One more thing - create a college spreadsheet NOW in 8th grade. Track potential schools with these columns: - Sticker price (tuition, room, board, fees) - Average merit award for students with your child's academic profile - Special scholarship programs they offer - Net price calculator results - Application requirements and deadlines This helps avoid senior year panic and makes it easier to compare options. You'd be surprised how many "expensive" private schools end up cheaper than state options once merit aid is applied. Oh, and have your student take the PSAT seriously in 11th grade - National Merit status can trigger big scholarships!

As someone who just went through this process with twins (both now college sophomores), I can't emphasize enough how much the landscape has changed even in the last few years. A few things I wish I'd known earlier: 1. Don't overlook regional private colleges - they often have more flexibility with merit aid than big-name schools. My daughter got a better package from a smaller liberal arts college than from our state flagship. 2. Consider the "demonstrated interest" factor. Some schools track whether you've visited, attended virtual sessions, or engaged with admissions. This can impact merit aid decisions. 3. Look into Presidential/Chancellor scholarships at target schools - these are often full or near-full rides based on academics and leadership, not financial need. 4. Start building the "whole student" profile now - colleges want well-rounded applicants for their top merit scholarships. Community service, leadership positions, and unique experiences matter as much as grades. The stress is real, but starting early like you are puts you way ahead of most families! Focus on building your daughter's academic profile while researching schools that align with both her interests and your financial strategy.

Great to hear you resolved it! Just a heads-up for the future - once your husband completes his section, make sure your son goes back in to review and finalize the FAFSA. Many students don't realize they need to complete that final submission step after all contributors finish their parts. The 2025-2026 FAFSA won't be considered complete until the student gives that final approval.

So glad to see you got it working! This thread is super helpful - I'm bookmarking it because I have a feeling I'll be dealing with similar issues when my youngest applies next year. The FSA ID system really seems to be a common pain point for families. Thanks to everyone who shared their troubleshooting tips, especially the specific steps about username recovery first then waiting before password reset. It's crazy that both parents have to do separate forms even with joint filing, but at least now I know what to expect!

UPDATE: I checked the dashboard like someone suggested, and it does show "Processed" with the SAI number matching the email. I think we really are done! Thanks everyone for helping calm my paranoia. I'll still check with her schools next week just to be 100% sure they received everything.

Congrats on getting through the FAFSA gauntlet! I totally understand the anxiety - after all the horror stories from previous years, it's hard to trust that anything with FAFSA actually works smoothly. The green check + SAI number combo is indeed the finish line for the federal side. Just went through this with my daughter last month and had the same "is this really it??" moment. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given: keep screenshots of everything! Your confirmation email, the dashboard showing "Processed" status, the SAI number - everything. If any issues pop up later (hopefully they won't!), having that paper trail will save you hours of explaining to various offices what happened and when. The waiting for financial aid packages is its own special kind of torture, but at least the FAFSA nightmare is behind you! 🎉

just fyi my nephew tried the dependency override thing and got rejected even with tons of documentation so dont get ur hopes up too much. the system really sucks for middle income families

I'm so sorry you're going through this financial stress - it's heartbreaking to see parents sacrifice everything for their children's education. As someone who works with families in similar situations, I want to add a few practical suggestions: First, contact your state's vocational rehabilitation (VR) services immediately. Since your son has a documented ADHD diagnosis, he likely qualifies for VR support which can include tuition assistance, books, transportation, and even assistive technology. Each state runs this differently, but you can find your local office through your state's disability services website. Second, look into your state's developmental disabilities council - many have scholarship programs specifically for students with ADHD/learning disabilities that aren't well-publicized. Third, if your son is considering changing majors again, community college might be a strategic option for completing prerequisites while you sort out the financial aid situation. The credits transfer and it's much more affordable. Finally, document EVERYTHING related to his medical expenses and your financial hardship. Keep receipts for ADHD medications, therapy sessions, tutoring - all of this can support a professional judgment review or dependency override request. You're doing an amazing job advocating for your son. Don't give up hope - there are resources out there, they're just not always easy to find.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - it's absolutely infuriating! My family is dealing with something similar. Our SAI jumped from 22K to 41K despite our income staying roughly the same, and now my son's college is asking us to pay nearly $40K more than we can afford. Based on what I've been learning from this community, here's what I'd recommend: 1. Start your appeals IMMEDIATELY at every school you're considering - don't wait for the next reprocessing 2. Emphasize that $24K income DROP in your appeal letters - that's huge and should definitely qualify for professional judgment 3. With your AGI at $68,500 for a family of 4, you should be getting Pell Grant money which often unlocks other aid too I'm actually in the middle of appeals myself right now. One thing that's helped is calling the financial aid offices directly to ask about their process rather than just submitting blind appeals. Most have been surprisingly understanding about the FAFSA disaster. Good luck - you're definitely not alone in this nightmare!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare! As someone who's been following the FAFSA disaster closely, I can tell you that your situation is unfortunately very common this year. The good news is that with a $24,000 income reduction, you have an extremely strong case for appeal. Here's what I'd recommend based on what's worked for other families: 1. **Don't wait for reprocessing** - Start appeals immediately at every school you're considering. The May 1st deposit deadline is approaching fast. 2. **Your income drop is HUGE** - That $24K reduction from $92,500 to $68,500 should absolutely qualify you for Pell Grant funds, which will likely trigger additional institutional aid. 3. **Contact schools directly** - Many financial aid offices have created special procedures specifically for FAFSA recalculation victims. They're often more understanding than you'd expect. 4. **Document everything** - Get your 2022 and 2023 tax returns, calculate your expected Pell eligibility, and write a clear timeline of what happened. The silver lining is that colleges have set aside extra appeal funds this year precisely because they anticipated these problems. Your case is exactly what professional judgment was designed for - don't give up hope!