Thank you for summarizing all this! I'm going to try everything on this list tonight. I'll update this thread if we figure out what's causing our signature problems in case it helps anyone else!

Hey! I just went through this exact same nightmare a few months ago. Before you consider deleting (which can create more problems), try one more thing that worked for me: have your parent try signing from their phone using the mobile browser instead of a computer. For some weird reason, the mobile version of the site handled signatures better when I was having issues. Also make sure they're not copying/pasting their FSA ID password - type it manually. I know it sounds silly but that was actually part of my problem! If none of the troubleshooting works and you absolutely have to delete, definitely call your schools first like others mentioned. Good luck!

After you receive your aid packages, if they're still insufficient, you can submit a professional judgment request (sometimes called a special circumstances form) to each school's financial aid office. Document your SNAP benefits and free lunch status as evidence of financial need that may not be fully captured in the FAFSA. Each school handles these differently, but many will make adjustments that could increase your aid package. Start this process early - aid funds are often distributed on a first-come basis.

Don't give up hope! I went through this exact situation with my son two years ago. SAI of 8500, no Pell Grant, but he ended up with a great aid package. Here's what worked for us: 1) Applied to multiple schools (in-state publics were most generous), 2) Immediately contacted financial aid offices after getting packages to explain our SNAP/free lunch situation, 3) Most importantly - filled out every single scholarship application we could find, both through schools and external organizations. My son ended up with enough aid to cover most of his costs. The SAI is just the starting point, not the end of your story!

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get this resolved? If you're still having issues, there's a lesser-known email address specifically for technical account issues: FSA_TECH_SUPPORT@ed.gov. Include your name, the email you're trying to verify, and a brief description of the issue. They typically respond within 1-2 business days.

Great to hear you got it resolved! For anyone else still dealing with this issue, I wanted to add that some email providers (especially corporate/work emails) have less aggressive spam filtering than Gmail/Yahoo, which might explain why switching to your work email worked. Also, if you're using a school-issued email address, those often have whitelisted government domains that can help with delivery. The FAFSA system really needs to get these verification issues sorted out - it's causing so much unnecessary stress during an already overwhelming process!

That gap between your SAI and actual costs is unfortunately pretty common! The SAI is just one factor schools use - they also consider their own institutional methodology and available funding. A few things to try: 1) Definitely call the financial aid office to ask for a breakdown of how they calculated your package, 2) Ask if there are any additional scholarships you can apply for, 3) See if they can reconsider if your family's financial situation has changed recently. Many schools are willing to work with families, especially if you can demonstrate need beyond what the FAFSA captured. Don't be afraid to advocate for your daughter!

I went through this exact same situation last year with my son! His SAI was around $5,500 but we ended up paying about $13,000 out of pocket. What I learned is that the SAI is more like a starting point for federal aid eligibility rather than what you'll actually pay. Schools often have limited institutional aid to go around, so they can't always meet full demonstrated need. One thing that really helped us was submitting a financial aid appeal with documentation of any special circumstances - things like medical expenses, job loss, or caring for elderly parents that might not show up clearly on the FAFSA. We ended up getting an additional $2,000 in grants after the appeal. Also, don't forget to look into work-study opportunities and see if your daughter can take on a small campus job to help cover some costs!

UPDATE: We finally got it fixed! Combination of approaches worked for us: 1. Had my husband use his own phone (not our shared computer) 2. Logged in at 6:30am on a Tuesday (great tip about off-peak hours) 3. Went through the "My Documents" section as suggested 4. Re-authorized the IRS data transfer 5. Left everything completely alone for 3 days When we checked again, the status showed "Processing" and all sections were marked complete! Thanks everyone for your help. For anyone else stuck in this situation, patience and trying different devices seems to be key.

So glad to see this got resolved! This thread is going to be incredibly helpful for other families dealing with the same nightmare. I'm bookmarking it for future reference. The FAFSA redesign has been such a disaster this year - I've heard similar horror stories from so many parents in our community. Your persistence really paid off, and the combination approach you described gives hope to others stuck in the same loop. Thanks for taking the time to update with the solution that worked!