anybody know how long it takes to get the sai score thing now? my son submitted 3 weeks ago and still nothing

As someone who also just went through this process, I can confirm what others have said - the new FAFSA really is designed this way! I was initially panicked when it skipped over all the detailed financial questions I was expecting based on what older parents had told me about previous years. But it turns out that if you qualify for the simplified needs test (which sounds like you do with your income level and Medicaid coverage), the system automatically assumes you'll get maximum aid and doesn't need all those extra details. My daughter's application processed smoothly and she received a great aid package. The key thing is just making sure your basic information is accurate since that's what really matters for verification purposes. Don't stress - you did everything right!

UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for their advice! I tried submitting at 3am last night after disabling all browser extensions and IT ACTUALLY WORKED!! The form finally went through without errors. I also emailed my school's financial aid office with all the screenshots of my previous error messages, and they responded saying they'll flag my application for priority processing once it comes through. They said many students are having similar issues and assured me I won't lose my aid eligibility due to these technical problems. Such a relief! Now I just need to wait for my SAI calculation and aid package. Thanks again for all your help - I was seriously panicking!

That's such great news! I'm so glad the late-night submission trick worked for you. It's really encouraging to hear a success story after all the frustration you went through. Your experience is going to help so many other students who are dealing with the same issues - the combination of disabling browser extensions and trying during off-peak hours seems to be a winning strategy. Thanks for coming back to update us with what worked! Best of luck with your aid package when it comes through.

One thing nobody mentioned - some employers now offer student loan repayment assistance as a benefit. My company pays $150/month toward my loans. But most require the loans to be in YOUR name, not your parent's. That was actually my motivation to refinance my mom's Parent PLUS loans into my name - to qualify for this benefit. Just something else to consider in your decision!

Just wanted to add - if you do decide to refinance, shop around with multiple lenders! I got quotes from SoFi, Earnest, CommonBond, and a few others before choosing. The rates and terms can vary quite a bit between lenders even with the same credit profile. Some also have different requirements for employment history. I ended up going with a lender that wasn't my first choice because they had the most flexible employment verification requirements for recent grads. Also, most lenders will do a soft credit pull for the initial quote which won't hurt your credit score, so there's no harm in getting multiple quotes to compare.

Thank you everyone for these incredibly helpful explanations! I'm going to have my daughter call the financial aid office tomorrow to check how her specific school handles things after the federal portion runs out. But I'm relieved to know that the $1000 is just the government's contribution and not a hard limit on what she can earn. And great point about applying early - she's going to start looking at job postings now even though she doesn't start until fall. Much appreciated!

Just wanted to add that work study positions often come with some unexpected perks! When I had work study in college, my campus library job let me study during quiet periods, and the IT help desk position actually helped me build skills for my major. Plus, supervisors are usually understanding about exam schedules and academic commitments in ways that off-campus employers might not be. So even though the $1000 federal subsidy seems small, the overall experience can be really valuable beyond just the paycheck!

UPDATE: We finally got it fixed! Combination of approaches worked for us: 1. Had my husband use his own phone (not our shared computer) 2. Logged in at 6:30am on a Tuesday (great tip about off-peak hours) 3. Went through the "My Documents" section as suggested 4. Re-authorized the IRS data transfer 5. Left everything completely alone for 3 days When we checked again, the status showed "Processing" and all sections were marked complete! Thanks everyone for your help. For anyone else stuck in this situation, patience and trying different devices seems to be key.

So glad to see this got resolved! This thread is going to be incredibly helpful for other families dealing with the same nightmare. I'm bookmarking it for future reference. The FAFSA redesign has been such a disaster this year - I've heard similar horror stories from so many parents in our community. Your persistence really paid off, and the combination approach you described gives hope to others stuck in the same loop. Thanks for taking the time to update with the solution that worked!