Update: I finally got through to a FSA representative who confirmed my payments DO count as long as I'm on ICR (which I am) and working full-time at a qualifying employer (which I am). She did advise me to submit a new Employment Certification Form immediately to make sure these early payments are being tracked properly. Thanks everyone for your help - especially the tip about Claimyr which saved me hours of hold time!

Congratulations on getting confirmation! This is such valuable information for other parents in similar situations. I'm in a comparable spot - work for a public library system and have Parent PLUS loans for my junior. I've been hesitant to start payments early because I wasn't sure if they'd count, but your experience gives me confidence to move forward. Quick question: When you consolidated, did you have to wait a certain period before the payments started counting toward PSLF, or did they count immediately after consolidation? I'm worried about timing since I just submitted my consolidation application last month.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - if your daughter is considering any schools that offer early action or early decision (non-binding), you might want to encourage her to apply to those since the FAFSA won't be available until December 1st. Some schools have their own institutional aid applications that can be completed earlier, and getting an early acceptance can take some pressure off while you're navigating the new FAFSA system. Also, I've found it helpful to create a spreadsheet with all the schools she's interested in, their FAFSA deadlines, CSS Profile requirements, and any school-specific aid applications. With all these changes this year, staying organized is going to be more important than ever!

As someone who just went through this process with my son last year, I can't stress enough how important it is to have all your documents ready before December 1st. The new FAFSA will pull directly from your 2023 tax returns, so make sure those are filed and processed by the IRS well in advance. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - keep digital copies of everything! Bank statements, investment accounts, business records if applicable. The new system is supposed to be more streamlined, but when you inevitably need to provide verification documents to colleges, having everything organized digitally will save you so much time. Also, don't panic if the SAI number looks weird compared to what you're used to seeing with EFC. The scale is completely different, so a negative number isn't necessarily bad - it actually might mean more aid eligibility. Each college will interpret these numbers differently anyway when putting together aid packages.

As someone who just went through this process with my son at Penn State Beaver, I can confirm everything everyone is saying here! The confusion is totally normal - I was panicking about the same thing last fall. Just select University Park on all your federal aid applications and don't second-guess it. The Penn State financial aid system is actually pretty efficient once you understand how it works. Your daughter's aid will show up correctly on her Altoona campus bill. The only thing I'd add is to take screenshots of all your FAFSA submissions just in case you need to reference them later. Good luck and congratulations to your daughter!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and seeing all these responses is so helpful! My daughter just got accepted to Penn State Mont Alto and I was having the exact same confusion about the campus selection. It's such a relief to know that selecting University Park is the correct thing to do even when your student will be at a commonwealth campus. I was worried I was doing something wrong! Quick question though - when we eventually need to apply for loans for future years, do we continue to always select University Park, or does that change if she transfers to the main campus through the 2+2 program?

Update: I spoke with someone at Federal Student Aid (finally!) and they confirmed it was due to the FAFSA Simplification Act changes that happened between when I submitted the two applications. The November application was processed under transitional rules that still gave some benefit for multiple students in college, while the January application used the new formula that eliminated this benefit. They advised me to file a correction on both applications and then contact each school's financial aid office for a professional judgment review. The aid officer said many families are in this situation this year due to the transition. Thanks everyone for your help!

Thanks for sharing your experience and the update! This is such valuable information for other families going through the same thing. I'm dealing with a similar situation where my two kids got different aid packages despite identical family circumstances. It's incredibly frustrating that the Department of Education didn't communicate these transition issues more clearly to families. We're basically finding out about these formula changes after the fact when our aid packages don't make sense. I'm definitely going to follow your advice and file corrections for both applications, then request professional judgment reviews. Did the schools' financial aid offices seem familiar with this issue when you contacted them?

Hey Christopher! Just wanted to chime in as another first-gen student who went through this same panic last year 😅 Everyone's advice here is spot on - the federal portal is basically useless for tracking actual aid awards. What helped me was creating a spreadsheet to track when each of my schools said they'd release aid packages, because every school has different timelines (some as late as May/June). Also, don't be afraid to call the financial aid offices if you haven't heard anything by their stated deadlines - they're usually super helpful and understand that first-gen students need extra guidance. You've got this! The waiting is the hardest part but it sounds like you did everything right with your FAFSA submission.

Hey Christopher! Just wanted to add some reassurance as someone who works with financial aid - you're absolutely on the right track! The fact that your FAFSA shows "Processed" means the hardest part is done. One thing that might help ease your anxiety: you can actually check your Student Aid Report (SAR) on studentaid.gov to see your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or Student Aid Index (SAI) if you used the new FAFSA. This will give you a better idea of what aid you might be eligible for while you wait for school packages. Also, keep in mind that schools are still adjusting to the new FAFSA timeline this year, so some may be running a bit behind their usual schedules. You're doing great navigating this as a first-gen student - don't hesitate to reach out to your schools' aid offices if you need updates! 🌟