Oh, also!!! Make sure your daughter fills out the CSS Profile too if any of her schools require it! Some private schools use that IN ADDITION TO the FAFSA and it sometimes gives you more opportunity to explain special circumstances. We actually found the CSS Profile schools were more flexible with our income change than the FAFSA-only schools.

I'm going through something very similar right now! My spouse lost their job in early 2024 and we're terrified about how our 2023 income will affect our daughter's aid eligibility. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about professional judgment requests. It sounds like the key is to be proactive and contact each school's financial aid office immediately after submitting the FAFSA rather than waiting. One question for those who've been through this process: did any of you find that certain types of schools (public vs private, large vs small) were more receptive to these appeals? I'm wondering if we should adjust our application strategy based on which schools might be more flexible with special circumstances. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's giving me hope that we have options!

As someone who just went through the graduate financial aid process, I want to echo what others have said about how shocking the transition from undergrad to grad aid can be. A few additional thoughts for your situation: Since you mentioned your child has special needs, definitely look into your state's vocational rehabilitation services - many have specific programs for parents of children with disabilities pursuing higher education. Also check if your university participates in the federal CCAMPIS program (Childcare Access Means Parents in School) which can provide significant childcare assistance. For the immediate term with your prerequisites, ask your financial aid office about "professional judgment" reviews. As a single parent with a special needs child, you likely have circumstances that weren't fully captured in your FAFSA that could increase your aid eligibility. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - many graduate programs have departmental scholarships or assistantships that aren't advertised widely. Reach out directly to your program coordinator or department chair to ask about any funding opportunities specific to your field of study. The financial stress is real, but OT has excellent job prospects and earning potential. You're making a smart investment in your family's future, even though it feels overwhelming right now. Hang in there!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some hope with you! I'm currently in my second year of an OT Master's program and was in a very similar situation - single parent, shocked by the graduate aid differences, and terrified about the financial burden. A few things that helped me specifically as an OT student: 1. AOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association) has scholarships specifically for graduate students - many go unapplied for because people don't know about them. Check their website regularly as new ones are posted throughout the year. 2. Many hospitals and healthcare systems offer tuition assistance or loan forgiveness programs if you commit to working for them after graduation. Start researching these early because some require applications during your program. 3. The OT program at my school had a small emergency fund specifically for student parents - only $500-1000 at a time, but it helped cover unexpected expenses like when my car broke down during clinicals. 4. Don't underestimate the networking opportunities during your program. I connected with an OT who runs a private practice, and she hired me part-time during my second year doing admin work that I could do from home around my child's schedule. The debt is scary, but OT starting salaries in most areas are $65-75k, and there's huge demand right now. You're making the right choice for your family's future, even though it feels overwhelming right now. Feel free to reach out if you want to chat more about the OT program experience!

After reading through all the advice here, I want to add one more important point: make sure you gather your own financial information. Since you'll be considered independent if the override is approved, the FAFSA will evaluate your finances only. You'll need: 1) Your tax returns if you've filed (or income information even if you didn't earn enough to file) 2) Information about any assets in your name (bank accounts, etc.) 3) Documentation of any unusual expenses you've had to handle on your own Also, ask each school about additional institutional aid that might be available specifically for students in your situation. Many colleges have special funds set aside for independent students who have experienced hardship.

I'm really sorry you're going through this, but I want to emphasize that you're not alone and there IS a path forward. Based on what you've described, you definitely qualify for a dependency override, and once approved, you'll likely be eligible for maximum financial aid. Here's my advice for immediate action: 1) Submit your FAFSA NOW without parent information - check the box indicating special circumstances. Don't wait for the override approval first. 2) Create a spreadsheet with all the colleges you're applying to and their financial aid office contact information. Email each one TODAY explaining your situation and asking for their dependency override process. 3) Start gathering documentation immediately: - Your father's death certificate - Any records about your mother's deportation - Letters from adults who know your situation (teachers, friends' parents, clergy, etc.) - Your own financial documents (bank statements, W-2s if you work) 4) Write a detailed personal statement explaining your circumstances - be specific about dates, living situations, and how you've been supporting yourself. The key is to be proactive and persistent. Financial aid offices deal with these situations regularly, and they want to help students in genuine need. Don't let one unhelpful counselor discourage you - there are people who will advocate for you once you connect with the right resources. You've got this! Start making those calls and sending those emails today.

One important point that hasn't been mentioned yet: If these are federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans for the 2025-2026 academic year, the current interest rate is 6.8%. At that rate, a $5,500 loan accrues about $1.02 in interest per day or roughly $31 per month. Making interest-only payments during school is an excellent strategy to prevent capitalization (when unpaid interest gets added to the principal) after the grace period ends. Just make sure your daughter is aware that you're doing this for her benefit - it's a wonderful gift you're giving her by reducing her long-term debt burden!

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped us - if your daughter's school uses quarters instead of semesters, they often disburse loans at the beginning of each quarter rather than all at once. So even if the fall quarter loan was disbursed back in September, the winter quarter portion might not have been disbursed yet (depending on when winter quarter started). This could explain why you're not seeing the full $5,500 amount. Also, once you do get access to her loan servicer account, you can set up autopay for the interest payments which usually gives you a small interest rate reduction (like 0.25%). Every bit helps when you're trying to minimize the long-term cost!

Anyone know if they automatically notify you when there's a problem?? Or do they just leave your application sitting there forever? I feel like mine is just lost in some digital black hole and no one will ever look at it...

Just wanted to share our experience to help ease some anxiety - we submitted our daughter's FAFSA on January 15th and got the SAI back yesterday (January 27th), so exactly 12 days including weekends. No verification issues, thankfully! I was really stressed about her February 1st deadline at her top choice school, but I called their financial aid office last week and they said they're used to FAFSA delays and won't penalize students as long as the application was submitted before the deadline. They even mentioned they've extended their internal processing timeline this year specifically because of the volume delays everyone's experiencing. For anyone still waiting - hang in there! The schools really do seem to understand what's happening with processing times right now.