Regarding acceptances and financial aid timing: Most institutions operate on one of two models: 1. Rolling decisions: You'll receive acceptance/rejection notifications as they're made, with financial aid packages following 1-3 weeks later 2. Coordinated notification: Both acceptance and financial aid information are sent simultaneously (more common with selective institutions) If you've received an acceptance but no financial aid information after 3+ weeks, it's perfectly appropriate to contact the financial aid office. They may be waiting on additional information or there could be a processing delay. For May 1st deposit deadlines, colleges understand the importance of having complete financial information before making decisions. If you're still waiting on aid information as the deadline approaches, contact the admissions office to explain your situation. Many will grant extensions when financial aid details are pending.

when my daughter got her letters they all had different amounts for the same fafsa information?? some gave her grants others just loans. made no sense to me how they could read the same fafsa so differently

Your FSA ID doesn't expire, but the password needs to be changed every 18 months. You'll get email reminders when it's time to update your password. As long as you keep your password current, your FSA ID remains valid indefinitely. One more tip: The 2024-2025 FAFSA form introduced major changes to the entire system. If you completed your first child's FAFSA before January 2024, you'll find the new system quite different. The good news is it's generally more streamlined now, with fewer questions overall.

last year i had problems with my fsa id cuz my name in the system didnt match exactly with social security (i had a hyphenated last name but social security had it without the hyphen). it took FOREVER to fix it so double check all that stuff before you start!!

i took out both types of loans and honestly its fine. yeah interest sucks but my brother didnt take loans and took 6 years to graduate cause he was working so much. i graduated in 4 years and started making real $ faster. ended up better off financially even with the loans

One more consideration: if you're planning to work in public service (government, non-profits, teaching, etc.), you might qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness after 10 years of payments. This can make federal loans an even better option. Also, look into whether your school offers any payment plans that might reduce how much you need to borrow each semester. Some schools let you spread payments over the term instead of paying all at once, which can help if you're working part-time.

Just wanted to follow up - did you end up making the correction or did you get it resolved another way? I'm having a similar issue now with my university and getting worried

Glad to hear you got it resolved! For anyone else with similar issues, here's what to check: 1. Name matches exactly (including middle names/initials) 2. SSN matches exactly (all 9 digits) 3. Date of birth matches exactly 4. School code was correctly entered (each school has a unique federal code) 5. Verification of your FAFSA wasn't required (you'd receive separate notification) Almost all "FAFSA not received" issues are data matching problems, not actual submission problems. Your SAI and Pell Grant eligibility remain the same regardless.

One more important thing to note: Some critical financial aid emails might go to your school email account rather than your personal email. Many students miss deadlines because they only check their personal email. Make sure you're regularly checking both, especially as you get closer to the start of the term.

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I've set up dedicated folders in my email for FAFSA/aid communications, talked to my parents about checking their emails too, and I'm going to start regularly checking my student portal instead of just waiting for emails. Feeling much more organized now!