btw did u save the confirmation # when u submitted? always keep that in case something goes wrong

As someone who just went through this exact same situation with my son last month, I can confirm what others have said - "processed" and "closed" appearing together is totally normal! It's just really poor wording on their part. The key thing to look for is that SAI number showing up, which it sounds like you have. That means the calculation is complete and the schools should receive the data soon. We were stressed about the same thing, but his financial aid packages started coming in about 2 weeks later from his schools. One tip: create a simple spreadsheet to track each school's financial aid requirements and deadlines. Some wanted additional forms by specific dates that weren't mentioned anywhere on the FAFSA site. Having everything organized in one place really helped us stay on top of it all!

why does evryone act like this is complicated??? you get accepted, you get financial aid, you get bill, you pay whats left. its not rocket science lol

@Grace Patel I completely understand your frustration! As a fellow first-time college parent, I went through this exact same confusion last year. Here's what I wish someone had told me upfront: The key is understanding that there are actually THREE different timelines running simultaneously: 1. Financial aid timeline (FAFSA → SAI → award letter) 2. Billing timeline (when actual bills are generated) 3. Payment timeline (when money is due) For State University specifically, based on what others have shared, you're looking at award letters in April/May, but bills won't come until late July/August. The disconnect between these timelines is what makes this so confusing! My advice: Call State's bursar office this week and ask for their specific billing calendar for Fall 2025. Also ask about payment plan enrollment deadlines - as @Liam O'Reilly mentioned, these can be much earlier than you'd expect. Set up both parent portal access AND calendar reminders for each deadline. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for asking these questions - navigating college finances is genuinely complex, especially when schools don't communicate clearly about timelines!

I just got off the phone with my daughter's financial aid office. They confirmed that Parent PLUS applications won't be available until they process her FAFSA and send out her award letter, which they expect to do in early April. The June deadline is when everything needs to be completed, not when applications open. Thanks everyone for the clarification - I feel much better now knowing that I'm not missing anything!

As a parent who just went through this process last year, I can confirm what others have said - the Parent PLUS application won't appear on studentaid.gov until after your daughter's school processes her FAFSA and sends out the financial aid award letter. This usually happens between March and May. The timing can vary significantly by school, so I'd recommend calling your daughter's financial aid office directly to ask when they typically release award letters. That way you'll have a better idea of when to expect the Parent PLUS option to become available. The June deadline they mentioned is likely when they want all financial aid paperwork completed, not when applications open. Don't stress - you're not behind schedule!

One more thing to know - many private colleges require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. The CSS looks at more financial details and can result in different aid packages. If any of your son's schools require CSS, make sure to complete that too. Some institutions use it to award their own institutional aid, which can be substantial at well-endowed schools.

Welcome to the financial aid maze! As someone who just went through this with my daughter, I can tell you that an SAI of 2924 is actually pretty good news. You're definitely in Pell Grant territory - my daughter had a similar SAI and received about $5,200 in Pell funding. One thing I wish I'd known earlier is to start reaching out to the financial aid offices at each school NOW, even if they're not answering phones. Try emailing them with your specific SAI and ask for a preliminary estimate of what aid package you might expect. Most schools have online net price calculators too that can give you a rough idea. Also, don't panic if the first aid letters you get look confusing - they all format them differently and some make loans look like "free money" when they're not. Focus on grants and scholarships first, then subsidized loans if needed. You've got this!

UPDATE: Finally got it working! For anyone else having this problem, I forwarded the email to my Gmail like someone suggested, and then used Chrome incognito mode at 1am. The verification link worked perfectly! Now my FSA ID is verified and I can finish my FAFSA application. Thanks everyone for your help!

So glad you got it working! I've been having the same issue for the past week and was starting to panic about my deadline too. Going to try the Gmail forwarding + Chrome incognito + late night combo tonight. Really appreciate you updating the thread with what actually worked instead of just disappearing after getting help!