSA phone system, try contacting your son's high school guidance counselor. Many have direct contacts at Federal Student Aid and can expedite account recovery issues. **Income Threshold Misconceptions**: The "you won't get anything over $150k" advice is outdated. With the new Student Aid Index calculations, many middle-income families are seeing better outcomes than expected. Plus, unsubsidized federal loans alone can save you thousands compared to private loan interest rates. **Timing Consideration**: Even if you create a new FSA ID now, you're not too late. Most schools have March/April FAFSA deadlines, and some rolling deadlines extend even later. **Merit Aid Connection**: Many merit scholarships require FAFSA completion regardless of need. I've seen students lose out on $10k+ merit awards simply because families assumed they "made too much" for the FAFSA to matter. The password hassle is frustrating, but don't let it cost you potentially tens of thousands in aid opportunities!