Yes! We actually appealed the financial aid offer at Private #2 by showing them the better offer from Private #1. They ended up adding another $8k in institutional grants. Definitely worth asking, especially if you can show better offers from similar schools.

As someone who just went through this process with my youngest, I wanted to share that an SAI of 20972 is actually pretty manageable! Don't let the number scare you. What really matters is how individual colleges interpret and work with that number. A few practical tips based on our experience: - Apply to schools with strong endowments if possible - they often have more flexibility with aid - Don't overlook state schools with honors programs - sometimes they offer merit aid that can bring costs below your SAI - Keep all your financial documents organized because some schools may ask for additional verification Also, if your family's financial situation has changed since you filed (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), make sure to contact each school's financial aid office directly. They can often make adjustments that the FAFSA formula doesn't capture. Good luck!

I'm so sorry you're going through this! I'm new to this community but facing a similar situation with my stepdaughter's FAFSA. Her biological father lives in Canada and we're hitting the same verification wall. Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly helpful - especially the advice about contacting the school directly for professional judgment and the tip about certified translations. I had no idea that translation certification could be causing delays. Thank you all for sharing your experiences, it's making me feel less alone in this process. AstroAlpha, I really hope you get this resolved soon - two months is absolutely ridiculous!

As someone who went through this exact nightmare last year, I feel your pain! My husband is from the Philippines and we also got stuck in verification hell for months. A few things that eventually helped: 1) Document EVERYTHING - keep records of every call, email, and submission date. 2) Try calling FSA first thing in the morning (8am EST) - I had better luck getting through then. 3) Ask to speak to a "verification specialist" specifically, not just general customer service. 4) Consider having your daughter's school submit an appeal for "unusual circumstances" due to the verification delay. My son's college was able to provide temporary aid while we waited. The whole system is broken when it comes to international spouses, but don't give up! It will eventually get resolved, even though it feels hopeless right now.

wait ur parents make 120k and u think ull get good aid?? lol maybe at like harvard or smth but most places will give u squat with that income js

I'm sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation! Identity theft complications are more common than you might think, and schools are generally understanding about these circumstances. Here's my advice as someone who went through a similar process: 1. Document everything NOW - get copies of the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit (Form 14039), any correspondence with the IRS about the identity verification process, and police reports if they filed any. 2. Contact each school's financial aid office BEFORE submitting your FAFSA. Explain the situation and ask about their specific procedures for identity theft cases. Many have special forms or processes. 3. Submit your FAFSA with estimated figures using your parents' 2022 W-2s and other available documents. Mark clearly that these are estimates due to the identity theft situation. 4. Keep detailed records of all communications with schools and the IRS - you'll likely need to reference these multiple times throughout the process. The good news is that this won't automatically disqualify you from aid or priority consideration if you're proactive about communication. Schools deal with these situations regularly and have procedures in place. The key is being transparent and organized with your documentation. Don't let this derail your college plans - you have options!

This is exactly why I love this community - seeing everyone come together to help during stressful financial aid situations! As someone who went through this same panic last year, I can confirm that Summer B aid disbursements are notorious for being last-minute. The key things that helped me were: 1) Understanding that the 10-day federal rule means they literally CAN'T disburse too early, 2) Getting that Bursar hold placed on my account (wish I'd known about that sooner!), and 3) Checking studentaid.gov to make sure there weren't any verification issues on the federal side. For future students reading this - don't wait until the last week to start checking on your summer aid status. Start following up about 2 weeks before your payment deadline so you have time to address any issues that come up. The summer processing timeline is just different from fall/spring, and knowing that ahead of time saves so much stress!

This thread is incredibly reassuring! I'm starting my first summer semester next month and was already worried about how the financial aid timing would work. Reading everyone's experiences, especially from the financial aid counselor who explained the federal regulations, really helps set expectations. The tip about contacting the Bursar office for a pending aid hold is something I never would have thought of - I always assumed Financial Aid handled everything billing-related. I'm definitely going to start monitoring my aid status early and have that Bursar contact info ready just in case. It's so helpful to see that this last-minute processing is actually normal and not a sign that something went wrong. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't find in the official university handbooks!

btw if ur kid has a 529 plan make sure you know how that impacts things too... we had issues with that this year

This is such helpful information! I'm in a similar situation with my son who'll be starting college in fall 2026. So if I'm understanding correctly, for his 2026-27 FAFSA application, they'll be looking at 2024 benefits/income? That means if we apply for programs like Medicaid or SNAP this year (2024), it could potentially help with his financial aid eligibility when he applies. Is that right? I wish schools explained this connection between government benefits and college aid earlier in the process!