To summarize for anyone else with this question: Either the student or parent/contributor can sign first technically, but best practice is: 1) Student starts application and creates FSA ID if they don't have one 2) Student adds parent/contributor and completes their portion without signing 3) Parent/contributor completes their section with all financial information 4) Parent/contributor signs their section 5) Student reviews complete application including contribution information 6) Student signs to complete submission This order minimizes the need for corrections later, which can delay your SAI calculation and financial aid package.

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter, I can confirm that following the order @Sienna Gomez outlined is definitely the way to go! We learned the hard way last year when my daughter signed first and then I realized I had entered the wrong bank account balance. Had to call the school's financial aid office to explain the discrepancy. This year we did parent section first, reviewed everything together, and it went so much smoother. Also Pro tip: make sure you have all your tax documents and bank statements ready before you start the parent section - it'll save you from having to stop halfway through to hunt down paperwork!

This whole new FAFSA process is such a mess compared to previous years. My daughter and I spent hours trying to figure it out. The "contributor" system is confusing and not intuitive at all. But once you get past these initial hurdles, the SAI calculation seems more straightforward than the old EFC at least.

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying! 😅 My daughter is a junior in high school so we're just starting to prepare for next year. It sounds like the main things to watch out for are: 1) being super careful with the dependency questions, 2) making sure both parent and student have their own FSA IDs set up well in advance, and 3) understanding this "contributor" system. Are there any other common pitfalls we should be aware of before we dive into this next year? Also, when should we actually start the FSA ID creation process - is there a recommended timeline?

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to fix your tax information corrections? A key thing to remember is that the new FAFSA uses federal tax information directly from the IRS through the Data Retrieval Tool. If you used that successfully, you shouldn't be getting tax correction notices unless there's a mismatch with other information you provided.

So glad you got it figured out! That's exactly the kind of issue that trips up so many families - those gateway questions are super important but not always clearly labeled. For anyone else reading this, I'd also recommend keeping screenshots of your completed FAFSA sections before submitting, just in case you need to reference what you entered later. The correction process becomes much easier when you can see exactly what might have changed between submissions. Congrats on getting through the maze!

Just wanted to update - I got through to Nelnet today in ONLY 35 minutes! Called at 4:15pm Eastern. Seems like their wait times might be improving a bit. The rep told me they just added a bunch of new staff to handle call volume. Hope this helps!

I feel your pain! I had a similar nightmare with Nelnet last month trying to sort out my IDR recertification after my income changed. What finally worked for me was using their secure message system through the online portal instead of calling. I know it's not as immediate as a phone call, but I got a detailed response within 48 hours that actually answered all my consolidation questions. You can find it under "Contact Us" when you log into your account. For urgent payment issues, they do prioritize those messages. Might be worth trying while you're also attempting the callback service @Zara mentioned - sounds like that could be a game changer once it's live!

I just went through this process with my daughter last year and wanted to share a few additional tips that might help! First, make sure to check if your school participates in the Direct PLUS loan program (most do, but it's worth confirming). Also, when the Parent PLUS application does open in June, I'd recommend applying as early as possible because processing can take 1-2 weeks, and you don't want to be cutting it close to your tuition deadline. One thing that caught us off guard was that even after approval, the funds don't get disbursed to the school immediately - there's usually another week or two delay. My advice is to contact your school's bursar's office now to ask about their specific Parent PLUS loan timeline and whether they offer any grace period for tuition payments while federal loans are being processed. Most schools are pretty understanding about this situation since it happens every year!

I'm a current college sophomore and went through this exact situation two years ago! Just wanted to confirm what others have said - Parent PLUS loan applications for the 2025-2026 academic year should open around mid-June 2025. The wait is definitely nerve-wracking, but it's completely normal. One thing I'd add that really helped my family: while you're waiting, consider reaching out to your school's financial aid office to ask about their payment plan options. Many schools offer interest-free payment plans that can bridge the gap between when tuition is due and when your Parent PLUS loan funds actually get disbursed to the school. My college let us split the remaining balance (after my direct loans) into 3 monthly payments, which gave us breathing room while the PLUS loan was being processed. Also, if your parents haven't already, they should definitely create their FSA ID accounts now so they're ready to apply as soon as the application opens. The whole process from application to funds reaching your school can take 3-4 weeks, so applying early in June is key!