I'm new to this community but going through the exact same situation right now! Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly eye-opening. My daughter just got her aid package and we're facing a huge gap that we can't cover, plus we have credit issues from some financial struggles a couple years back. I had never heard of the extenuating circumstances appeal option before finding this thread - that sounds like it could be perfect for our situation since our credit problems were also due to unexpected medical expenses. Can anyone who went through this process share approximately how long the documentation gathering took? I want to make sure I give myself enough time to put together a strong appeal package. Also, for those who mentioned that some schools have emergency funds or additional aid for families denied PLUS loans - is this something I should ask about directly, or do schools typically offer this information automatically? I don't want to miss out on any opportunities just because I didn't know to ask! Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative discussion. It's amazing how much more helpful this community has been than trying to navigate the official channels alone.

Just wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! We went through the PLUS loan denial and endorser process last year for my son. One thing I learned that might help others - if you do end up needing an endorser, make sure to have a backup plan because the credit check for endorsers can sometimes reveal issues that weren't apparent beforehand. My brother initially agreed to be our endorser but ended up not passing the credit check due to some old collection accounts he didn't even know about. We eventually found success with my mother-in-law as the endorser, but the whole process took about 6 weeks from start to finish, which was way longer than we expected. The school was understanding about the delayed loan processing, but it definitely added stress to an already overwhelming situation. For anyone considering the endorser route - make sure your potential endorser checks their credit report first through annualcreditreport.com before agreeing to help. It can save everyone time and disappointment if there are unknown issues that would prevent approval. The credit counseling requirement for both borrower and endorser was also more time-consuming than expected, so factor that into your timeline as well.

One more important point: The 2025-2026 FAFSA now uses the SAI (Student Aid Index) instead of the old EFC calculation. This new formula treats some types of income differently, so your family's $95K might result in more aid eligibility than in previous years, especially if you have multiple children in college simultaneously. With the new FAFSA, having multiple students in college doesn't provide as much benefit as it used to, but there are other changes that might help your situation. Definitely complete the form as soon as it's available for the 2025-2026 academic year.

As someone who just went through this process with my nephew, I want to add that timing matters a lot! If your son is planning to start in spring 2025, he needs to file the 2024-2025 FAFSA ASAP since spring semester aid deadlines are coming up fast. Many schools have priority deadlines in early fall for spring aid. Also, since he's been working and filing taxes, make sure he has his 2023 tax return ready for the FAFSA - even though he's dependent, they'll still need his tax info in addition to yours. And don't forget to check if Georgia has any state-specific deadlines that are earlier than the federal ones! One last tip: if money is really tight, he might want to consider starting part-time while still working. Many technical programs offer evening or weekend classes specifically for working adults, and he can still get partial Pell Grant funding for part-time enrollment.

To follow up on everyone's helpful comments, here's a quick guide for what to do next with your daughter's excellent -690 SAI: 1. Check which of her schools require the CSS Profile and complete it ASAP if needed 2. Contact each school's financial aid office directly to ask about any institutional/merit scholarships she might qualify for (these are separate from need-based aid) 3. When you receive the financial aid award letters, carefully separate them into these categories: - Free money (grants, scholarships) - Student loans (Stafford/Direct loans - these are in the student's name) - Parent loans (PLUS loans - these are in your name) - Work-study (money earned through campus employment) 4. Calculate the true "net cost" by subtracting ONLY the free money from the total cost of attendance 5. Compare these true net costs between schools to make your decision A negative SAI is definitely good news, but staying organized about the next steps is key to maximizing this advantage!

Congratulations on the negative SAI! That's fantastic news for your daughter's financial aid eligibility. As someone who went through this process recently, I want to emphasize what others have said about not making any decisions until you see ALL the award letters side by side. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier: create a simple spreadsheet to track each school's offer. List the total cost of attendance, then subtract ONLY the grants and scholarships (free money) to get your true out-of-pocket cost. Don't include loans or work-study in your "aid received" calculations when comparing schools. Also, once you get the award letters, don't be afraid to appeal if the aid seems insufficient. Schools have some flexibility, especially if you can demonstrate special circumstances or if a comparable school offered more aid. With your daughter's -690 SAI, you have strong grounds for requesting maximum assistance. Good luck! This is actually a great position to be in for college affordability.

I tried the online help center ticket system yesterday and it's definitely faster than calling! I submitted a ticket around 2 PM and got an automated response saying they'd get back to me within 3-5 business days. Haven't heard back yet, but at least I'm not sitting on hold for hours. I also attached screenshots of my blank family size field and my original confirmation email that showed I had completed all required sections. Based on what everyone's saying here, I'm cautiously optimistic about the April 5th correction window - fingers crossed it actually opens on time and works properly this time!

I'm experiencing the exact same issue! My FAFSA was processed on March 24th and shows a completely blank family size field, even though we're a family of 4 with 2 in college. It's really reassuring to see Emma's update about the special correction window opening April 5th - that timing should work well for college decision deadlines. I'm going to submit a ticket through the online help center today like NeonNomad suggested, and I'll make sure to include screenshots of the blank field plus my original confirmation emails. This whole situation has been so stressful, but reading everyone's experiences here makes me feel less alone in dealing with these FAFSA glitches. Thanks to everyone for sharing updates and solutions!

If you get selected for verification, don't panic - it's routine for about a third of applicants. You'll need to provide documentation supporting the information on your FAFSA, typically: - Tax return transcripts from the IRS - W-2 forms - Documentation of untaxed income - Verification of household size The most important thing is responding quickly and thoroughly. Missing verification deadlines can result in loss of aid eligibility. Each school handles verification differently, so follow their specific instructions carefully.

Just wanted to jump in as someone who went through this exact same process last year! That "Paperwork Processed" message is definitely exciting but I totally get the confusion about what comes next. One thing I wish I had known - even though your FAFSA gets sent to schools automatically, I'd recommend creating accounts on each school's financial aid portal if you haven't already. That way you can track when they actually receive and process your info on their end. Some schools are super quick (got my aid package in 2 weeks) while others took over a month. Also keep checking your spam folder - I almost missed an important verification email from one school because it went there! The waiting is the hardest part but you're definitely on the right track.