UPDATE: Thank you all for the advice! I ended up using my phone's data connection to complete the online FAFSA. It took about an hour but I got it done and received my confirmation email right away. My SAI calculation came through two days later. So glad I didn't attempt the paper version after hearing all your experiences!

That's awesome that you got it sorted out! The mobile FAFSA experience has really improved over the last couple years. For anyone else reading this thread with similar issues - Harold's solution of using mobile data is probably the easiest workaround. Also wanted to mention that many libraries have dedicated FAFSA help sessions during peak filing season if you need in-person assistance with the online version. Way better than dealing with paper forms!

I procrastinated on my FAFSA last year too and it turned out fine! Just submitted late and still got my full Pell Grant and everything. Don't listen to the people saying you've missed out on all the money - that's not how federal aid works. Just get it done now and you'll be fine. Good luck!

Hey Anastasia! Fellow procrastinator here and I totally get the overwhelm. I just submitted mine last week after putting it off for months too 😅 Here's what actually helped me get through it: 1. Don't try to be perfect on the first go - you can always make corrections later if needed 2. The "Save" button is your friend - use it every few questions so you don't lose progress 3. If you get stuck on a question, there are little "?" help icons next to most fields that actually explain things pretty clearly 4. For the stepdad question you asked earlier - yes, you'll need his info too since your mom is married to him now (learned this the hard way!) The thing that really got me moving was realizing that even if I missed some state deadlines, federal aid is still available and many schools have rolling admissions for institutional aid. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good - just get it submitted! You've got this! And honestly, once you start clicking through it's way less scary than it seems in your head. The anticipation is always worse than the actual thing.

@original poster - You mentioned this is your first time applying on your own. Here's a timeline to help you understand what happens after your FAFSA shows "PROCESSED": 1. FAFSA processing complete (where you are now) 2. Data sent to schools you listed on your FAFSA 3. Schools determine if they need verification documents 4. Schools calculate your financial aid package 5. Aid offers sent out (usually March-April for most schools) From this point forward, most of your communications will come directly from schools, not from studentaid.gov. Each school has its own timeline and communication methods.

Just wanted to add one more tip for anyone in a similar situation - if you're really anxious about whether everything is correct, you can also check with your high school guidance counselor if you're still a senior. Even though you're doing this on your own now, most counselors are happy to do a quick review of your FAFSA status and help you understand what to look for. They see this stuff all the time and can often spot issues you might miss. My counselor caught a mistake in my parent tax info that I totally overlooked, even after I thought everything was perfect!

When I filed my FAFSA back in January this year, I had a similar question about my son's summer internship money. What I found out after calling the financial aid office at his school is that they actually prefer you contact THEM with these specific questions rather than trying to figure it all out yourself. Each school interprets FAFSA information slightly differently. My son's school told me his income wouldn't affect anything unless it was over $10,000 anyway.

I went through this same confusion last year with my daughter! The new FAFSA system actually does capture student income, but it's much more streamlined now. Since your son is a dependent, his $8,200 income will have very minimal impact on his aid eligibility - probably less than $100 difference in his final SAI. The form focuses heavily on parent info because that's what drives most of the calculation for dependent students. Don't stress about it - sounds like you filled everything out correctly and his income is being factored in appropriately behind the scenes through the IRS data sharing.

One additional point - if your son is over 18 and you're just now getting the letter, make sure he registers ASAP. There's technically a penalty for not registering within 30 days of your 18th birthday, though it's rarely enforced. Once he's registered, you can always verify his registration status on the SSS website using his name, DOB, and SSN if you want peace of mind that everything is properly recorded in their system.

Just wanted to add that if your son is already at UC Davis, their financial aid office can also help with this process! I had a similar situation with my daughter at UCSB last year. The financial aid advisors are really knowledgeable about how Selective Service registration affects aid packages and can walk you through everything. They can even help verify that his registration went through properly and is linked to his FAFSA. It might be worth giving UC Davis financial aid a call - they deal with this all the time and can provide campus-specific guidance about deadlines and procedures.