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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.
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! 😅
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! 🙏
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!
Jamal Brown
That retirement withdrawal situation is frustrating when it affects your Pell Grant eligibility. Unfortunately, the FAFSA does count retirement distributions as income, even when used for debt payoff rather than education expenses. Your best approach is definitely to request a Professional Judgment review from your school's financial aid office. Prepare documentation showing: - The retirement withdrawal amount - Proof it went directly to debt payments - A letter explaining this was a one-time circumstance that doesn't reflect your family's typical financial situation When you meet with the financial aid administrator, be clear that this withdrawal artificially inflated your family's income for FAFSA purposes and doesn't represent ongoing financial capacity. Some schools are more flexible with Professional Judgment than others, but this is exactly the kind of situation it's designed for. You might also want to check if your school has emergency grants or other institutional aid that could help fill the gap if the Professional Judgment review doesn't fully restore your Pell eligibility.
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Ian Armstrong
•@brianna rodriguez I d'also suggest gathering any documentation that shows the debt burden was preventing your family from contributing to your education in the first place. For example, if high monthly debt payments were eating up most of your father s'income, collect old credit card statements or loan documents that demonstrate this. You want to paint a clear picture that the retirement withdrawals were essentially robbing "Peter to pay Paul rather" than creating new disposable income. Also consider asking your school s'financial aid office if they can do a forward-looking assessment - since the debt is now paid down, your family s'actual ability to contribute to education costs may have improved, which could help your case for future aid years.
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Miguel Silva
•@brianna rodriguez One more thing to consider - if your father is still working and plans to stop making retirement withdrawals once the debt is fully paid off, make sure to emphasize the temporary nature of this situation in your appeal. Even though it s'happened multiple years, if there s'a clear endpoint like (debt "will be fully paid by X date ,")that strengthens your case that this isn t'permanent income but rather a specific debt elimination strategy. You might also want to calculate and present what your family s'normal "income" would be without these withdrawals to show the financial aid office what your typical eligibility should look like. Some schools are more willing to work with families when they can see a clear timeline for when the unusual financial circumstances will end.
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