Update: It went back to "processed" today! That was much faster than I expected after reading some of your comments. All 3 new schools now show up in his account too. Thanks everyone for the help and reassurance!

That's awesome that it resolved so quickly! This thread has been really helpful - I'm bookmarking it in case I run into the same issue when my daughter applies next year. It's so reassuring to see how the community comes together to help each other navigate this confusing process. Thanks for sharing the update!

Glad you're feeling better about this! One final suggestion - after making your corrections, consider using the Federal Student Aid Estimator tool on studentaid.gov to get a rough idea of what your new SAI might be. It won't be exact, but it can help you prepare for what to expect and give you some peace of mind in the meantime.

Don't beat yourself up about this - FAFSA asset reporting is genuinely confusing and you're definitely not alone in making these mistakes! I work at a high school and see students mix up retirement accounts vs investments all the time. The good news is that correcting it is pretty straightforward, and since you caught it before your aid packages are finalized, you should be in good shape. Just make sure when you're making the corrections that you have all your documentation handy (tax returns, investment statements, etc.) so you can input the accurate numbers. Your future self will thank you for taking the time to fix this now rather than dealing with aid adjustments later!

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.

Just joining this conversation as someone who's been battling with FAFSA for the past few months. Reading all these experiences makes me realize how widespread this problem really is - it's not just me struggling with a "broken" system, the system IS actually broken by design. What strikes me most is how we're all making the same compromises: choosing cheaper schools over better programs, starting at community college when we wanted university, taking gap years we didn't plan for, or just accepting massive debt loads that'll follow us for decades. Meanwhile, colleges keep raising tuition knowing that federal loans will cover whatever they charge. The most maddening part is that everyone - parents, guidance counselors, college admissions - keeps pushing FAFSA like it's this magical solution that'll make college affordable. But then you actually go through the process and realize you're basically just applying for permission to go into debt. The "aid" is mostly loans, work-study barely covers textbooks, and any actual grants are so small they're almost insulting. I keep wondering: what would happen if an entire generation just refused to play this game? If we all said "no thanks" to crushing debt for degrees that might not even guarantee decent jobs anymore? Maybe then colleges would be forced to actually address their inflated costs instead of just expecting us to mortgage our futures. Sorry for the rant, but it feels good to find people who get how frustrating this whole mess really is.

Just wanted to add my voice to this discussion as another frustrated student dealing with this mess. I'm a sophomore and went through the FAFSA nightmare again this year - same story as everyone else here. My family's "expected contribution" is about $12,000 which might as well be a million dollars for us. What really gets me is how the system punishes you for your parents being responsible and saving ANY money. My mom had about $8,000 in savings for emergencies, and apparently that makes us "wealthy" enough to not need help. Meanwhile, families who spend everything get better aid packages. It's like they're encouraging people to be financially irresponsible. The whole process feels designed to wear you down until you just accept whatever crumbs they offer. After hours of fighting with the website, dealing with verification documents, and waiting weeks for results, you're so exhausted that a $1,500 Pell Grant feels like a victory even though it barely covers textbooks. I ended up taking out the maximum federal loans plus working 25 hours a week just to stay enrolled. My grades are suffering because I'm constantly stressed about money, but if I cut work hours I can't afford to stay in school. It's a catch-22 that feels impossible to escape. Reading everyone's stories here at least makes me feel less alone in this struggle, but it's depressing how common these experiences are. We shouldn't have to choose between education and financial survival.

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.