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UPDATE: I finally got through to my loan servicer (after being on hold for 1.5 hours)! Turns out it WAS a system error on their end. The rep said they did system maintenance last weekend and something got messed up with a bunch of IDR calculations. She fixed it while I was on the phone and confirmed my payment is still $35. She also put a note on my account so it shouldn't happen again. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
So glad you got this resolved! This is exactly why I always recommend checking both your studentaid.gov account AND your servicer's site when there are payment discrepancies. System maintenance issues seem to be happening more frequently with all the FAFSA changes this year. For anyone else dealing with similar issues, Diego's experience shows how important it is to be persistent and not just accept unexpected payment increases without questioning them. Thanks for updating us with the resolution!
my sister had twins last year and she said one got more aid than the other even with identical parent info. depends on what schools they apply to and their own merit scholarships etc
That's interesting and a bit concerning. I hope the colleges will consider that we have two kids attending simultaneously. I've heard there's some adjustment for multiple college students but wasn't sure how that works now with the new SAI system.
With the new FAFSA, multiple children in college is handled differently than before. The SAI calculation no longer includes the automatic reduction for multiple students that the old EFC had. However, individual colleges may still make adjustments to their aid packages when they see multiple students from the same household. It's definitely worth contacting each financial aid office directly to discuss your twin situation.
Just wanted to add another perspective as someone currently going through this process with twins this year! One thing I discovered is that it's helpful to create a simple spreadsheet with all your financial information before starting either application. This way, when you're completing the second parent portion, you can just copy the exact same numbers and avoid any typos that might trigger verification issues. Also, make sure both twins use consistent naming conventions when they list you as their contributor - use your full legal name exactly as it appears on your tax return for both applications. This small detail can prevent headaches later!
That's such a smart tip about the spreadsheet! I'm definitely going to do that. I'm also wondering - should I wait for both twins to completely finish their student portions before I start either parent section, or can I complete one parent portion as soon as I get the first notification and then do the second one later when the other twin finishes?
Congratulations on getting your award! That's awesome news and such a relief when you finally see those numbers. Your experience is exactly why I always tell people not to stress too much about the SAI number - the thresholds are higher than most people think. $3,465 is a solid amount that will definitely help with your costs. Hope your sophomore year goes smoothly!
That's such great news! I'm a new student here and was panicking about my own SAI being around 2800. Seeing everyone's experiences really helps calm my nerves about the whole process. It's encouraging to know that the system actually works and people do get the aid they qualify for, even if it takes some patience waiting for the schools to process everything.
Welcome to the community! Your SAI of 2800 should definitely qualify you for Pell Grant funding - you're actually in a better position than the original poster. Based on what others have shared here, you'll likely receive around $3,800-$4,200 for the year if you're enrolled full-time. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, but it sounds like you're on track to get good aid. Make sure to check studentaid.gov to see your official eligibility, and don't hesitate to reach out to your school's financial aid office if you have questions once your package is ready!
Thank you so much for the welcome and the information! That's incredibly reassuring to hear. I've been losing sleep over this whole financial aid process, especially since I'm the first in my family to go to college and we have no idea how any of this works. I'll definitely check studentaid.gov like you suggested. It's amazing how supportive everyone is here - I was expecting to just lurk and read, but you all make it feel like a real community where people actually help each other out.
Update: Thanks everyone for your help! My husband created his FSA ID last night and was able to sign. The whole process took less than 10 minutes once I showed him where to go. Our son's FAFSA is now officially submitted with both parent signatures. Such a relief to have this done correctly!
Congrats on getting it figured out! This thread is super helpful - I'm bookmarking it for when I help my daughter with her FAFSA next year. The signature requirement definitely seems like one of those things that catches a lot of families off guard. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!
Yes, definitely bookmark this! I wish I had found a thread like this before going through the FAFSA process. The signature requirement really does catch so many people off guard - it seems like such a simple thing but can cause major delays if you miss it. This community has been incredibly helpful for navigating all these confusing financial aid requirements!
Noah Lee
Glad you got answers! This whole new FAFSA system is such a disaster. My daughter almost missed out on $8000 in grants because of similar issues. They really need to extend all the deadlines this year.
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Olivia Garcia
•Completely agree! I don't understand how they could launch a system with so many problems when students' financial futures depend on it. At least we finally have a path forward now.
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Amina Toure
I'm dealing with a similar signature issue right now and this thread has been so helpful! For anyone else reading this, I wanted to add that I discovered you can check your FSA ID verification status by logging into your account and looking at the "My Account" section - it will show if your identity verification is still "pending" or "complete." This saved me from wondering if that was my problem. Also, if you're still having browser issues, try Safari if you're on a Mac - it worked for me when Chrome and Firefox didn't. The FAFSA system really is a nightmare this year but at least we're all suffering together! 😅
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Morgan Washington
•This is such great additional info, thank you! I wish I had known about checking the FSA ID verification status earlier - that would have saved me hours of troubleshooting. And good tip about Safari too! It's crazy how different browsers can have such different results with government websites. Really appreciate you sharing what worked for you. This whole experience has been so stressful but at least this community has been incredibly helpful! 🙏
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