As someone who just went through this nightmare process with my older kid two years ago (pre-FAFSA redesign chaos), I feel for all of you! A few tips that might help while you're waiting: 1. Contact the financial aid offices at your top choice schools directly - many are creating "estimated" aid packages that include projected TAG amounts based on your FAFSA info 2. Most schools are being much more flexible with deposit deadlines this year, so don't be afraid to ask for an extension 3. If you're torn between two schools, consider putting down a deposit at your top choice if you can afford to potentially lose it - better than missing out entirely The waiting is absolutely brutal, but remember that TAG funding is allocated by the state and won't "run out" like some other aid programs. Once HESAA gets the data they need from the feds, your award will be processed. Hang in there - you'll have answers soon enough to make informed decisions!

I'm in the exact same situation and it's been such a stressful time! My family's been checking NJFAMS obsessively and calling HESAA with no luck. What's really frustrating is that this delay affects our entire college decision process - we can't compare true costs between schools without knowing our TAG amount. I did find one thing that helped a little: I called the financial aid office at my top choice school (TCNJ) and they were actually really understanding. They created an estimated aid package for me using last year's TAG table and my SAI, and they said they'd honor that estimate even if the final amount is slightly different. Maybe other NJ schools are doing the same? Also, has anyone tried contacting their state legislators about this? I'm wondering if enough pressure from families might get HESAA to provide more specific timelines instead of just saying "soon.

To add to the excellent advice already given, here's a rough timeline you can expect: - FAFSA data reaches schools: 3-10 business days after processing - Initial review by schools: 1-3 weeks - Award letters generated: 2-6 weeks after FAFSA receipt - Potential verification requests: Can happen anytime during the process I recommend having your daughter check both her email AND the student portals for each school at least twice a week. Some notifications can go to spam or get lost in the shuffle. Also, keep an eye out for any verification requests. About 25% of FAFSA filers get selected for verification, which requires additional documentation. Responding quickly to these requests prevents delays in finalizing the aid package.

One more tip - have your daughter write down all her login information for studentaid.gov and each college portal in ONE secure place. My son lost access to his email temporarily and we couldn't access any of his financial aid info because we couldn't remember all his different passwords. It was a mess trying to reset everything while deadlines were approaching!

dont 4get 2 check if her scholarships from freshman yr automatically renew! my daughter lost her merit scholarship bc she didnt know there was a gpa requirement and the school didnt tell her until it was 2 late 😠

One thing I learned from going through this process with my twins last year - make sure your daughter's contact information is up to date in both her studentaid.gov account AND her school's student portal. My son almost missed his award notification because it went to his old high school email address that he wasn't checking anymore. Also, some schools send award letters as secure messages through their portal rather than regular email, so she'll need to log in periodically to check for new messages. The whole system definitely feels overwhelming at first, but you're asking all the right questions!

One additional thing to check: Did you properly account for all contributors? With the new FAFSA, if there are divorced/separated parents or other contributors, their information needs to be entered correctly. Sometimes the system counts income twice or applies formula components incorrectly when multiple contributors are involved. And remember, once your application is fully processed, you can always contact each individual college's financial aid office to request a professional judgment review if you believe your SAI doesn't accurately reflect your ability to pay.

Did you check if your SAI includes any untaxed income like contributions to tax-deferred pension plans? The new FAFSA treats those differently than the old system did. I found out I was double-counting some retirement contributions which totally messed up my numbers.

cant u just move the money to someone elses account until after u file fafsa? thats what my cousin did lol

I went through something similar when my basement flooded and I got an insurance payout. The advice here about using the Professional Judgment process is spot on. I submitted my FAFSA with the insurance money showing in my account balance, then immediately contacted my school's financial aid office with a letter explaining the situation. I included copies of the insurance claim, photos of the damage, and repair estimates. They adjusted my aid package within about 3 weeks. The key is being proactive and transparent - don't try to hide it or game the system. Most financial aid officers have seen this situation before and know how to handle it properly. Good luck with the repairs!