Just wanted to add another solution that worked for me - if you're still having trouble getting through to FSA even with the callback services, you can also try contacting your school's financial aid office directly. They have a direct line to FSA and can often get these field unlocks processed faster than individual calls. My financial aid counselor was able to submit the correction request on my behalf and it was processed within 48 hours. Not all schools offer this service, but it's worth asking! Also, keep in mind that these locked field issues seem to happen most often when people save and return to their FAFSA later - if possible, try to complete it in one sitting to avoid the problem altogether.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got to the financial section, saved my progress, and now I can't edit my parent's bank account information that I entered incorrectly. It's so frustrating that they lock these sections - I understand wanting to prevent errors, but what about when we need to fix actual mistakes? Reading through all these responses gives me hope though. I'm going to try calling FSA first thing Monday morning, and if that doesn't work, I'll definitely look into that Claimyr service or contact my school's financial aid office. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!

That's such great news that you got through and they have the relief program available! For anyone else still struggling with this - I'd also recommend checking if your school has a student emergency fund or hardship grants through the Dean of Students office. Sometimes these are separate from financial aid and can be processed faster. Also, if you're dealing with private landlords for off-campus housing, try contacting your school's off-campus housing office - many have relationships with local landlords and can help advocate for payment deferrals when students are waiting for aid. The key really seems to be being specific about the FAFSA delays when you're asking for help!

As someone who went through this exact situation last year (though not due to FAFSA delays), I want to emphasize how important it is to get everything in writing when you're requesting deferrals or extensions. When I contacted our apartment management company, they initially said they could waive late fees, but then later claimed they had no record of our conversation. Having email confirmations saved us from a $150 late fee. Also, for the health insurance specifically - most university health plans have a grace period that's not well advertised. When I called our student health services, they told me there's actually a 10-day grace period after the due date before coverage is suspended, which bought us extra time. Don't just assume the posted due date is the absolute deadline!

just wondering did either school give u merit scholarships yet? sometimes they send those separate from need-based aid and u can at least compare those while waiting

I went through this exact situation two years ago with my twins! Here's what actually worked: I called both financial aid offices and explained I had twins with overlapping but conflicting deadlines at different schools. I asked to speak directly with a financial aid director, not just the front desk staff. The key phrase that got results was: "I need to make an informed financial decision for my family, and these timeline conflicts make that impossible." One school moved up their aid release by a week, and the other granted a 10-day extension on the commitment deadline. Also - document everything in writing! Send follow-up emails after every phone call summarizing what was discussed and any commitments made. This saved us when one school tried to backtrack on their timeline promise. Don't give up - squeaky wheel gets the grease, and most schools genuinely want to help families make informed decisions.

I went through this exact same nightmare last year! Here's what finally worked for me after months of frustration: I called the FSA ID helpdesk number (1-800-557-7394) that someone mentioned above, but the key was calling on a Tuesday morning right at 8am EST. I also had my Social Security card, driver's license, and old tax returns ready before calling. The agent was able to verify my identity using my SSN, birthdate, and address history even though I couldn't access my old email. They walked me through creating a new FSA ID and then linked it to my old records on the spot. The whole call took about 30 minutes once I got through. Don't give up - you will get this resolved! Your daughter is lucky to have a parent who's fighting this hard to help her with college funding.

I'm going through the EXACT same thing right now with my old FSA ID from 2014! It's like they designed this system to be as user-unfriendly as possible. One tip that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you have any old bank statements or records showing ACH transfers from federal student aid, those can also help verify your identity when you finally get through to someone. I found some old statements in my tax files that showed the loan disbursements, and the agent was able to use those account numbers as additional verification. Also, I've heard that tweeting at @FederalStudentAid sometimes gets faster responses than their regular channels - they seem more responsive on social media because it's public. Worth a shot when you're desperate! Hang in there, this process is absolutely maddening but you'll get through it.

As someone who's been through this process multiple times, I just wanted to add that it's also worth checking if your school has a book voucher program! Some schools will give you a voucher to use at the bookstore BEFORE your refund comes through if you select "No" on the authorization. This gives you the best of both worlds - you can get books immediately when you need them for class, but you're not locked into only using the bookstore since you can still shop around with your refund money later. Worth asking your financial aid office if this is an option at Allied Health University!

I'm a first-gen student too and went through this exact same confusion last year! The way I think about it is: selecting "Yes" = convenience but potentially higher costs, selecting "No" = more work but better savings opportunities. Here's what helped me decide - I calculated the difference. My school's bookstore wanted $450 for my required textbooks, but I found the same books for $180 total using a mix of used books on Amazon, rentals from Chegg, and free PDFs I found online. That $270 difference was huge for my budget! The only downside to saying "No" is that you need to have some cash upfront to buy books before your refund comes through (usually takes about a week after classes start). But if you can manage that short gap, you'll save so much money in the long run. Good luck with Allied Health University!