My cousin had this same problem but it turned out her dad had already started an application and used her email, so when she tried to make her own account it was conflicting with the existing one. Might be worth checking if anyone else in your family has already used those email addresses somehow?

Just wanted to add another potential solution that worked for a friend of mine - if you're using any ad blockers or privacy extensions in your browser, try temporarily disabling them. Some of these tools can interfere with the FAFSA site's email verification process. Also, if you have a VPN running, disconnect it before trying again. The FAFSA system can be really picky about these things. Hope this helps someone else who's struggling with this frustrating issue!

Yes! We actually appealed the financial aid offer at Private #2 by showing them the better offer from Private #1. They ended up adding another $8k in institutional grants. Definitely worth asking, especially if you can show better offers from similar schools.

As someone who just went through this process with my youngest, I wanted to share that an SAI of 20972 is actually pretty manageable! Don't let the number scare you. What really matters is how individual colleges interpret and work with that number. A few practical tips based on our experience: - Apply to schools with strong endowments if possible - they often have more flexibility with aid - Don't overlook state schools with honors programs - sometimes they offer merit aid that can bring costs below your SAI - Keep all your financial documents organized because some schools may ask for additional verification Also, if your family's financial situation has changed since you filed (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), make sure to contact each school's financial aid office directly. They can often make adjustments that the FAFSA formula doesn't capture. Good luck!

One more thing to consider - some schools have priority deadlines for FAFSA submission to qualify for their institutional scholarships. Even though you can add schools anytime before the federal deadline (which is June 30, 2026 for the 2025-2026 academic year), each school might have their own priority dates. I recommend checking the financial aid websites for your additional schools to make sure you haven't missed any important deadlines for maximum aid consideration.

Just wanted to add - when you go to make corrections to add schools, make sure you have the correct school codes ready! You can search for them on the FAFSA website or each school's financial aid page. I made the mistake of adding the wrong code for one school (there were two campuses with similar names) and had to submit another correction to fix it. Also, after you submit the correction, you should get an email confirmation within a few hours. The schools typically receive your updated FAFSA info within 3-5 business days. Good luck with your applications!

I'm in a very similar situation - just lost my job two weeks ago after submitting FAFSA in January, and I also received a severance package. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I was really torn about whether to report the severance since it might hurt our aid eligibility, but after seeing the advice from the financial aid counselors here, I realize I need to be completely transparent. The point about schools potentially spreading the settlement over multiple years is particularly encouraging. I'm going to contact each of my daughter's schools this week to submit their special circumstances forms. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so helpful to know we're not alone in navigating these complicated situations!

I went through a very similar situation two years ago when I lost my job right after submitting my son's FAFSA. I received a $38,000 severance package and was terrified about how it would affect his aid. Here's what I learned: definitely report both the job loss and the settlement to each school individually. I contacted 6 different schools and got 6 different responses - some counted the full severance as one year's income, others spread it over 2-3 years, and one school even excluded a portion of it from their calculation entirely. The key is being proactive and honest from the start. I provided my termination letter, severance agreement, unemployment documentation, and a detailed letter explaining my situation. Most schools were surprisingly understanding and worked with me through their professional judgment process. Don't let fear of the settlement amount keep you from reporting the job loss - that change in circumstances could significantly help your aid eligibility. Just be prepared that each school will handle it differently, so you'll need to have individual conversations with each financial aid office.

Update: I just checked the Federal Student Aid website, and they've announced the 2025-2026 FAFSA is scheduled to open on December 1, 2024. So you have about a month to get those FSA IDs created and confirmed. Also, keep in mind that many schools have priority filing deadlines (often in February or March) for maximum financial aid consideration. Even though the federal deadline is much later, meeting your specific colleges' priority deadlines is crucial for institutional aid opportunities.

As someone who just went through this process with my oldest, I wanted to add that you should also check if your state has any additional financial aid programs that require the FAFSA. Some states have their own grant programs with even earlier deadlines than the federal one. For example, my state's need-based grant required FAFSA completion by February 1st for maximum consideration. Also, when you're gathering tax documents, don't forget about any 1099s if either of you had any freelance work or investment income - I almost missed including those and had to go back and correct our application. Good luck with the process!