That's awesome that you got through to someone and have a clear path forward! The special circumstances review sounds really promising for your situation. Just wanted to add that you might also want to look into your state's Cal Grant program if you haven't already - even though you didn't qualify for CAP, there might be other state grants available depending on your school choice and GPA. Also, don't forget to check if your school has any emergency aid funds or last-minute scholarships that open up after other students decline their offers. Sometimes there's money sitting there that schools need to distribute before the deadline. Fingers crossed the appeal works out for you!

Hey! I'm new here but dealing with something similar. My SAI is 1975 and I got $5,950 in Pell Grant for this year, so your estimate of around $5,800 sounds about right. One thing that really helped me was applying for scholarships through my school's foundation - a lot of students don't know these exist beyond the main financial aid office. Also, if you're working while in school, make sure to document everything for your special circumstances appeal. I had to prove I was financially independent even though my parents' info was on my FAFSA, and showing consistent work history and self-support really strengthened my case. Good luck with the appeal process! The waiting is stressful but it sounds like you have a solid case.

As someone who just went through this nightmare last month, I can confirm that the FAFSA system is absolutely terrible this year. What finally worked for me was doing it at 2 AM when the servers weren't overloaded - sounds crazy but it made all the difference! Also, if you're using autofill features in your browser, turn them OFF completely. The system seems to conflict with autofilled data and throws random errors. One more tip: don't use copy/paste for any fields, type everything manually. The system is super finicky about how data gets entered. Hope this helps other people struggling with the same issues!

Just want to add another potential solution that worked for my roommate last week - if you're still having issues after trying all the great suggestions here, check if you have any browser extensions enabled (especially ad blockers, password managers, or privacy tools). She was getting the same "Failed to Save" error and it turned out her ad blocker was interfering with the FAFSA site's background scripts. After disabling all extensions and trying again, it worked perfectly. Also seconding the off-peak hours advice - we both had much better luck applying late at night when the servers weren't overwhelmed. The FAFSA system is definitely frustrating but don't give up!

One last bit of advice: when you fill out your FAFSA, use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if prompted, but since you haven't filed US taxes yet, you'll need to select the option that indicates you haven't filed and will manually enter your financial information. Then provide as accurate information as possible about your current assets and income. Also, be sure to check the "eligible noncitizen" box and provide your A-Number correctly. Many first-time applicants make mistakes there that delay processing.

Hey Connor! Welcome to the US! 🇺🇸 I went through something similar when I moved here from Canada a few years ago. Just wanted to add that you should also look into your state's specific financial aid programs - many states have grants and scholarships specifically for community college students that are separate from federal aid. Also, don't forget to apply for institutional aid directly through your community college. They often have emergency grants, textbook vouchers, and other support programs for new students that can really help with the transition. Some even have specific funds for immigrant students. The financial aid office at your school will be your best friend - they're usually super helpful and understand the unique challenges new residents face. Good luck with everything!

Update: I finally got both twins to add me as a contributor, and I can now see both applications on my dashboard! You were all right - each student has to initiate their own FAFSA and add me, rather than me adding them. The process is working much more smoothly now. Thanks everyone for your help!

I'm going through the exact same process with my daughter and son (they're a year apart but both applying for 2025-2026). One thing I learned the hard way - make sure both twins complete their student portions of the FAFSA BEFORE the priority deadlines for their schools! Even though you'll fill out your contributor section for both, each student needs to submit their individual application by their school's deadline. Some schools have early priority dates in February/March, so don't wait too long for the second twin to get their application started. Also, double-check that both applications show "Submitted" status - I almost missed that my son's was still sitting in "In Progress" even after I completed my contributor portion.

Don't panic about the "processed" status - it's actually a good sign that your initial submission went through without any major errors! I went through this same anxiety last year. Here's what I learned: "processed" means the Department of Education has reviewed your basic information and calculated your SAI, but you're not necessarily done yet. Keep checking your studentaid.gov account and email regularly for the next few weeks. If you get selected for verification (about 1 in 3 chance), you'll get an email and see it in your account. The key is to respond quickly if they ask for additional documents. Also, make sure to check with each of your schools about their specific deadlines and whether they need any additional forms like the CSS Profile. Your SAI of 8750 actually puts you in a decent position for aid - you'll likely qualify for subsidized loans and potentially some grant money depending on the schools you're applying to. Just stay on top of checking your accounts and you'll be fine!

Ruby, I totally get your anxiety about this! I just went through the exact same thing last month. When my FAFSA showed "processed" I thought I was done, but then about 2 weeks later I got hit with verification. Honestly, the "processed" status is kind of misleading because it really just means they've done the initial data entry and calculated your SAI - but there are still several things that could happen. Your SAI of 8750 is actually not bad at all! I had a similar number and ended up getting a partial Pell Grant plus subsidized loans. The verification process was annoying but not terrible - just had to submit tax transcripts and fill out a worksheet. My biggest advice is to set up email notifications on studentaid.gov and check your account at least twice a week. Also, definitely look into whether your schools need CSS Profile because that caught me off guard. The whole system is designed to be confusing but you've got this! Keep us updated on how it goes.