Welcome to the FAFSA community, Jabari-Jo! I see you're getting some fantastic advice here. As someone new to navigating financial aid, I'd also recommend creating a spreadsheet to track all the different grants, their deadlines, requirements, and application status. It really helps keep everything organized when you're juggling FAFSA, state grants, and program-specific funding. One additional resource that might help - many Georgia community and technical colleges have dedicated healthcare program advisors who specialize in medical field funding. They often know about smaller, local scholarships that don't show up in online searches. Since you're doing a medical assistant program, they might also connect you with clinical site partners who offer educational support. Good luck with your applications! The medical field needs more dedicated people like you, and I'm sure you'll find the funding you need to make it happen.

As a newcomer here, I'm amazed by how supportive this community is! I'm also starting my journey into healthcare education and reading through this thread has been incredibly eye-opening. @Jabari-Jo, you're asking all the right questions! I'm in a similar boat trying to figure out funding for my nursing prerequisites in Georgia. The information about GAFutures.org and the HOPE Career Grant is news to me too. @Kristin Frank and @Lauren Johnson, thank you for such detailed responses! The spreadsheet idea is genius - I'm definitely going to start organizing my research that way. And @Marcus Marsh, I had no idea services like Claimyr existed for getting through to government agencies. That could be a game-changer. One thing I've learned from lurking here is how much the requirements and availability can vary even within Georgia depending on which school you attend. It seems like the key is really talking to multiple people - your school's financial aid office, the state commission, AND department-specific advisors. Thanks for creating such a welcoming space for people trying to navigate this confusing system!

I'm a college student who just went through this process myself! One thing that really helped me was understanding the difference between "qualified" and "non-qualified" education expenses. Qualified expenses are things like tuition, mandatory fees, and required books/supplies. Non-qualified would be things like room and board, parking passes, or optional equipment. If you're having trouble accessing the 1098-T through the student portal, most schools have a specific section called something like "Tax Documents" or "1098-T Forms" - it's usually separate from the regular financial aid info. You might need to look under "Student Accounts" or "Billing" rather than "Financial Aid." Also, just a heads up - some schools are slow to post these forms, so don't panic if it's not there yet in late January. They have until January 31st to get them out. And if your son received any work-study income, that gets reported separately on a W-2 from the school, not on the 1098-T. Hope this helps ease some of the stress! The whole process seems way more complicated than it actually is once you get the hang of it.

I'm a tax preparer and see this confusion every year! Here's a quick checklist to help you stay organized: 1. **Get the 1098-T first** - This is your roadmap. It shows tuition paid vs. scholarships/grants received. 2. **Simple rule for taxation**: - Loans = Never taxable - Grants/scholarships = Only taxable if they exceed qualified education expenses 3. **Who files what**: - Your son reports any taxable scholarship income on his return (even as your dependent) - You claim education credits on your return since he's your dependent 4. **Don't forget to maximize credits** - The American Opportunity Credit can give you up to $2,500 back, and part of it is refundable even if you don't owe taxes. 5. **Keep records** - Save the 1098-T, receipts for required books, and payment records. One more tip: If the school's financial aid office isn't helpful with tax questions, try the bursar's office or student accounts department instead. They usually handle the 1098-T forms and understand the tax implications better. The first year is always the most overwhelming, but once you have the 1098-T in hand, most tax software will guide you through the education sections step by step!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I was literally about to call my school's financial aid office in a panic because I thought something went wrong with my application. I've been filing the FAFSA for 3 years now for my grad program and always relied on seeing that loan eligibility confirmation at the end. It's honestly pretty poor user experience design to remove information that students have come to expect and rely on, especially without any clear communication about the change. Thanks everyone for confirming this is just a display issue and not an actual eligibility problem!

Just adding my voice to confirm this is happening to everyone! I submitted my FAFSA for 2025-2026 two weeks ago and had the exact same experience - no loan eligibility amount shown on the confirmation screen, which definitely freaked me out initially. I'm a second-year PhD student and have been relying on those Direct Unsubsidized loans, so seeing nothing about loans was alarming. After reading this thread and calling my university's financial aid office, they confirmed it's just a system display change and my $20,500 annual loan eligibility is still intact. Really wish the Department of Education had communicated this change better - would have saved a lot of students unnecessary stress! For anyone still worried, definitely reach out to your school's financial aid office for peace of mind.

Don't give up hope! I went through this exact situation with my son two years ago. SAI of 8500, no Pell Grant, but he ended up with a great aid package. Here's what worked for us: 1) Applied to multiple schools (in-state publics were most generous), 2) Immediately contacted financial aid offices after getting packages to explain our SNAP/free lunch situation, 3) Most importantly - filled out every single scholarship application we could find, both through schools and external organizations. My son ended up with enough aid to cover most of his costs. The SAI is just the starting point, not the end of your story!

I'm in a similar boat with my daughter! We got an SAI of 7800 and no Pell Grant either, even though we're on SNAP and WIC. It's so confusing how these different programs don't align. Reading through all these responses is really helpful though - sounds like there's still hope for decent aid packages from individual schools. I'm definitely going to look into state grants and plan to appeal to schools with documentation of our benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this thread is a goldmine of information!

UPDATE: I finally got through to FSA after using that Claimyr service someone recommended. The agent was super helpful and explained that I can start the FAFSA without my mom's information and then document the special circumstances. She also suggested I gather evidence that I don't live with or receive support from my mom (like my current address documentation, utility bills in my name, etc.). I've also scheduled a meeting with my school's financial aid office next week. They said they might be able to help with a professional judgment review once my FAFSA is submitted. Thank you all for the advice - I'm still stressed but at least I have a plan now!

That's such a relief to hear you found a path forward! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my dad who moved across the country. The documentation tip is really helpful - I hadn't thought about gathering utility bills and address proof. Good luck with your financial aid meeting, and thanks for sharing the update. It gives me hope that there are actual solutions even when the system feels impossible to navigate!