I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare - the stress of seeing your SAI nearly triple must be overwhelming! As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all these responses and it's clear that the FAFSA Simplification Act has created chaos for families with multiple students in college. From what everyone has shared, it sounds like you have a solid action plan forming. I'd add one more suggestion: when you're preparing for those financial aid office meetings, consider bringing a "family impact statement" that shows exactly how this SAI increase affects your household budget. Include things like your monthly expenses, other financial obligations, and how you've been planning your finances based on previous aid levels. Also, don't forget to ask about work-study opportunities for your kids if they're not already participating. Sometimes when federal aid decreases, schools can offer additional campus employment to help bridge the gap. The fact that so many families are experiencing this exact same problem suggests that schools and policymakers will eventually have to address the unintended consequences of these formula changes. In the meantime, keep pushing for every available resource - institutional aid, state programs, employer benefits, and community scholarships. You're clearly a dedicated parent who's willing to fight for your kids' education. With all the great advice shared here, I'm optimistic you'll find some solutions. Please keep us updated on your progress!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's absolutely devastating when financial aid changes so dramatically without warning! As someone new to this community, I've been following similar stories and it's clear the FAFSA Simplification Act has created major problems for families with multiple kids in college. From reading all the excellent advice here, it sounds like the reduced sibling discount is likely the main culprit for your SAI jump. The old system essentially divided your contribution when you had multiple students, but the new formula provides much less relief for families in your situation. Here's what I'd recommend based on what others have shared: 1. Contact both schools' financial aid offices immediately and specifically ask for a "professional judgment coordinator" or "appeals specialist" - they have more authority than regular staff 2. Prepare a detailed comparison of your financial information from last year vs. this year to demonstrate consistency 3. Ask specifically about "FAFSA transition assistance" or institutional funds set aside for families affected by the formula changes 4. Consider creating a "family impact statement" showing exactly how this increase affects your household budget Don't give up hope! Many schools anticipated these issues and have resources available, but you often have to ask specifically. The fact that so many families are experiencing this exact problem means schools are becoming more equipped to help. You're absolutely right to feel frustrated - changing the rules mid-game without adequate communication to families was really unfair. Keep advocating for your kids and please update us on what solutions you're able to find!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! As someone who went through a similar situation, I can tell you that the insurance settlement is almost certainly what threw off your calculation. The FAFSA system doesn't automatically recognize one-time payments like settlements as different from regular income, which is why your SAI came out so high. Here's what worked for me: I contacted the financial aid office and asked specifically for a "Special Circumstances Review" form. I had to provide documentation showing the settlement was for medical expenses/damages from the accident and that it wasn't recurring income. I also wrote a letter explaining our actual financial situation and how the settlement was already mostly spent on medical bills and car repairs. The key is to be persistent but polite. Don't let them brush you off with "that's what the formula calculated" - they have the authority to make adjustments for situations exactly like yours. Most schools want to help students attend, they just need the proper documentation to justify the aid increase. Good luck with the appeal process!

I'm a financial aid administrator and want to add some clarity about appeals timing. Most schools process Special Circumstances appeals within 7-14 business days, but complex cases involving settlements can take up to 30 days. Each school evaluates independently - they don't share appeal decisions, so you'll need to submit documentation separately to each institution. One thing to emphasize in your appeal letter: explain how the settlement funds were actually used. If they went toward medical bills, vehicle replacement, or other expenses related to the accident, include receipts if you have them. This shows the money isn't available for educational expenses. Also, don't wait for one school's decision before submitting to others. Start the appeal process immediately at all schools where your daughter was accepted. Many have April deadlines for special circumstances reviews, and you want to give yourself maximum time before her May 1 enrollment deadline. The good news is that with proper documentation, your case should be relatively straightforward to resolve. Insurance settlements are a common issue we see, and most aid administrators are familiar with how to handle them.

As a newcomer to FAFSA applications myself, I'm finding this thread incredibly valuable! One question I haven't seen addressed yet - what happens if your financial situation changes significantly between when you file the FAFSA (using prior-prior year tax info) and when your student actually starts college? For example, if a parent loses their job or has a major medical expense? Is there a way to appeal or update the information with individual schools? I want to make sure I understand all the options in case our circumstances change unexpectedly during this process.

As someone who just finished helping my neighbor through her first FAFSA experience, I wanted to add a few practical tips that saved us tons of headaches: 1. **Browser matters!** Use Chrome or Firefox - we had issues with Safari causing form errors that cost us hours of re-entering data. 2. **Don't rely on autosave** - manually save your progress frequently. We lost 45 minutes of work when the session timed out. 3. **Parent vs. student sections confusion** - Make absolutely sure you're logged in as the right person (parent or student) when filling out each section. We accidentally entered parent info in student sections and had to start over. 4. **Bank account timing** - Check your bank balances on the same day you're filling out the FAFSA, not from old statements. The amounts need to reflect "as of today." 5. **Keep a printed checklist** - I made a simple checklist of all required documents and checked them off as we completed each section. Helped us avoid the back-and-forth of "wait, did we already enter the W-2 info?" The whole process took us about 3 hours with all documents ready, but having a systematic approach made it much less stressful than I expected! Good luck to everyone navigating this for the first time!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now and wanted to share what I've learned through this process. My parents make around $110k but refuse to help after I switched from pre-med to social work. Here's what's actually worked for me: 1. **Document everything** - I kept screenshots of all communications with my parents about their refusal to help. This was crucial when I met with financial aid. 2. **School-specific aid is key** - My university had a "Student Crisis Fund" that wasn't listed anywhere obvious. I only found out about it when I specifically asked the financial aid counselor "What emergency funds does this school have for students whose parents won't help?" They gave me $2,800 for the semester. 3. **State grant programs** - Check your state's higher education website. Mine had a "Last Dollar Grant" for students within 30 credits of graduation. It covered the gap between federal aid and actual costs up to $4,000 per year. 4. **Professional organizations** - Since you're in education, look up your state's education association and local teacher unions. Many have scholarships specifically for future teachers that consider financial hardship, not just academics. The system is definitely broken, but there ARE resources out there - they're just not well-advertised. Don't give up! You're so close to finishing.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some resources that might help since I work in financial aid counseling. Your situation is unfortunately very common, and while the system has gaps, there are some lesser-known options: **Federal Options:** - Ask about "Unusual Enrollment History" appeals if you've had to take time off before due to financial issues - Request a "Cost of Attendance" adjustment if you have documented expenses beyond standard calculations **Institutional Resources to Ask About:** - Dean's Emergency Fund (most schools have these but call them different names) - Textbook voucher programs - Food pantry/basic needs assistance to free up money for tuition - Graduate assistantship opportunities (some schools offer these to undergrads in their final year) **External Resources:** - Check if your county has a "Community Foundation" - they often have small emergency grants for local students - Look into your state's 211 system (dial 2-1-1) - they maintain databases of local assistance programs - Research "completion scholarships" through sites like Scholarship America's Dreamkeepers program One thing that's helped my students: approach this systematically by making a spreadsheet of every possible funding source and application deadline. Sometimes it takes combining 5-6 small sources rather than finding one big solution. You're so close to finishing - don't let the system's flaws derail your education now!

Just want to add - whatever you decide, get EVERYTHING in writing about the cosigner release terms!!! When we signed my son's private loan paperwork, the rep verbally told us 24 months of payments, but the actual contract said 36 months AND required him to have graduated. Those extra 12 months made a big difference in our planning!

As someone who just went through this process last year, I can confirm that co-signer release is definitely real but comes with a lot of caveats that aren't always clearly explained upfront. We ended up going with a mix approach - maxed out federal Direct loans first (around $5,500 for freshman year), then used a small private loan from College Ave for the remaining gap. The key thing I learned is that even if you meet the "minimum" requirements for co-signer release (like 24-36 on-time payments), lenders still do a full underwriting review of your daughter's finances at that time. So her credit score, income, debt-to-income ratio, and employment history all get scrutinized again. It's not automatic even if you've been perfect with payments. One tip: if you do go the private loan route, consider starting with a smaller amount first year to test how the co-signer release actually works with that lender before taking out larger amounts in subsequent years. Better to find out their true standards early rather than be stuck with a large loan you can't get released from.