Grace, I can see you're getting some great advice here! As someone who just went through this process with my son, I wanted to add one more thing that really helped us - when you call the financial aid offices tomorrow, also ask if they have any "emergency" or "expedited" FAFSA processing for families who had legitimate delays like medical emergencies. Some schools have special procedures for situations exactly like yours where family health crises caused delays. They might be able to flag your daughter's file for priority review or consideration for late-deadline scholarships if you explain the circumstances. Also, keep documentation of those medical issues and any correspondence showing the health emergency timeline - this could be helpful for both the special circumstances appeals and potentially for explaining any delayed submissions to scholarship committees. You're doing everything right by acting quickly now. Your daughter is lucky to have such a dedicated parent advocating for her!

Grace, I'm so glad to see you're getting such comprehensive advice here! I went through a very similar situation two years ago (also due to family medical issues) and want to share one additional tip that saved us thousands. After you submit the FAFSA using your 2023 data and call both schools about their priority deadlines, also ask each financial aid office about their "professional judgment review" timeline. Some schools process these appeals much faster than others, and if your 2024 medical expenses and income changes are significant, this could result in additional aid. Also, don't forget to check if your state has its own student aid programs with separate deadlines. Many families focus so much on federal aid and school-specific aid that they miss out on state grants that could be substantial. Your state's higher education website should have this information. You're handling this crisis so well - your daughter is going to have great options thanks to your persistence! The fact that you're acting quickly now despite everything you've been through shows incredible dedication.

Glad to hear you got your invite! For future reference for anyone else having this issue - I've noticed that contributor invites sent during weekdays tend to arrive faster than weekend submissions. Also, if you're using a work email, some corporate spam filters are extra aggressive with FSA emails. I always recommend parents use a personal email address when possible. The new FAFSA system has definitely had growing pains, but it's getting more stable as they work out the bugs.

Great to see this got resolved! For anyone still waiting on their contributor invite, I'd also recommend checking if your email provider has any "promotions" or "updates" folders where automated emails sometimes get sorted. Gmail especially likes to put government emails in these tabs instead of the main inbox. Also, if you're still having issues after 48 hours, try having your student remove you as a contributor and then re-add you - sometimes this triggers the system to send a fresh invite. The key is not to panic - the FSA system is definitely slower this year but it does work eventually!

As someone new to this process, I really appreciate all the detailed advice here! I was in the same boat wondering about timing. Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like creating the FSA ID early is definitely the way to go. The verification delays seem to be the biggest risk, and I'd rather deal with any issues now rather than when we're trying to meet deadlines. I'm also going to write down all my login info like someone suggested - that's such a practical tip that I wouldn't have thought of. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences, both good and bad. It's making this whole process feel much less intimidating!

This is such a timely question! I'm going through the exact same thing with my son right now. After reading all these responses, I'm convinced that creating your FSA ID now is definitely the right move. What really stood out to me is how unpredictable the verification timing can be - some people get verified in 24 hours, others wait days or even weeks. I'd much rather deal with any potential hiccups now rather than when we're rushing to meet college deadlines. Plus, it sounds like having both FSA IDs ready means you can power through the actual FAFSA application without interruptions. Thanks for asking this question - the answers have been incredibly helpful for those of us navigating this process for the first time!

UPDATE: We got it working! You were all right - my daughter had to specifically invite him as a contributor through her account. The invitation email went to his spam folder (of course), but once he found it and clicked the link, he could access her application. Thanks everyone for your help!

So glad you got it sorted out! This is such a helpful thread - I'm bookmarking it for when my younger son starts his FAFSA next year. The spam folder thing is so typical too. It's crazy how unintuitive the new FAFSA system is compared to the old one. At least now other parents dealing with this same issue will have all these great troubleshooting steps in one place!

I'm a financial aid counselor, and I see this situation frequently. To clarify some confusion in this thread: 1. You CANNOT just delete and restart the FAFSA without consequences. The system tracks applications by SSN. 2. A "dependency override" is NOT what you need. That's for students who are independent from ALL parents. 3. What you need is a "non-custodial parent waiver" or "professional judgment review" at each school. 4. You should still complete the FAFSA with your information only, but be prepared to provide documentation to each school. 5. Your daughter's initial SAI will likely be incorrect until schools process your special circumstances request. Be persistent and start this process immediately after submitting the FAFSA. Good luck!

I went through this exact situation with my son two years ago! His father disappeared when he was 12 and we had no way to contact him for FAFSA info. Here's what worked for us: 1. Complete the FAFSA with only your information - leave his father's section blank where possible 2. Immediately after submitting, email ALL the financial aid offices at your daughter's schools explaining the situation 3. Ask each school for their "Special Circumstances" or "Professional Judgment" form 4. Gather ALL documentation showing he doesn't contribute: bank statements, any custody paperwork, proof of no child support, etc. The most important thing is TIMING - start this process right after you submit the FAFSA because it can take 4-6 weeks for schools to review. My son ended up getting great aid packages once the schools processed our appeals. Don't give up! The system is frustrating but there ARE ways around uncooperative parents.