I was in your exact situation last year and spent HOURS stressing about this!!!! My son's aid actually DID change but it went UP not down after they processed all his documents. I think once it's on the official portal it's pretty solid unless they audit you or something. BUT BUT BUT make sure to check if they're expecting you to take out loans as part of the "aid package" because some schools are SUPER SNEAKY and count loans as part of their generous "financial aid" which is totally misleading!!!!

As someone new to this whole process, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm just starting to navigate financial aid for my daughter who's a junior in high school. A few questions for the group: Should we be submitting CSS Profile in the fall even before we know which schools she'll apply to? Also, I keep seeing mentions of "gift aid" vs loans in packages - is there a standard way schools break this down, or do I need to dig through each offer carefully to separate the actual grants from the loans? Thanks for all the detailed responses above - definitely bookmarking this thread!

Your SAI of 2906 is actually really good news! As someone who just went through this process last year, I can tell you that with your family income and that SAI, you're likely looking at getting a substantial Pell Grant (probably around $4,000-5,000), plus you'll qualify for subsidized federal loans where the government pays the interest while you're in school. The key thing to remember is that your SAI isn't what you'll pay - it's what colleges use to calculate how much aid you need. So if your school costs $20,000 total and your SAI is $2,906, your "financial need" would be around $17,094, and the school will try to meet that with grants, loans, and work-study. Keep trying to reach your financial aid office, but also check if they have online chat or email options. Many schools are swamped right now but are pretty responsive to emails. You're in a much better position than you think!

Just wanted to add one more resource that might help while you're waiting to hear back from your school's financial aid office! The Federal Student Aid website has a really useful aid estimator tool where you can plug in your SAI and get a rough idea of what federal aid you might qualify for. It won't tell you about institutional or state aid, but it can give you a baseline. Also, since you mentioned being a first-gen student - many colleges have special programs and additional support for first-gen students that can include extra grants or scholarships. When you do connect with your financial aid office, definitely mention that you're first-generation. Some schools have separate funding pools specifically for students like us! With your SAI of 2906, you're honestly in a really good position. I know the waiting and uncertainty is stressful, but try not to worry too much. The system is designed to help students in your situation afford college!

Just wanted to add - make sure to fill out the CSS Profile too if any of your schools require it! Some schools use both FAFSA and CSS Profile to determine institutional aid, and you might qualify for more money through that route even with your SAI score.

Hey Pedro! I'm in a similar situation - my SAI came out to 10,896 and I was panicking too. After reading through all these responses, I feel a lot better about the whole thing. One thing I'd add is to also look into community college for your first two years if money is really tight. I know it's not the "traditional" college experience, but you can knock out your general eds for way less money and then transfer to a state school. My older brother did this and saved like $15k total. Plus a lot of Florida community colleges have guaranteed transfer agreements with the state universities. Just another option to consider if the numbers don't work out at your first choice schools!

For everyone in this thread - one crucial thing to remember is to regularly save your progress as you complete the FAFSA. The system has been known to time out unexpectedly, and there's nothing worse than losing an hour of work. Also, your son will need his Social Security Number, driver's license (if he has one), and access to his email/phone while creating his FSA ID. The verification process is more stringent with the new system. Lastly, watch out for the asset questions in your contributor section. They've changed how they ask about investments, and many parents report accidentally including retirement accounts that should be excluded.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this process last month with two kids! The order everyone mentioned is spot on - students first, then parent FSA ID, then applications. One thing I wish someone had told me: when your kids add you as a contributor, you'll get separate email notifications for each child's FAFSA. Don't panic thinking you missed something if you only see one at first - they don't always come at the same time. Also, make sure you have your bank statements handy when you do the contributor section. The new system asks for current account balances (as of the day you're filling it out), not just what was on your tax return. This caught me off guard since the old FAFSA didn't ask for this level of detail about liquid assets. Good luck! The system definitely has its quirks but once you get through the first one, the second child's FAFSA will feel much more manageable.

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.