Just a heads up - make sure you complete everything well before your daughter's priority deadline. Even after fixing the technical issues, the processing times for SAI calculations are taking 7-10 days for many students this year, and she'll need that SAI score to complete her college financial aid applications. Don't cut it too close!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to find this discussion! I'm currently dealing with a very similar issue where the FAFSA system keeps rejecting my tax information even though I've triple-checked everything against my 1040. Reading through all these solutions gives me hope that there's a way forward. The suggestion about using the specific workflow to add a spouse contributor seems particularly helpful - I had no idea there was a bug in the "Add Spouse" function. For anyone still struggling with technical issues, I've found that sometimes these government systems work better during off-peak hours (like early morning or late evening) when fewer people are accessing them. The servers seem less overwhelmed then. Also, if you're using any VPN or security software, try temporarily disabling it - I've seen that cause form submission problems on other federal websites. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and solutions here. It's reassuring to know we're all in this together navigating these FAFSA challenges!

I had no idea about the origination fee difference! That's significant. It seems like the subsidized loans really are the better deal all around. I'll need to have my daughter check exactly what types of loans are in her financial aid package.

As someone who just went through this process last year, I can confirm what others have said - there's absolutely no requirement for your daughter to take loans before you can apply for Parent PLUS. The misinformation from financial aid offices is unfortunately common. I'd recommend going directly to studentaid.gov and applying yourself rather than relying on the school's guidance. Also, definitely have your daughter accept any subsidized loans she's eligible for first since they don't accrue interest while she's in school. The interest rate difference alone makes it worth prioritizing student loans over Parent PLUS when possible. Good luck with your decision before the May 1st deadline!

Thank you everyone for all this helpful advice! I'm feeling a lot less panicked now that I understand the process. Going to start collecting all our documentation right away and make that spreadsheet showing our income change. Still not looking forward to the process but at least I know what to expect now!

One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you're documenting your income change, also include any documentation about changes to your assets from the house sale and relocation. Since you mentioned you sold your house and moved 7 states away, that could significantly impact your asset calculation on the FAFSA too. The financial aid office might want to see the closing statement from your house sale, any moving expenses, and documentation of your new living situation (rent vs. mortgage, etc.). Asset changes can sometimes be just as important as income changes in these professional judgment reviews!

Glad to hear you've submitted the FAFSA! One more thing to be aware of: since your son is transferring from a community college to a 4-year institution, he'll need to ensure that his financial aid is properly transferred. This means: 1. Having his community college remove him from their system after the current term ends 2. Making sure his new school is listed as his primary institution on the FAFSA 3. Checking if there are any transfer-specific scholarships he can still apply for (many schools have these!) Also, once he decides which school he'll attend, have him accept his financial aid package promptly. This is especially important for work-study opportunities, which can be limited for transfer students.

Just wanted to add that since your son is transferring mid-degree, make sure he understands how his Pell Grant eligibility works. The lifetime limit is 600% of a full award (equivalent to about 6 years of full-time enrollment), and his community college years count toward this total. It shouldn't be an issue for most students, but it's something to keep in mind for planning purposes. Also, if he's been receiving any state grants at the community college level, those programs sometimes have different rules for 4-year institutions. In my state, the grant amount actually increases when you transfer to a university, but the GPA requirements are stricter. Each state is different, so definitely check with your state's higher education agency about continuing eligibility.

That's a fantastic suggestion about co-ops! I just checked the school's website and they do have a co-op program for engineering students starting sophomore year. That could definitely help with years 2-4. We'll keep looking for outside scholarships too - haven't tried checking with my employer yet. Thank you!

Hey Levi! I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help. My family went through almost the exact same situation two years ago - our aid package was about $9K higher than expected. What really made the difference for us was being super organized with our appeal. We created a detailed spreadsheet showing the original estimate vs. actual costs, included copies of all our medical bills (we had some unexpected expenses too), and wrote a formal letter explaining our situation. The key was being factual and respectful, not emotional. We also scheduled an in-person meeting rather than just submitting paperwork. It took about 3 weeks, but they ended up increasing our aid by $6K per year! Don't give up - persistence really pays off in these situations. Your daughter's engineering program is worth fighting for!