One more suggestion: have your daughter look into establishing NY residency after her first year. Each CUNY school has specific requirements, but typically it involves: 1. Living in NY for 12+ months (not in campus housing) 2. Getting NY driver's license/state ID 3. Filing NY state taxes 4. Registering to vote in NY 5. Showing financial independence from out-of-state parents The last requirement is often the hardest for students, but if she can demonstrate that she provides more than 50% of her own support, she might qualify for in-state tuition in her sophomore or junior year, which would dramatically reduce costs.

This is such a frustrating situation but unfortunately very common with out-of-state students at public universities. I went through something similar when my son applied to several state schools outside our home state. Here's what I learned: The SAI (Student Aid Index) is just the starting point for federal aid calculations - it doesn't guarantee that schools will meet your full need. Public universities like CUNY are primarily funded by their state taxpayers, so they prioritize in-state students for both tuition rates and financial aid. A few things to consider: 1. Make sure you're still eligible for federal Pell Grants based on your SAI - these should be available regardless of residency 2. Look into private scholarships that don't have residency restrictions 3. Consider whether the specific program at this CUNY school is worth the premium over comparable Florida options 4. If your daughter is set on this school, explore work-study opportunities and see if she can establish NY residency after her first year It's a tough financial reality, but you're not alone in dealing with this. The system really does favor in-state students at public universities.

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter, I can confirm that most schools will automatically adjust your aid package once they receive your FAFSA data. The key thing to understand is that CSS Profile and FAFSA serve different purposes - CSS determines institutional aid while FAFSA unlocks federal aid like Pell Grants. Since you mentioned potential Pell Grant eligibility of $7k, that's a significant amount that definitely should be added to your packages once the schools process your FAFSA. I'd recommend being proactive and contacting each financial aid office to let them know your FAFSA has been submitted and ask about their timeline for package adjustments. One thing that helped us was keeping a simple tracking sheet with each school's contact info, when we called/emailed, and what they told us about their process. Some schools were faster than others at making adjustments. Don't stress too much - the delays this year were widespread and the schools are used to dealing with this situation!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My son applied to 4 CSS Profile schools and we're still waiting for our FAFSA to process after the system delays. It's so stressful not knowing what our final aid packages will look like. From what I've been reading here, it sounds like most schools will automatically recalculate once they get the FAFSA data, but I think I'm going to follow everyone's advice and call each school proactively. The idea of potentially missing out on thousands in federal aid because of a communication gap is terrifying. Has anyone had experience with schools missing the May 1st deadline for updated packages? I'm worried we'll have to make our decision without knowing our true aid eligibility.

Hey Paolo! I'm in a similar situation with the new FAFSA changes - it's definitely confusing at first. Your SAI of 6941 actually puts you in a decent position for aid. I had a SAI of around 6500 last year and still received partial Pell Grant funding plus some state grants. One thing that helped me was creating a spreadsheet to track all the different aid packages from schools I applied to. Some state schools were way more generous with institutional aid than others, even with the same SAI. Also, don't forget to check if your state has additional grant programs - many have income thresholds that are more generous than federal Pell eligibility. The key is applying broadly and not getting too hung up on that one SAI number. Financial aid offices look at the whole picture, not just your index score!

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!

IT WORKED! My son logged in, found the incomplete signature section, and re-signed. We made sure to wait on the confirmation page as suggested. This morning we got the email saying his FAFSA is now complete and being processed! Thank you all for your help!

That's awesome news! So glad the re-signing worked for you. This thread is going to be super helpful for other parents dealing with the same issue. The tip about waiting on the confirmation page seems really important - I'll definitely remember that when I help my younger daughter with her FAFSA next year. Thanks for updating us with the success story!

I just wanted to add my experience as someone who works in a university financial aid office - you absolutely did everything correctly! The new FAFSA's Direct Data Exchange (DDX) with the IRS is one of the most significant improvements we've seen. It eliminates most of the manual data entry errors we used to deal with constantly. However, I'd recommend a few things: 1) Screenshot or save your confirmation pages, 2) Don't be alarmed if your SAI looks different from previous years' EFC - the calculation formula changed significantly, and 3) If you have any unusual circumstances (job loss, medical expenses, etc.) that aren't reflected in your 2022 tax return, contact your schools' aid offices about professional judgment reviews. The system is working as designed, even though it feels almost too easy compared to the old process!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm finding this discussion incredibly reassuring! I just completed my first FAFSA for my son who's starting college in the fall, and like many of you, I was shocked that it only took about 20 minutes compared to the horror stories I'd heard from other parents. The IRS data transfer feature really does work seamlessly - it pulled all our tax information automatically after we consented to the data sharing. I was initially worried we'd missed something crucial, but reading everyone's experiences here confirms we're on the right track. One thing I'd add for other newcomers: make sure to check your email regularly for any updates from Federal Student Aid, and keep that confirmation number handy. The peace of mind from this thread is invaluable - thank you all for sharing your experiences!