@profile6 The financial aid counselor I spoke with mentioned asking specifically about their "sibling discount policy" or "multiple student adjustment." She also suggested requesting a "professional judgment review" once we have all the offers, explaining the triple college expense. Apparently some schools have discretionary funds they can use in unique situations like ours. And thanks! We're proud of our triplets but terrified of the cost!

As someone who just went through this process with my own complex household situation, I wanted to add that it's worth double-checking the specific wording on the FAFSA form itself. The question asks about people who "will receive more than half their support from you" between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. So you're looking at future support, not just current. Also, keep in mind that "support" includes housing costs - if your mom lives with you rent-free, that counts toward the support calculation even if she pays for some of her own expenses. With triplets, every point matters on that SAI calculation, so make sure you're capturing everyone who legitimately counts!

UPDATE: We figured it out! It was exactly what several of you mentioned - I entered her name as "Katie" on the FAFSA but her FSA ID has "Katherine." Once she updated her FSA ID to match, the application showed up in her account and she was able to sign it. We got the confirmation email that the FAFSA is now complete! Thank you all for your help - this forum saved us so much stress!

This is such a common issue! I'm glad you got it sorted out. For anyone else reading this thread who might run into similar problems, here's a quick checklist that might help: 1. Make sure ALL names match exactly between FSA ID and FAFSA (including middle names, nicknames vs full names, etc.) 2. Double-check SSN entry - even one wrong digit will cause linking issues 3. If the student doesn't see the signature page, try logging out completely and back in 4. Look in "Incomplete Tasks" or "To Do" sections, not just the main FAFSA dashboard 5. Give it 24-48 hours sometimes - the system can be slow to sync between parent and student accounts The new FAFSA definitely has a learning curve, but once you know these tricks it gets easier. Good luck to everyone still working through their applications!

Congratulations on getting through the process! As someone who just went through this with my oldest last year, I wanted to add one more tip: make sure to save a PDF copy of your completed FAFSA before submitting it. The system sometimes has glitches where submitted forms get lost or corrupted, and having that backup saved us when we had to resubmit after a technical error. Also, keep an eye on your email for any requests for additional documentation - some schools require verification documents even if your FAFSA processes smoothly. Good luck to your son with his college applications!

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - yes, you absolutely need your own FSA ID! I made the mistake of thinking my daughter could just add me to hers somehow, but that's not how it works at all. Each parent needs their own account with their own email address and login credentials. The process is actually pretty straightforward once you understand it: create your FSA ID, wait for verification (which can take a few days), then your son can add you as a contributor to his FAFSA. You'll be able to log in with your own credentials to complete the parent sections and digitally sign the form. Don't stress too much about it - millions of parents go through this every year! Just make sure to start the FSA ID creation process soon since you mentioned December deadlines.

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress! As someone new to the FAFSA process, I'm finding it really eye-opening (and terrifying) to read about these discrepancies between the estimator and actual SAI. It sounds like you're getting some really solid advice here about contacting the financial aid office and requesting a professional judgment review. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that once you get the full aid package, it won't be as bad as you're fearing right now. The fact that schools are apparently trying to compensate for the new formula issues gives me some hope for all of us dealing with this. Please keep us updated on how it goes - I have a feeling a lot of families are going to be in similar situations this year!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Our SAI came back $6,800 higher than the estimator predicted, and I've been losing sleep over it for the past week. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful though. I had no idea about the professional judgment review process or that schools might have additional institutional funds to help bridge these gaps. The advice about creating a comparison spreadsheet and gathering documentation of medical expenses or other hardships is something I'm definitely going to do. We also have some unusual circumstances (caring for my elderly father) that the FAFSA doesn't really capture well. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's reassuring to know we're not alone in this, even though the whole process is incredibly stressful. I'm going to start making calls to our school's financial aid office tomorrow morning!

I'm in a similar situation with my son - SAI of 69,000 and feeling overwhelmed. One thing that's helped us is creating a spreadsheet comparing the total 4-year costs of all his accepted schools, including potential aid packages. Some schools that seemed expensive initially actually came out cheaper after institutional aid. Also, don't forget about work-study opportunities and summer jobs - my older daughter managed to earn about $8K per year through campus work and internships, which helped offset some costs. It's definitely frustrating when you feel like you're in that "too rich for aid, too poor to afford it" middle ground, but there are still options out there!

I'm a newcomer here but facing the exact same situation! Our SAI came back at 74,000 and I literally had a panic attack when I saw it. After reading through all these responses though, I'm feeling a bit more hopeful. A few things I've learned from other parents in similar situations: 1) Some state schools have merit aid that kicks in automatically based on GPA/test scores regardless of need, 2) Private schools sometimes have more flexibility with their own funds, and 3) It's worth asking about sibling discounts if you have multiple kids who might attend college simultaneously. Also, I've heard that some schools will match or negotiate aid packages if you have competing offers from peer institutions. The whole process feels overwhelming, but it sounds like there are more options than just taking out massive loans. Definitely going to try the CSS Profile and direct contact approach mentioned above!