Just want to echo what others have said - the FAFSA for grad school is easier administratively (no parent info), but worse financially (mostly just loans with higher interest rates). One thing no one mentioned is income-based repayment plans for after graduation. If you're going into a field that might not pay a ton compared to your debt, look into PAYE, REPAYE, and other IBR options. Some MBA programs also have loan forgiveness programs for graduates going into non-profit or public service careers.

Congratulations on your MBA acceptance! As someone who just went through this process for my graduate program, I can confirm the major differences others have mentioned. One additional tip: check if your MBA program offers any merit-based scholarships that don't require the FAFSA at all. Many business schools have scholarships based on work experience, GMAT scores, or specific career tracks that can significantly reduce your need for loans. Also, if you're currently employed, see if your company has tuition reimbursement programs - some will pay for an MBA if you commit to staying for a certain period after graduation. The combination of employer assistance and targeted scholarships can sometimes cover a huge portion of costs without touching federal loans.

One more preparation tip: Help your daughter start thinking about her college list in terms of financial fit, not just academic and social fit. Some key financial categories to consider: 1. Safety-affordable (schools where she's likely to be admitted AND you can afford without aid) 2. Match-affordable (good chances + affordable with expected aid) 3. Reach-affordable (harder to get into but still affordable if admitted) Many families focus only on admission chances but forget the affordability part of the equation, which leads to tough conversations later. Running net price calculators for representative schools now (junior year) can help set realistic expectations before senior year applications.

As a newcomer to this process, I'm finding all this information incredibly valuable! I had no idea there were so many different deadlines and requirements to track. My son is also a junior (class of 2025) and I've been putting off thinking about financial aid because it seemed overwhelming. Reading through these responses, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1. Start preparing NOW even though we can't submit until October 2024 2. Create FSA IDs for both parent and student 3. Use the Federal Student Aid Estimator to get ballpark numbers 4. Research which schools need CSS Profile vs just FAFSA 5. Look into merit scholarship deadlines (apparently these can be much earlier!) One question I haven't seen addressed - for divorced parents, how does that complicate the FAFSA process? I saw @Elin Robinson mentioned it was "extra complicated" but didn't get details. My ex and I are on decent terms but our finances are completely separate now. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this thread is a goldmine of practical advice!

UPDATE: I finally found the information! Thanks everyone for your help. For anyone else looking, the federal deadline for 2026-2027 FAFSA is June 30, 2027, but the California state deadline is March 2, 2026. I also discovered that some schools have much earlier priority deadlines for maximum aid consideration (some as early as December/January). I'm creating a calendar with all these dates now. The advice about calling with Claimyr might come in handy later when I actually start filling out the form and inevitably run into questions. This whole process feels unnecessarily complicated but I'm glad this community exists to help navigate it!

So glad you found the info you needed! Your experience really highlights how unnecessarily complex the whole system is. Creating that calendar is smart - I wish someone had told me to do that when I first started this process. One tip for when you do start filling out the form: save your progress frequently and don't try to complete it all in one sitting. The site has a tendency to time out if you're on it too long, and nothing's worse than losing all your work. Also, make sure you have all your tax documents ready before you start - the form will ask for specific line numbers from your tax returns. Good luck with your transfer applications! The financial aid maze gets easier once you've navigated it the first time.

UPDATE: I called FSA using the advice here and they confirmed it was just an automated security alert because I viewed the SAI calculation section. They said they're working on updating the email template to be less alarming. Thanks everyone for your help!

This is such a relief to read! My son is a senior this year and I've been helping him navigate the FAFSA process. I got one of these scary emails last week after just checking his application status and spent hours worrying that someone had hacked into his account. It's really frustrating that they use such alarming language - "information was changed" makes it sound like someone unauthorized accessed the account. I'm glad to know this is a common issue and that the Department of Education is supposedly working on fixing the wording. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and especially to the financial aid office worker who provided the professional insight!

Good news! Since you already accepted the loans in your school portal, you're definitely on the right track. At this point, it's really just a waiting game for the school to finish processing. Most schools disburse funds right around the first day of classes (sometimes 1-3 days before). If your tuition payment deadline is before your disbursement date, you might want to ask your school's billing office about a temporary deferment based on your pending financial aid.

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me - if you're still worried about timing, you can also check your loan history on studentaid.gov to see the status of your loans. Once your school certifies them, they'll show up there with disbursement dates. It's another way to track progress besides just checking your school portal. Also, if you do end up with any leftover loan money after tuition/fees are paid, make sure you understand your school's refund timeline - some schools take a few days to process refunds even after disbursement. Sounds like you're doing everything right though!