The whole system is RIDICULOUS! Early Action deadlines before FAFSA is even available?? Then they expect us to make decisions without knowing what aid we're getting? How are normal families supposed to navigate this mess? I'm so sick of this process and we've barely started. The College Board is making money off every CSS Profile submission while we all stress out. It's a racket.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My son is applying EA to 6 schools and I've been losing sleep over these overlapping deadlines. What I've learned so far: definitely start calling the financial aid offices directly because each school handles this differently. Some are super understanding about the FAFSA delay, others want everything submitted together. Also, if you're struggling to gather all the tax documents for CSS Profile, you can use estimates and update later - just make sure to note that in the comments section. The key is getting something submitted by the EA deadline rather than having an incomplete application. Hang in there, we're all figuring this out together!

one more thing!! make sure ur tax info on the FAFSA EXACTLY matches whats on ur tax return. my husband put $45,367 when his W2 said $45,367.24 and we got flagged for verification which delayed everything for WEEKS

This whole situation sounds so familiar! I went through this exact scenario two years ago with my twins who were both applying to college at the same time. A few things that really helped me: 1. Create a spreadsheet with all the deadlines - FAFSA, CSS Profile, and each individual school's financial aid deadlines. Some schools had deadlines as early as February 1st! 2. For the FSA IDs, yes each person needs their own with unique email addresses. Your senior will need to create hers herself since she has to digitally sign the FAFSA. 3. The FAFSA will automatically calculate that you have two students in college simultaneously, which should help your aid eligibility significantly. Just make sure when you list household size that you count yourself, your kids, and anyone else you support. 4. Since you're divorced and have primary custody, you're correct that you likely won't need your ex's info for FAFSA. But definitely check with each school about CSS Profile requirements - some will waive the non-custodial parent requirement if you can document that he's uncooperative. The good news is having two in college at once actually works in your favor financially! Don't let the complexity overwhelm you - you've got this!

my cousin paid all his rent upfront last year and got more financial aid lol so def do it

Just wanted to add my experience from this year - we were in a similar situation with my daughter having about $3,500 in refunds sitting in her account. We decided to pay her spring semester textbooks and supplies early (around $800) and prepaid her meal plan for the next semester ($1,200). Both were legitimate expenses she was going to have anyway, and it brought her reportable assets down significantly. The key is to only spend on things you were already planning to purchase - don't go buying unnecessary items just to reduce the balance. Her financial aid package this year was noticeably better than last year when we didn't think about asset timing. Good luck with your decision!

Just to reassure you - the processing delays are affecting everyone this year, not just first-time applicants. The Department of Education has publicly acknowledged the issues with the new system rollout. While frustrating, this waiting period isn't a reflection on your application or anything you did wrong. The good news is that once processed, the new FAFSA formula is generally more generous for many families compared to previous years.

I'm going through the exact same thing with my son's FAFSA! We submitted in early March and still waiting for the SAI. It's really stressful not knowing if everything is okay or if there's some issue we're not aware of. This thread has been so helpful - I had no idea the delays were this widespread this year. I'm definitely going to reach out to his schools proactively like others suggested to make sure scholarship deadlines aren't affected. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

I'm going through something very similar right now! My husband is also active duty (E4) and we got denied for Pell Grant despite our low income. After reading through all these responses, I'm realizing we probably made the same BAH reporting mistake. One thing I wanted to add - when you do get through to FAFSA (whether through Claimyr or waiting on hold), make sure to ask them to email you a summary of what they find on your account. I learned this the hard way after multiple calls where different agents told me different things and I had no record of what was actually discussed. Also, if your school continues to give you the runaround, try reaching out to your state's higher education department. Many states have student advocacy offices that can help when you're stuck between FAFSA and your school. It's another option if the professional judgment review doesn't work out. Good luck - you shouldn't have to take on unnecessary debt when you clearly qualify for the grant!

I'm a newcomer here but dealing with almost the exact same situation! My husband is Navy E-3 and we were also denied Pell Grant despite our income being well under the threshold. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea about the BAH reporting issues or the Special Circumstances forms. What really resonates with me is the frustrating back-and-forth between FAFSA and the school. I've been told three different things by three different people at my financial aid office, and each time they just send me back to call FAFSA. It's like nobody wants to take ownership of actually solving the problem. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service that @ava mentioned and ask specifically about those verification codes. I'm also going to request that Special Circumstances form from my school tomorrow. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's given me hope that this can actually be resolved instead of just accepting that I have to take out loans I can't afford. For other military spouses reading this thread, it seems like we need to be much more aggressive about advocating for ourselves and not accepting the runaround. These aren't just random system glitches - there are specific solutions if we know what to ask for!