Great news! Just so you're prepared for when your SAI does show up, remember that the number might look different than you expect. The SAI can range from -1500 to 999999. Lower numbers (especially negative ones) indicate higher financial need. Don't be alarmed if you see a negative number - that's actually potentially good for your aid eligibility. The SAI replaced the old EFC calculation and uses a slightly different formula.

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! Submitted my FAFSA on March 5th and still no SAI showing up anywhere. I've been checking my studentaid.gov account daily and there's literally nothing in the My Documents section except the initial confirmation. My school's financial aid office told me they're seeing this with tons of students this year - apparently the new FAFSA system is causing major delays. They actually suggested I bring them my FAFSA confirmation email and they'll note in my file that I'm waiting on federal processing. Might be worth asking your school if they'll do the same while you wait for your SAR to finally appear!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My FAFSA shows processed with an SAI, but my school's financial aid office says they haven't received it yet. The constant emails about "missing information" are so frustrating when everything appears to be complete on my end. I'm a first-generation college student so this whole process is already overwhelming, and these technical issues are making it so much worse. Reading through all these responses is actually really reassuring - at least I know it's not just me! I'm going to try emailing my school's financial aid office with screenshots of my processed application like everyone suggested. Has anyone had success with that approach yet? Really hoping they can pull it manually from their end because I'm worried about missing deadlines too.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same issue - FAFSA shows processed with an SAI but my son's college hasn't received it, plus those never-ending emails about "missing" info. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to: 1. Take screenshots of the processed application with SAI 2. Email them directly to the financial aid office 3. Call them tomorrow to see if they can manually pull the data It's actually really comforting to know this is a widespread system issue and not something I did wrong. The "Better FAFSA" definitely feels more like the "Buggy FAFSA" this year! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this community is a lifesaver during such a stressful process.

Just wanted to add from our experience - we went through something very similar last year. We ended up doing a smaller cash-out refinance ($25K) and made sure to spend it all on documented home improvements before filing FAFSA. Keep ALL your receipts and contractor invoices! Our financial aid officer at my son's college said having that paper trail was really helpful when we explained the situation during our aid review. Also, don't forget that you'll be filing FAFSA again each year your daughter is in college, so you might want to plan the timing of any major financial moves around those annual filing dates too.

As someone who just went through this exact scenario with my daughter who's now a sophomore, I can tell you timing is everything! We did our cash-out refi ($35K for a new roof and HVAC) in January 2023, spent it all by March, and filed FAFSA in April. Her aid package was actually better than expected. The key things that helped us: 1) We kept meticulous records of every expense, 2) We communicated proactively with the financial aid offices at her schools about the situation, and 3) We made sure every penny was spent on legitimate home improvements before filing. Most schools were very understanding when we explained it was for necessary repairs, not luxury upgrades. Don't let the fear of affecting aid stop you from doing necessary home maintenance - just be strategic about timing and documentation!

This entire thread has been so helpful! I'm a new parent going through this process for the first time and was starting to panic thinking I was doing something wrong. My daughter's FAFSA has been sitting incomplete for two weeks because of this exact signature loop issue. Reading through everyone's experiences and solutions gives me a clear action plan to try. I'm going to start with the Firefox + ad blocker disabled + early morning approach that worked for Sophie, and if that fails, I'll try the dual session method with my daughter. It's frustrating that such an important system has these kinds of technical problems, but at least now I know I'm not alone and there are actual solutions that work. Thank you all for sharing your experiences!

Just wanted to add another data point for anyone still struggling with this - I had the exact same signature loop problem and what finally worked for me was clearing ALL browser data (not just cache and cookies) and then restarting my computer completely before trying again. I think there might be some kind of session conflict that gets stored locally. Also, make sure you're not using any VPN or proxy services when accessing the FAFSA site - I discovered my work VPN was causing authentication issues. The combination of a completely clean browser state + direct internet connection + Firefox during off-peak hours got me through on the first try after that. Hope this helps someone else who's tried everything else!

One last thing to consider: most private lenders offer a 0.25-0.50% interest rate reduction if you sign up for automatic payments. This can save hundreds or even thousands over the life of the loan. And if you have excellent credit (which it sounds like you do), don't be afraid to negotiate! I actually called College Ave after getting approved and asked if they could beat a competitor's rate. They lowered our rate by 0.30%!

As someone new to this process, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation with my son starting college next fall. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Apply annually rather than per semester to minimize credit hits, 2) Consider applying for the full annual amount even if you're not sure you'll need it all, and 3) Don't forget to explore all federal options first (including Parent PLUS) before going private. One question I haven't seen addressed - for those who went with private loans, how long did the approval and disbursement process typically take? I'm wondering if there's a deadline I should be aware of for getting applications in before the fall semester starts.