Just wanted to update - I successfully added my daughter's new school through the correction process! It was actually easier than I expected. Her SAI stayed the same (as you all mentioned), and I called the financial aid office to confirm they received everything. They're now working on her aid package. Thank you all for your help!

So glad to hear everything worked out for you! This thread is really helpful - I'm bookmarking it because I have a feeling we might run into similar issues next year when my youngest applies. The step-by-step instructions from Connor were particularly useful. It's reassuring to know that adding schools after processing isn't as complicated as it seemed initially. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and cleared up the misinformation!

THIS THIS THIS!!!! The sticker price means NOTHING. My daughter got a $58k/yr private college for less than our $22k/yr state school after scholarships. The whole system is backwards. Apply EVERYWHERE and ignore the published prices until you see the actual aid package.

Your daughter's accomplishment of earning an associates degree through dual enrollment is incredible and will be a huge financial advantage! With an SAI of 11577, you're right that it won't qualify for maximum federal aid, but don't despair yet. Each college will create their own aid package, and many have generous institutional scholarships for transfer students with associate degrees. A few practical next steps: First, use each college's net price calculator on their website - input your actual financial info and it'll give you a much better estimate than the SAI alone. Second, when the aid packages arrive, don't be afraid to negotiate. Financial aid offices often have additional funds for students they want to enroll. Third, look beyond just federal aid - many states have grant programs, and your daughter may qualify for merit scholarships based on her academic achievement. The dual enrollment savings alone probably puts you ahead of most families, even with a higher SAI. You've got this!

As someone who just went through this process with my oldest (now a college freshman), I wanted to share some practical timeline advice! You're actually in a great spot starting to think about this now. Here's what worked for us with our junior: **Spring of Junior Year (NOW):** - Research colleges' financial aid policies - some are much more generous than others - Start tracking which schools require CSS Profile vs. just FAFSA - Begin organizing your financial documents in one place - Look into merit scholarships that don't depend on financial need **Summer before Senior Year:** - Create a spreadsheet with all aid deadlines for each school on your list - Gather all your 2024 tax documents as soon as you file - Consider any last-minute financial moves if they make sense **Fall of Senior Year:** - Submit FAFSA as soon as it opens (October 1st) - Submit CSS Profile for schools that require it - Apply for local scholarships with early deadlines The investment property income will definitely impact your SAI, but don't let that discourage you from applying everywhere. Some schools have much better aid programs than others, and you won't know until you try!

As a parent who just finished this process with my twins (both now college sophomores), I want to emphasize something that might ease your stress: you're NOT behind at all! Having FSA IDs already puts you ahead of most families. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - don't get too caught up in trying to "game" the FAFSA system with your investment property. The income from it will count regardless, and any major financial restructuring could have tax implications that offset potential aid benefits. Instead, focus on what you CAN control: - Apply to a mix of schools with different aid philosophies (some are much more generous than others) - Look for schools that meet 100% of demonstrated need - Don't overlook merit aid opportunities that aren't income-dependent - Consider having your daughter apply to a financial safety school where her stats put her in the top 25% of applicants The FAFSA process itself is actually pretty straightforward once you sit down to do it. It's all the overthinking beforehand that makes it seem overwhelming! You've got this.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a parent trying to understand this process for my daughter, and honestly, the lack of transparency in how schools use the SAI is maddening. Our family SAI is $11,200, and we're seeing everything from schools that basically expect us to pay exactly that amount to others wanting $20K+ on top of it. What I've found most frustrating is that the FAFSA makes it seem like there's some standardized process, but clearly every school just does whatever they want with your information. We're definitely going to focus on net price comparisons now rather than getting excited about big aid packages that are mostly loans. For parents who went through this before - is it worth having your student call the financial aid offices directly, or should parents be the ones making those calls? We want to advocate for our daughter but also don't want to undermine her independence in this process.

I'm a current college student who went through this exact confusion last year! My SAI was $8,600 and I got packages ranging from $14K to $26K at schools with similar costs. What really helped me understand the process was creating a spreadsheet comparing the actual net price (COA minus grants only - not loans or work study) across all my schools. I discovered that some schools were much more generous than others, but it didn't always correlate with their prestige or even their endowment size. A few mid-tier private schools actually gave me better packages than some "elite" institutions. The key insight for me was learning that your SAI is like a starting point for federal aid eligibility, but each school then applies their own institutional formula on top of that. Schools with strong need-based aid policies will try to get close to covering costs above your SAI, while others might only meet 60-70% of that demonstrated need. I ended up appealing to three schools and got meaningful increases from two of them. The successful appeals focused on comparing similar schools' offers and explaining specific financial circumstances that might not have been captured in the FAFSA. Definitely worth trying if there's a big gap between your SAI and what they're expecting!

When my niece went through this, we found out there's a difference between "unwilling" parents and "unsafe" parents in FAFSA terms. Your situation sounds like the latter, which actually makes the process somewhat easier. The unsafe parent documentation lets them potentially exclude his information entirely, while just unwilling means they might still try to estimate his contribution somehow.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this difficult situation. I went through something similar with my stepson a few years ago. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given - start this process as early as possible with each school. Some financial aid offices get backed up with these requests, especially during peak season. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit. I learned this the hard way when one school "lost" our documentation and we had to resubmit everything. Create a master file with all your documents scanned, then you can easily send to multiple schools. The good news is that once you get through this process with one school, you'll have all the documentation ready for the others. It's emotionally exhausting but so worth it for your daughter's future. Hang in there!