As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here! I'm facing this exact same TAP situation with my son who's choosing between several NY schools, and I was completely panicking when I realized I could only select one school on the original application. Reading through all these detailed responses has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea about the "Change My College Choice" option in the HESC account, and all the practical tips about timing, calling financial aid offices directly with the TAP ID, and even the SUNY tuition credit information is incredibly valuable. I'm logging into my HESC account right now to update the college list, and I feel so much more confident about the process knowing that other parents have successfully navigated these same challenges. This thread should be pinned for other families going through the college decision process!

I'm new to this community and just stumbled upon this incredibly helpful thread! I'm dealing with the exact same TAP situation right now - my daughter got accepted to multiple NY schools and I made the same mistake of only selecting one school on the original TAP application. I was absolutely panicking about how to get her TAP award information ($4,200) to all the other schools before decision deadlines. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences has been such a relief! I just logged into my HESC account and successfully found the "Change My College Choice" option - it was actually much easier to navigate than I expected. I'm updating her list right now to include all 6 schools she's considering, putting the most expensive private school first as Hassan suggested. Thank you to everyone who shared their real-world experience and practical tips here. This thread has transformed what felt like an impossible situation into a manageable process. I'm also planning to call each financial aid office tomorrow with our TAP ID number to speed things along. So grateful for this supportive community during such a stressful time!

Hey Vanessa! I just went through this exact same panic last week when I saw "Closed" on my FAFSA status - I literally thought it meant they rejected me and I was going to have to pay for college out of pocket! 😰 But everyone here is right, it's actually a GOOD thing. The federal student aid website really needs to change that wording because "Closed" sounds so negative when it actually means "Successfully completed and sent to your schools." One thing I wanted to add that helped me feel more confident: you can actually log into your school's student portals and see if they've received your FAFSA information. Most schools will show something like "FAFSA received" or "Application complete" once they get your info from the federal processor. That visual confirmation really put my mind at ease! Also, if you haven't already, make sure to set up notifications on your school portals because they'll send updates there when your aid packages are ready to view (usually sometime in March/April). You're doing everything right - this whole process is just unnecessarily stressful! 💙

Hey Vanessa! I'm also a first-time FAFSA applicant and was literally having the same freak-out moment about this "Closed" status yesterday! Reading through all these responses has been SO helpful - it's such a relief to know that we're not the only ones who find this process completely confusing. The fact that they use the word "Closed" instead of something like "Processing Complete" is honestly ridiculous. I've been checking my status obsessively every day since I submitted mine in February, so I totally get the anxiety! Thanks for being brave enough to post this question because I was too embarrassed to ask. Definitely going to follow everyone's advice here about checking school portals and spam folders - you've probably saved me from weeks of unnecessary stress! 🙏

Hey @Ravi Kapoor! First off, congrats on the zero SAI - that really is great news! As another first-gen student who was totally overwhelmed by all this financial aid stuff, I wanted to share something that helped me a lot: create accounts on each college's financial aid portal as soon as possible and check them regularly. Some schools offer additional institutional grants or scholarships that aren't automatic, and having a zero SAI often puts you at the front of the line for these opportunities. Also, don't be afraid to reach out to financial aid offices directly - I was nervous to call at first, but they're usually really helpful in explaining your specific situation. One last tip: if you get into multiple schools, you can sometimes use competing aid offers to negotiate better packages. The whole process is definitely confusing, but you're already on the right track by asking questions!

Hey @Ravi Kapoor! Congrats on the zero SAI - that's fantastic news! As someone who also went through this process, I wanted to add a few practical tips that really helped me. First, make sure to file your FAFSA as early as possible each year (it opens October 1st) since some aid is first-come, first-served. Second, look into your state's deadline for state grants - they're often earlier than federal deadlines and can be substantial with a zero SAI. Third, consider community college for your first two years if money is tight - you can often transfer to a four-year school and still graduate with the same degree for much less cost. Finally, don't overlook smaller, private colleges that might seem expensive at first glance - they sometimes have better endowments and can offer more generous aid packages than public schools. Keep asking questions and don't let anyone make you feel bad about needing financial aid. You've got this!

To address your follow-up question about contacting FSA: Yes, at 6+ weeks it's reasonable to try reaching out. The rental income could indeed trigger additional review time under the new Student Aid Index methodology. If you decide to call FSA, be prepared for long wait times (1-2 hours is common) or repeated disconnections. Their call volume is extremely high right now. When you do get through, ask specifically if there are any flags or issues with the application rather than just asking about status. Alternatively, many colleges will work with families whose FAFSAs are still processing. Contact your son's financial aid offices directly with proof of FAFSA submission (screenshot the confirmation) and they may be able to extend their internal deadlines or provide provisional aid packages.

I'm going through the exact same thing! My FAFSA has been in review for 5 weeks now and I'm getting really anxious about my college deadlines. Reading through all these responses is both reassuring and terrifying - it sounds like this is just the new normal with the updated FAFSA system. I had no idea about checking the student account messages separately from the parent account, so I'm definitely going to do that tonight. Has anyone had success with the college financial aid offices being flexible about deadlines when you show them proof of FAFSA submission? I'm worried about missing out on merit aid opportunities while we wait for this to process.

As someone who just went through this process with my youngest daughter last semester, I can confirm you should receive that excess as a refund! A few practical tips from our experience: First, definitely set up direct deposit in the student portal ASAP - it's so much faster than waiting for a mailed check. Second, the refund usually happens about 10-14 days after the add/drop period ends, not right when classes start. One thing that really helped us was creating a simple spreadsheet tracking each funding source and its specific terms. We discovered one of her smaller scholarships ($2K) actually required on-campus housing to maintain eligibility, so we had to decide whether to forfeit that or find a way to cover dorm costs. Ultimately we kept her home and lost that particular scholarship, but the math still worked out better for us. The $5K you're banking on for sophomore year housing is smart planning, but definitely confirm each award's renewal requirements now while you have time to plan. Good luck!

I'm new to all this financial aid stuff too and your post really resonates with me! My son will be starting college next year and I've been trying to wrap my head around how all these refunds and excess aid works. Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly educational - especially learning about the bursar's office vs financial aid office distinction, and the importance of checking individual scholarship terms. One question for those who have been through this - do schools typically send any kind of notification when they process the refund, or does the money just show up in your account without warning? I'm the type of person who likes to know what's coming when, so I don't want to be checking my bank account obsessively wondering if/when it will arrive! Also, has anyone had experience with what happens if your student's enrollment status changes (like dropping from full-time to part-time) after aid has been disbursed? I'm probably overthinking this, but I want to understand all the potential scenarios.