also make sure you look at the actual award letters when they come in!!! my sons SAI was similar (around 750) but the actual offers from different schools varied by like $15k!! some schools are way more generous than others even with the same fafsa info

That's fantastic news! An SAI of 690 puts your daughter in an excellent position for financial aid. Just to add some perspective - you might also want to check if your state has additional grant programs for students with low SAI numbers. Many states offer their own need-based grants that stack on top of federal aid. Also, don't forget to have your daughter apply for the work-study program at her schools if she's interested - with her SAI, she'll likely qualify and it can help cover personal expenses. The key thing now is just being patient while the schools process everything. You're doing great navigating this process!

why is fafsa still using 2023 taxes anyway??? my income is TOTALLY different now than it was 2 years ago. the whole system is so stupid!!!!

I went through a similar situation last year and here's what helped me navigate it: First, yes - you'll be the contributor parent for both kids since you provide majority financial support, regardless of who claims them on taxes. The new FAFSA rules are clear on this. For the joint 2023 taxes issue, here's what worked for me: 1. Complete the FAFSA initially using your joint return info 2. Immediately contact each school's financial aid office to explain your situation 3. They'll likely ask for your individual W-2s from 2023 to separate your income from your ex's 4. Be prepared to provide your divorce decree once it's finalized Pro tip: Start gathering documentation NOW - your 2023 W-2s, bank statements showing you pay for kids' expenses, any support documentation, etc. Having everything organized made the process so much smoother. Most schools are experienced with divorce situations and were actually very helpful once I explained what was happening. Don't stress too much - this is more common than you think!

Coming back to add something important - when looking at your tax forms, the FAFSA uses the AGI (line 11 on your 1040), but also considers untaxed income and certain deductions. So while your taxable income isn't the main factor, some of the deductions that reduced your taxable income might still be added back in for FAFSA purposes. For example, if your write-off included pre-tax contributions to retirement plans or health savings accounts, those might be added back when calculating your SAI. The complete formula is quite complex, which is why financial aid offices have specialized software to calculate it all.

As someone who just went through this process last year, I can confirm what others have said about AGI being the key number. My situation was similar - I had some business expenses that lowered my taxable income, but my AGI actually went up from the previous year. I initially thought about filing an appeal but after talking to three different financial aid offices, they all told me the same thing: unless you have a true change in circumstances (like job loss, medical emergency, etc.), the appeal won't help if your AGI increased. One thing I learned is that the business write-offs you're taking are actually already helping your financial aid eligibility by keeping your AGI lower than it would be without them. So in a way, you're already getting the benefit! Save yourself the time and paperwork unless you have one of those special circumstances the financial aid advisor mentioned earlier.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel a bit better knowing that there's still a chance with my SAI, even if it varies by school. I'm going to: 1. Wait for my initial aid packages 2. Contact financial aid offices directly if Work-Study isn't included 3. Ask about regular campus employment as a backup plan 4. Look into which schools might have larger Work-Study budgets I'll update this thread once I start hearing back from schools in case it helps anyone else with a similar SAI.

Just wanted to add some perspective from someone who's been through this process! My SAI was actually 11,800 last year (so even higher than yours) and I ended up getting Work-Study at 3 out of 7 schools I applied to. The key thing I learned is that timing really matters - not just when you submit your FAFSA, but also how quickly you respond to your financial aid offers. Some schools have a "summer melt" where students decline their Work-Study awards, creating openings for waitlisted students. I got my Work-Study offer in July after being initially denied! Also, smaller private schools definitely seem more flexible with their cutoffs than big state schools. Don't lose hope - your SAI of 11,366 is definitely still in the running at many colleges.

anyone else notice that sometimes the schools dont get the fafsa info even when u add them?? we added 2 schools for my son in january and when we called in march they said they never got his fafsa!! had to resubmit the whole correction again. so frustrating

As someone who just went through this process with my own child, I wanted to add that you should also check your email (including spam folder) for confirmation messages after making corrections. When we added schools to my daughter's FAFSA last month, we received email confirmations within 24 hours that the corrections were submitted successfully. These emails also included a summary of which schools would be receiving her FAFSA data, which gave me peace of mind. If you don't receive a confirmation email within a day or two, that might indicate there was an issue with the submission process.