Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble with the contributor access (parent section), make sure your parent creates their own FSA ID BEFORE you start the FAFSA. I made the mistake of trying to do everything at once and it created a huge headache. Also, the system seems to work better in the mornings - I had way fewer glitches when I logged in around 8-9 AM compared to evenings when everyone's probably trying to access it. Don't let the October vs December confusion stress you out too much, you're definitely not behind!

As a current college student who went through this exact confusion last year, I can definitely relate to the stress! The October 1st opening date is correct for 2025-2026. What really helped me was creating a checklist of all required documents BEFORE starting the application. One thing I wish someone had told me: if your parents are divorced or separated, make sure you know which parent's information to use (it's the one you lived with most in the past 12 months, not necessarily who claims you on taxes). Also, don't worry about being "behind" - I submitted mine in late November and still received full aid. The key is just making sure you meet your school's priority deadline, which sounds like you've already checked. Take your time and double-check everything before submitting!

Just wanted to follow up - did any of these solutions work for you? I'm curious which route ended up fixing the problem since I might run into this again with my younger sister applying next year.

That's awesome that you got it resolved! Thanks for sharing the update - it's really helpful to know what actually worked. The "infinite processing loop" explanation makes so much sense for why nothing was working on the website. I'm definitely bookmarking that Claimyr service for future reference since it sounds like the new FAFSA system still has a lot of bugs. Glad you didn't miss your deadlines!

random question but does anyone know if you can use promise scholarship money for books and supplies or just tuition??

This is such valuable information! I'm a new community college student starting this spring and had no idea Promise Scholarships even existed. After reading through all these comments, I'm definitely going to check if my state has a Promise program. It sounds like it could really help cover what my Pell Grant doesn't. Does anyone know if there's a central website that lists which states have Promise Scholarship programs? I've been trying to figure out all my financial aid options and this seems like something I should have applied for already if it's available in my state.

To provide a complete answer to your original question: You have several options: 1. Use the 'transfer parent information' feature when starting child #2's FAFSA 2. Wait 3-5 business days for processing to complete, then you can view your submission 3. Request your Student Aid Report (SAR) which contains all submitted information 4. If absolutely necessary, contact FSA directly for immediate access For the future, always use the 'Save as PDF' feature before submitting any FAFSA forms. This creates a complete record of everything you've entered.

Just wanted to add another option that worked for me - if you have your FSA ID login info, try checking your email for the confirmation receipt that was sent when you submitted. Mine had a summary with most of the key financial numbers I needed for my second kid's application. It's not as detailed as the full form, but it had enough info to keep things consistent between applications. Worth checking your spam folder too since those emails sometimes end up there!

As someone who just went through this exact same nightmare last month, I can confirm what others have said - you'll likely need both accounts even though it seems redundant! The key thing that helped me was realizing that the student needs to send separate contributor invitations to each parent. Once I got my invitation and created my FSA ID, the process was actually pretty smooth. The system recognized our joint tax filing and I just had to verify my identity and electronically sign. The whole thing took maybe 15 minutes once I had the proper invitation. Don't stress too much - it sounds way more complicated than it actually is once you get started!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My spouse already completed the parent FAFSA portion for our son, but I keep getting those persistent emails saying I need to complete "my section." After reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the safest bet is to just create my own FSA ID account and go through the process, even if it feels redundant. The mixed experiences people are sharing really highlight how inconsistent the new FAFSA system can be - some people needed both accounts, others didn't, but it seems like having both accounts never hurt anyone. I'm going to ask my son to send me a contributor invitation tonight and get this sorted out before the deadline. Thanks for starting this thread - it's exactly what I needed to see!