Welcome to the FAFSA journey! It sounds like you're well-prepared now. One quick tip I wish I'd known earlier - when you're gathering those school codes for the FAFSA, double-check them on the Federal School Code Search tool on the FSA website. Some schools have multiple codes depending on the campus or program, and using the wrong one can delay your aid processing. Also, keep a list of which schools you included on your original FAFSA submission - it'll be handy if you need to make changes later. Good luck with the October 1st filing!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who works in financial aid - you're absolutely doing the right thing by planning ahead! One thing I always tell parents is to also check if any of the schools your son is considering require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. Some private colleges and universities use this for institutional aid, and it often has earlier deadlines than FAFSA. The CSS Profile opens around the same time as FAFSA (October 1st) but some schools want it submitted by November 1st or 15th. It's worth checking each school's financial aid website now so you can plan accordingly. Also, don't stress too much about getting everything perfect on the first try - you can make corrections after submission if needed!

As someone who just finished their third FAFSA renewal, I can definitely confirm that yes, you have to do this every year, but it absolutely gets SO much easier! The first year I spent probably 4+ hours total between gathering documents and filling everything out. This year? Maybe 45 minutes max. The renewal option is a lifesaver - most of your personal info carries over automatically, and if your parents use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (or the new direct data exchange), even the tax information gets pulled in automatically. A few things that made my life easier: - Keep a dedicated email folder for all FAFSA-related correspondence - Take photos of important documents with your phone as backup - If your parents are self-employed or have complex taxes, ask them to flag the specific forms you'll need for FAFSA when they're doing their taxes One heads up though - even if the process gets easier, stay on top of verification if you get selected. I got randomly selected for verification my junior year and it delayed my aid package by almost 2 months because I procrastinated sending in the requested documents. The annual requirement is annoying but makes sense when you think about it - your family's financial situation can change a lot year to year, and the government wants to make sure aid goes to those who need it most. Hang in there! 💪

As someone who just went through my first FAFSA application last month, I'm feeling both relieved and stressed after reading all these responses! 😅 The confirmation that yes, we have to do this EVERY year is definitely not what I wanted to hear, but at least everyone agrees it gets much easier. I'm immediately setting up that FAFSA folder system that @Reginald mentioned - my parents and I were completely chaotic this year with documents scattered everywhere. The tip about submitting early with estimates and updating later is also a game-changer that I wish I'd known about! We waited weeks for my dad to finish his taxes before even starting. One thing I'm wondering about - for those who've done multiple renewals, do you ever get selected for verification more than once? @Evan mentioned it can delay things by months, which sounds terrifying! Is it completely random or are some families more likely to get picked? Also marking my calendar for October 1st right now. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences - this thread has been way more helpful than any of the official websites! The annual FAFSA struggle is real but at least we're all in it together! 💪

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to echo everyone's advice about using your existing parent FSA ID! I'm actually going through this exact same situation right now with my second daughter after my oldest son finished college last year. What really helped me was calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center (1-800-433-3243) when I wasn't sure about my account status. The representative confirmed that parents should absolutely use the same FSA ID for all their children and that creating multiple accounts can cause serious complications. They also helped me update my security questions since it had been a few years since I last logged in. One thing I noticed is that the new FAFSA interface is much more user-friendly than it was when I did my son's application. The system clearly shows which student's application you're contributing to, and there's even a helpful progress bar so you know how much of the parent contribution section you've completed. @Isabella, you're definitely on the right track - stick with your original parent FSA ID and don't overthink it. The system is designed to handle multiple children from the same parent account seamlessly!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to thank everyone for this incredibly thorough discussion! I'm about to start the FAFSA process for my first child and had this exact same question about FSA IDs. Reading through all of your real-world experiences has been so much more helpful than trying to navigate the official website alone. The consensus is crystal clear - use your existing parent FSA ID and don't create new ones. I especially appreciate the warnings about verification flags and the tip about testing your login early. It's also reassuring to know that each child's application is processed completely independently even when using the same parent account. For anyone else reading this thread, it seems like the key takeaways are: 1) Use your existing parent FSA ID, 2) Make sure you can access the associated email, 3) Don't panic if you need to recover your password, and 4) Test your login well before the deadline. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of peer support makes such a stressful process feel much more manageable!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful I found this thread! I'm currently in week 2.5 of waiting after my FAFSA showed "processed" and was starting to spiral thinking I'd somehow messed something up. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly calming - especially realizing that what feels like forever is actually totally normal timing! @Miguel Ramos your entire story arc from panic to resolution is so reassuring! The verification flag twist really shows how many behind-the-scenes steps we're never told about. And that spam folder moment - I immediately checked mine after reading that and found an email from my school's student accounts office about setting up my payment plan. Would have completely missed the deadline without your tip! @QuantumQuasar that step-by-step timeline is exactly what every financial aid website should show upfront! Understanding that "processed" is really just step 2 of like 6+ steps completely reframes the waiting period. Before this I thought processed meant I should hear back within days, not weeks. The enrollment deposit processing priority insight from @Pedro Sawyer is such valuable insider info! I submitted mine last week so fingers crossed that helps speed things along. It's wild how much these little details matter but aren't communicated anywhere official. This community has been a lifesaver for understanding what's actually normal vs. what just feels scary when you're in the middle of it. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences so openly! 🙏

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful I discovered this thread! I'm currently on day 12 of waiting after my FAFSA switched to "processed" status, and honestly I was starting to panic that something had gone wrong with my application or that it got lost in the system somewhere. @Miguel Ramos your complete journey from confusion to resolution is incredibly reassuring! The verification flag situation really highlights how many hidden steps are happening behind the scenes that we're never informed about upfront. And that spam folder discovery - I immediately went and checked mine after reading your experience and found an email from my school's bursar office about updating my mailing address that I totally missed! @QuantumQuasar that detailed timeline breakdown should honestly be the first thing displayed on every financial aid website! Understanding that "processed" really means "step 2 of 6+" completely changes the anxiety level. Before reading this, I assumed processed meant I'd hear back within days, not potentially weeks. The enrollment deposit processing priority tip from @Pedro Sawyer is such valuable insider knowledge! I submitted mine about a week ago, so hopefully that helps move me up in their queue. It's frustrating that these processing factors aren't communicated transparently by schools. This whole financial aid process really does feel like navigating a maze blindfolded, but having a community where people share real experiences and practical advice makes it so much more manageable. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space! 🙏

Welcome to the community! I'm new here and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful and reassuring this entire thread has been. I'm 34 and trying to return to school after finishing my degree in 2012, and I got that exact same panic-inducing "SSN already in use" message earlier today. Like literally everyone else who's commented here, my immediate thought was identity theft and I was genuinely terrified! But reading through all these detailed success stories has been such a game-changer - it's amazing how this one post has brought together so many returning students facing the identical challenge. The collective wisdom about calling 1-800-433-3243 early in the morning (around 8-8:30 AM) with all documentation ready is invaluable. I've already started gathering my old information: previous addresses from my college days, school names and dates, and even found some financial aid paperwork from over 12 years ago! The consistent message that Federal Student Aid representatives handle this situation daily and that it's typically a 20-30 minute verification process has given me so much confidence. It's incredible how what felt like an insurmountable problem this afternoon now seems like a completely manageable next step. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and practical tips - this community's support for fellow returning students is truly amazing. Here's to all of us successfully recovering our ancient FAFSA accounts and pursuing our educational goals!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here too and just wanted to share my experience since I literally went through this exact same situation about a month ago. I'm 33 and returning to school after finishing my bachelor's degree in 2013, and when I got that "SSN already in use" message, I had the same immediate panic about identity theft that everyone here has described! This thread has been so validating to read - it's incredible how common this is among returning students. Like others have mentioned, it was definitely my old FAFSA account from over 10 years ago still in the system. I followed the advice that's been shared here and called 1-800-433-3243 around 8:20 AM. Got through after about 25 minutes on hold, and the representative was super helpful and patient. The verification process was straightforward - they asked for my SSN, date of birth, previous schools attended, old addresses, and even asked about what types of financial aid I had received previously (mostly Pell Grants and some student loans). The whole call took about 30 minutes, and I was able to access my FSA ID right away afterward. One tip I'd add: they updated my contact information during the call, so don't worry if your old email from college is long gone like mine was! The representative explained that they see returning students with this issue literally every single day, especially with so many people going back to school for career changes. Don't stress about it - you'll get it sorted out quickly once you connect with someone. This community has such great advice for navigating these situations. Good luck with your return to school!