Just to follow up on your situation - once the correction goes through, there's another important step: contact each college's financial aid office directly (as others have mentioned). Let them know about the correction and ask if they need any additional documentation. Some schools might ask for a Dependency Override Appeal form, even though in your case you're actually confirming his dependent status, not trying to override it. Be prepared with tax documents showing you claim him as a dependent.

That's fantastic news! So glad you were able to get through to FSA and that the correction option is now available. Two weeks should be plenty of time for the correction to process, especially since you caught it early. Just a heads up - keep checking the status regularly after you submit the correction because sometimes there can be additional verification requests that pop up. And definitely save screenshots of everything throughout this process in case you need to reference it later with the school. Hope everything works out smoothly for your son's sophomore year aid package!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I just got off the phone with the financial aid office, and they actually recommended we start the Parent PLUS application process now, rather than waiting. They said we can submit the application even before officially accepting the aid package, which gives me some peace of mind about the timing. They also mentioned they have an institutional payment plan that might help us reduce the loan amount we need to take out. Going to look into both options this week and weigh the pros and cons.

Great to hear you got some clarity from the school's financial aid office! That's always the best first step. Just wanted to add that when you're comparing the Parent PLUS loan vs. the institutional payment plan, make sure to factor in your family's cash flow situation too. The payment plan might save you on interest, but it also means larger monthly payments during the school year. Some families find it easier to spread the payments over the longer loan term, even with the higher interest cost. Also, if you do go with the Parent PLUS loan, remember that you can always make extra payments toward the principal to reduce the total interest paid over time. Whatever you decide, sounds like you're being really thoughtful about weighing all your options!

UPDATE: I called my daughter's college financial aid office this morning. They confirmed that for Michigan residents, the state aid office DOES automatically receive FAFSA data and no additional application is needed for the Michigan Competitive Scholarship or Michigan Tuition Grant. However, they mentioned that students still need to create an account on the MiSSG (Michigan Student Scholarships & Grants) website to view their award status and accept the funds. So I'm having my daughter do that today. Thank you everyone for your help! It's reassuring to know we're on the right track despite all the technical issues.

As someone who just went through this process with my own kid, I can confirm that the broken state aid link is unfortunately very common this year. The new FAFSA system has been plagued with technical issues, but the actual data transfer to states does happen behind the scenes. What helped me feel more confident was creating a simple spreadsheet tracking all the important dates and requirements for our state. I listed the FAFSA submission date, state aid priority deadlines, and any additional forms needed. It made me feel more in control during this chaotic process. Also, don't forget to check if your daughter's high school guidance counselor has any state-specific resources or contacts. Mine had a direct line to someone at our state aid office who could verify receipt of FAFSA data much faster than the general helpline.

UPDATE: My daughter just finished her section and we got to see the summary page. The tax information that was imported looks accurate - they pulled our AGI, income, and tax figures correctly from our 2023 return. So the direct data exchange actually worked perfectly! Just wanted to follow up in case anyone else has this concern.

Thanks for sharing your update! It's really helpful to hear that the DDE worked smoothly for you. As someone who's about to start the FAFSA process with my own kid, I was getting nervous reading about all the potential issues with tax data not importing correctly. Good to know that when it works, it really does make the whole process much faster than the old system. Did you notice any other differences in the application compared to what you might have expected from previous years?

Did anyone else notice that the whole FAFSA system has been a complete disaster since they "simplified" it? My cousin's daughter had her application stuck for MONTHS and almost lost her scholarship. The government can't do anything right!

I'm so glad you were able to get this resolved! Your situation is exactly why I always recommend keeping detailed notes about every step of the FAFSA process. For anyone else reading this thread who might be dealing with similar issues, here are some additional tips that have helped me and my friends: 1. Screenshot everything - your summary pages, error messages (or lack thereof), and any confirmation numbers 2. Try accessing your FAFSA at different times of day - sometimes the system shows different information during off-peak hours 3. If you're a parent contributor, make sure you're logged into the correct account when reviewing information 4. Double-check that your FSA ID is properly linked to your Social Security number The high school completion date issue you experienced is actually more common than people realize. I've seen it happen when students transfer schools or do dual enrollment. It's frustrating that these "hidden" errors aren't visible to us, but at least there's usually a solution once you can get through to someone who knows the system well enough to find them. Hope your daughter gets her aid package soon and everything works out for her college plans!