This thread is so helpful - I'm going through the exact same verification hell right now! Like everyone else, I have no idea what cash/savings amount I originally entered and the system just keeps rejecting everything I try. It's insane that they redesigned the FAFSA but somehow made it even MORE confusing than before. I'm definitely going to try calling FSA using that Claimyr service that @Amara Okafor and @Mei Chen mentioned. The fact that FSA agents can actually pull up the original submission data gives me hope! My financial aid office keeps telling me they can't help and that I need to contact federal student aid directly, but getting through has been impossible with normal calling. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know this isn't just me being incompetent. The 30% verification rate that @Jamal Harris mentioned explains why so many of us are stuck in this mess. Hopefully the Department of Education fixes these issues soon because this is adding so much unnecessary stress to an already overwhelming process!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been stuck on the same verification issue for over a week now and was starting to panic about my financial aid deadline. Reading through everyone's experiences here makes me feel so much better - I honestly thought I was doing something wrong or missing some obvious solution. The fact that @Mei Chen got their exact original amount ($3,742.18) by calling FSA gives me real hope! I've been avoiding calling because I assumed they wouldn't have that level of detail, but clearly they do. And multiple people mentioning success with Claimyr makes me think that's definitely worth trying instead of sitting on hold for hours. It's honestly ridiculous that the FAFSA system requires exact matching to the penny but provides zero way for students to access their original submission data. Like @Giovanni Colombo said, it really does feel like they designed this to be as confusing as possible. The 30% verification rate this year is just insane compared to previous years. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions and experiences - this community is way more helpful than the official FAFSA support! I'm going to try calling tomorrow and hopefully join the success stories soon 🤞

I'm dealing with the exact same frustration! My FAFSA was processed 7 weeks ago and I'm still waiting on award letters from 3 out of my 5 schools. What's been driving me crazy is that one school sent their package within 2 weeks, but the others are radio silent. I called two of them last week and got completely different responses - one said they're "processing in the order received" and should have something soon, while the other admitted they're running 3-4 weeks behind their normal timeline due to the new FAFSA system. I've been checking portals daily (sometimes multiple times a day, not gonna lie), and like others mentioned, most just show generic "under review" messages. The uncertainty is the worst part because you can't plan anything! Housing deadlines, deposit dates, work-study applications - everything is on hold. One thing that helped my stress a bit was when a financial aid counselor told me that this year they're seeing extension requests for decision deadlines increase by like 40% compared to normal years, so schools are generally being more flexible. Still doesn't make the waiting any easier though! Solidarity with everyone going through this mess.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare! FAFSA processed 6 weeks ago, still waiting on 4 out of 6 schools. The stress is unreal with May deadlines approaching. What's helped me cope is setting up a dedicated email folder for financial aid stuff and checking it twice daily instead of obsessively refreshing portals. Also discovered that two of my schools have a "Financial Aid Checklist" buried in their student portals that shows exactly what stage your application is in - way more detailed than the generic "processing" message. Might be worth digging around your portals for something similar! One school told me when I called that they're prioritizing students with earlier deposit deadlines, so if you have a school with an April deadline, definitely mention that when you call. Hang in there - from everything I'm reading here, we're definitely not alone in this chaos!

Just to add some positivity - we had the exact same issue with my husband not getting the contributor email. Turned out I had entered his old work email that he rarely checks. Once I updated the email in my FAFSA and resent the invitation, he got it right away and completed his section in about 10 minutes. The system processed our application within 5 days after that and we got our SAI score. Don't panic yet!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My mom got her contributor email immediately but my stepdad has been waiting over a week. After reading through all these responses, I'm realizing there might be multiple issues at play. For anyone else struggling with this: 1. Check for typos in the email address (like Lara found with the .con vs .com issue) 2. Have the missing parent create an FSA ID anyway and check their dashboard 3. Use the "Invite Contributor" button to manually resend 4. Check the application status to confirm both parents are actually listed as contributors The new FAFSA system definitely has some bugs, but it seems like most people eventually get it resolved. Fingers crossed for all of us dealing with this stress! The timing pressure with scholarship deadlines makes it so much worse.

Don't stress too much about the SAI number! I went through this exact same panic last year when the new FAFSA rolled out. With your family income at $61K and a SAI of 6941, you're definitely still in the running for aid - just maybe not the maximum amounts. What really helped me was understanding that each school handles aid differently. I had friends with similar SAIs who got vastly different packages depending on where they applied. Some state schools were surprisingly generous with their own institutional grants, while others stuck closer to just federal aid. Also, make sure you're looking into your state's financial aid programs if you haven't already. Many states have grant programs with different eligibility requirements than federal Pell, and some are pretty generous for families in your income range. The whole system is definitely confusing with all the changes, but you're not out of options by any means!

I went through the exact same confusion when I got my SAI results! With a SAI of 6941 and your family income, you're actually in a pretty reasonable position for aid. I had a similar SAI last year (around 7200) and still received some Pell Grant funding - not the full amount, but definitely helped with costs. The biggest thing that helped me was understanding that your aid package is so much more than just Pell eligibility. State schools often have their own institutional grants that can be really generous, especially for families in your income bracket. I ended up getting a combination of partial Pell, state grants, and institutional aid that covered a significant portion of my costs. My advice: apply to multiple schools and wait to see the full aid packages before making any decisions. Each school calculates their institutional aid differently, and some might surprise you with how generous they are. Also, definitely look into your state's grant programs - they often have different income thresholds than federal aid and can fill in gaps where Pell might fall short.

You're definitely not behind! I went through this exact same process with my son two years ago and felt completely overwhelmed too. Here's what I learned: The key thing to remember is that acceptance letters and financial aid packages are completely separate processes. Schools can't create your aid package until they receive and process your FAFSA data, which is why there's always a delay. A few practical tips from my experience: - Keep a spreadsheet of all the schools, their aid deadlines, and when you can expect to hear back - Set up notifications on all the student portals so you don't miss anything - Start researching external scholarships now while you wait - there are still plenty with spring deadlines With a $32k 529, you're actually ahead of many families! We had saved about the same amount and it definitely helped, even though it didn't cover everything. The waiting is the hardest part, but you've got this! Your daughter is lucky to have acceptances already and a parent who's being so proactive about the financial planning.

Hey Adrian! You're definitely not alone in feeling overwhelmed - this timeline confused me too when my daughter went through it last year. Just wanted to add one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet: if your daughter applied for any state grants or aid programs in addition to federal aid, those might have different processing timelines than the federal FAFSA info. Also, since you mentioned she's still waiting to hear from 3 other schools, make sure her FAFSA includes ALL the schools she applied to (you can add up to 10). If she gets accepted somewhere that wasn't originally on the FAFSA, you can always add them later, but it might delay their financial aid processing. The good news is that most schools understand families are comparing multiple offers, so they typically give you until May 1st (National College Decision Day) to make your final choice. That gives you plenty of time to receive and compare all the financial aid packages before making any loan decisions!