One additional point - if your son is over 18 and you're just now getting the letter, make sure he registers ASAP. There's technically a penalty for not registering within 30 days of your 18th birthday, though it's rarely enforced. Once he's registered, you can always verify his registration status on the SSS website using his name, DOB, and SSN if you want peace of mind that everything is properly recorded in their system.

Just wanted to add that if your son is already at UC Davis, their financial aid office can also help with this process! I had a similar situation with my daughter at UCSB last year. The financial aid advisors are really knowledgeable about how Selective Service registration affects aid packages and can walk you through everything. They can even help verify that his registration went through properly and is linked to his FAFSA. It might be worth giving UC Davis financial aid a call - they deal with this all the time and can provide campus-specific guidance about deadlines and procedures.

Just got an official update from FSA - they've acknowledged the issue and expect to have it resolved by next Tuesday. In the meantime, they recommend either using the mobile app as mentioned above or contacting your school directly. They also said that downloading your FAFSA confirmation page (if you still have access to it) will show your SAI score, which gives you a general idea of your aid eligibility.

I'm having the exact same issue! Been trying to access my award information for the past two days and getting nowhere. It's so stressful when you're trying to make financial decisions for college. Thanks everyone for the suggestions - I'm going to try the mobile app right now and also reach out to my school's financial aid office first thing tomorrow morning. Really appreciate all the helpful advice in this thread!

The whole system is so confusing!! i applied for everythign and still didnt get my zell miller even with a 3.85 gpa because appparently the SAT score I submitted wasn't high enough?? And now I have to pay back the difference between HOPE and Zell for my first semester which is like $1500. make sure u read all the fine print!!

Hey Leo! I went through this exact same process last year as a Georgia resident. Definitely create your GAfutures account ASAP - I almost made the mistake of thinking FAFSA would handle everything. Your -1500 SAI is fantastic and should get you a full Pell Grant! Just a heads up - when you're setting up your GSFAPPS application, make sure all your personal info (SSN, name spelling, address) matches exactly what you used on your FAFSA. Any discrepancies can delay processing. Also, since you mentioned dual enrollment courses from your move to Georgia, those will definitely count toward your HOPE GPA calculation, but make sure GSFC receives transcripts from both your previous and current high schools. One more tip - UGA and Georgia State both have pretty good financial aid offices once you get past the initial phone confusion. Consider scheduling an in-person appointment if you're local. Good luck with everything!

Great plan! One more tip: when contacting schools, specifically ask about their

Congratulations on your negative SAI! As others have mentioned, this is excellent news for your financial aid eligibility. Just wanted to add a few practical tips from someone who navigated this process: 1. Start creating your financial aid comparison spreadsheet NOW - list each school and track what aid they offer you. With your SAI, you should see significant variations between schools. 2. Don't forget about state aid programs! Many states have generous grants for students with negative SAIs. Check your state's higher education website. 3. If you do get selected for verification, respond IMMEDIATELY. Schools have limited aid budgets and delays can cost you money even with a great SAI. 4. Consider applying to schools that meet 100% of demonstrated need if you haven't already - your negative SAI puts you in a strong position at these institutions. Your first-gen status combined with that SAI should open a lot of doors. Best of luck with your aid packages! 🎓

This whole new FAFSA process is such a mess compared to previous years. My daughter and I spent hours trying to figure it out. The "contributor" system is confusing and not intuitive at all. But once you get past these initial hurdles, the SAI calculation seems more straightforward than the old EFC at least.

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying! 😅 My daughter is a junior in high school so we're just starting to prepare for next year. It sounds like the main things to watch out for are: 1) being super careful with the dependency questions, 2) making sure both parent and student have their own FSA IDs set up well in advance, and 3) understanding this "contributor" system. Are there any other common pitfalls we should be aware of before we dive into this next year? Also, when should we actually start the FSA ID creation process - is there a recommended timeline?