One more important thing about your SAI of 5908 - it's not just about Pell Grants. Make sure you complete any additional state aid applications too. Many states have their own grants for students with SAIs in your range. For example, some states offer completion grants of $1000-2000 per year for students who maintain good academic progress and have SAIs under 8000-10000.

Hey StarStrider! As someone who just went through this process, I wanted to share that an SAI of 5908 is actually really good news for you. You'll definitely qualify for a substantial Pell Grant - probably around $3,800-$4,000 for the full year based on the current tables. One thing I learned the hard way is to make sure you apply to both schools you're considering and compare the FULL financial aid packages, not just the Pell amount. Some schools have better institutional aid or work-study programs that can make a huge difference in your total cost. Also, don't forget to check if your state has additional grant programs - many have income cutoffs that you'd easily qualify for with your SAI. The verification process can be stressful, but as long as your FAFSA info matches your tax documents exactly, you should be fine. Good luck with your decision!

Update: I managed to get into my account! Turns out I had set up my FSA ID with an old work email. After trying the Forgot Username feature with about 5 different emails, it worked with the old one. I was able to change my email to my current one and reset my password. Now we're all set to start my second child's FAFSA. Thanks everyone for your help!

Congrats on getting it sorted! This thread is super helpful for other parents going through the same thing. For anyone else reading this - definitely try all your old email addresses first before calling. And once you do get back in, I'd recommend writing down your FSA ID info AND storing it in a password manager if you use one. Three years between kids is long enough to forget everything! Also consider setting up the FSA ID mobile app if they still have that - might make it easier to access next time.

Good luck!! So nice to see a parent thinking about both their kid's future AND their own dreams!

This is such an inspiring thread! @Yara Sayegh, I love that you're pursuing your own education goals while being so thoughtful about your daughter's financial aid. As someone new to understanding FAFSA, I had no idea that having multiple family members in college could actually help with aid calculations. The detailed explanations from @Amina Diallo about Title IV eligibility and the half-time enrollment requirements were really eye-opening. I'm bookmarking this conversation because I have a feeling this information might be useful for my own family situation down the road. Best of luck with your cosmetology program - can't wait to hear how it all works out!

I had a similar issue last year and eventually got through by calling at EXACTLY 8:00am Eastern Time when their system opens. Had to try 3 days in a row, but finally connected with someone who was actually quite helpful. They walked me through the entire SAI calculation line by line and identified where the discrepancy was happening. In my case, they were counting my daughter's small college savings account twice because we had entered it in two different sections by mistake. The agent also explained that if you're questioning the SAI calculation specifically, sometimes it's faster to have your daughter request an appointment through her school's financial aid office for a "verification explanation" rather than trying to reach FAFSA directly. The schools have direct access to trained federal aid advisors through a separate channel.

As someone who went through this exact nightmare last year, I feel your pain! The phone system is absolutely broken. What finally worked for me was a combination of strategies: I called the Federal Student Aid Information Center (1-800-433-3243) at exactly 8:00am Eastern on a Wednesday, AND I simultaneously filed a complaint through the FAFSA Feedback Center that NebulaNinja mentioned. The feedback center complaint got me a callback within 5 days, which was faster than I ever got through the phone lines. For your specific situation with the SAI looking wrong, definitely pursue the Professional Judgment Review at your daughter's school. They can override federal calculations for things like one-time income, unusual circumstances, or calculation errors. I brought documentation showing our 2023 income was artificially high due to a job change bonus, and they were able to adjust our aid package significantly. Don't give up - there are people who will help once you find the right pathway to reach them!

This is INCREDIBLY helpful - thank you so much! I'm printing this out as our action plan. Really appreciate everyone's advice and guidance with this unexpected situation. You've all saved us a lot of confusion and potential problems!

As someone who went through a similar mid-year transfer situation, I'd also recommend having your son check if the new school requires any additional forms beyond the FAFSA. Some schools have their own institutional aid forms or verification documents that transfer students need to complete, especially for mid-year transfers. Also, ask about their refund policy in case he needs to withdraw from any classes - transfer students sometimes have different deadlines and policies than continuing students. The earlier he can get all this sorted out, the smoother his transition will be!