Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I feel much better knowing this is part of the simplified FAFSA and not a mistake on my part. I'll keep an eye on my application status and hopefully everything processes smoothly.

Just wanted to add that you can also check your application status on StudentAid.gov to make sure everything was submitted properly. I always get anxious after submitting too, but the new FAFSA really is much simpler. The fact that it let you submit without errors is a good sign - the system would have stopped you if something was missing. Good luck with your aid package!

UPDATE: We finally got it to work!!! It was a combination of issues: 1. I had to clear ALL browser data (not just cookies) 2. I was using special characters in the financial fields ($, commas) 3. My hyphenated last name needed to match EXACTLY how it appears on my FSA ID After fixing those things and using the direct link from the email invitation (not the studentaid.gov portal), I finally got past the signature page and received a confirmation email! Thank you everyone for your help - I would have never figured this out from the useless generic advice from the FAFSA support line.

Congratulations on getting it resolved! This is such a comprehensive troubleshooting thread - it should be pinned or saved somewhere for other parents dealing with this nightmare. The fact that it took 8 days and multiple technical fixes just to submit a form is absolutely ridiculous. I'm bookmarking this entire conversation because I have a feeling I'll need it when my younger daughter applies next year. Thank you for updating us with the solution!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My FAFSA has been "in review" for 6 days after being "processed" for about a week. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helping calm my nerves. It sounds like this is just part of the normal process this year. I've been checking StudentAid.gov obsessively every morning hoping to see it switch back to processed. At least now I know I'm not alone in this! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so reassuring to know that most people's SAI numbers don't change and schools can still see our information during the review.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! My FAFSA went from "processed" to "in review" yesterday and I immediately started panicking. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief - it sounds like this is actually pretty common this year. I had no idea that 30% of applications get selected for review! I've been refreshing StudentAid.gov constantly but I'm going to try to be more patient now. It's so helpful to see that most people's SAI numbers stayed the same and that schools can still access the information during review. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver during stressful times like this!

Congratulations on getting that sorted out! It's such a relief when you finally get answers after all that stress. The pending aid agreement is definitely a lifesaver - I wish more schools were upfront about that option from the beginning instead of making students panic unnecessarily. The state approval delays for healthcare programs make sense though, since they probably have to verify clinical site partnerships and specialized accreditation requirements. At least now you can focus on your studies instead of worrying about the financial stuff. Best of luck with your LPN program!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm starting my nursing program next month and was already worried about potential FAFSA delays after hearing horror stories from other students. Reading about the pending aid agreement option is a huge relief - I had no idea schools offered that kind of safety net while aid is processing. The insight about healthcare programs having extra verification steps for state approval is really valuable too. I'll definitely keep that in mind and be more patient if my aid takes longer than expected. It sounds like the delays are systemic this year rather than individual issues, which is somehow reassuring even though it's still frustrating. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - this community is such a great resource for navigating these stressful situations!

One more thing I learned from experience: make sure your son sets up the Parent Access Portal (or whatever his school calls it) so you can view the financial account. Many schools won't discuss anything with parents due to FERPA privacy laws unless the student specifically grants access. This caught us off guard when we had questions about my daughter's aid package and I couldn't get answers because she hadn't authorized me in the system yet.

As someone who just went through this exact situation last year with my daughter, I wanted to add a few practical tips that saved us stress: 1) Create a simple spreadsheet tracking all deadlines - loan acceptance dates, scholarship application deadlines, tuition due dates, etc. The timelines can get overwhelming fast! 2) Screenshot or print everything! Financial aid portals sometimes glitch or update information, and having records of what was offered when can be crucial if there are discrepancies later. 3) Don't stress too much about accepting loans "too early" - as others mentioned, you have that 120-day window to return unused funds. We accepted his full subsidized amount early for peace of mind, then returned $1,200 when a small local scholarship came through in July. 4) Ask the financial aid office about their "preferred" timeline for loan processing. Some schools need 2-3 weeks, others can process faster. This helps with your August 15th deadline planning! You're asking all the right questions and being thoughtful about this process. Your son is lucky to have such an engaged parent helping navigate this maze!