As someone who went through this exact confusion my freshman year, I can totally relate to the stress of not knowing when you'll actually see that refund money! One thing that really helped me was creating a "financial aid checklist" to make sure I didn't miss any steps that could delay the process. Make sure you've completed all your verification requirements if your FAFSA was selected - sometimes schools put holds on disbursement until you submit tax transcripts or other documents. I didn't realize I had outstanding verification items until 2 weeks before classes started, which almost messed up my whole timeline. Also, when you call financial aid on Monday, ask them to walk you through your specific student account so you can see exactly what steps are left and what the status is of each requirement. Sometimes there are little things like missing signatures or incomplete forms that can hold everything up. The waiting and uncertainty is definitely the worst part, but you're being super proactive by asking these questions now instead of just hoping it all works out. That's going to save you so much stress down the line!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's going through this process for the first time, I had no idea there were so many factors that could affect timing. The verification requirements mentioned are something I definitely need to check on - I got an email a while back about providing some additional documents but I wasn't sure how urgent it was. Sounds like I should make sure that's all cleared up before I worry about disbursement timing! One question for everyone - when you call the financial aid office, do you find it's better to call right when they open or is there a better time to avoid long wait times? I'm planning to call Monday morning but I'm wondering if I should expect to be on hold forever or if there are better times to get through quickly. Thanks again to everyone who's shared their experiences - this has been way more helpful than any of the official financial aid websites I've looked at!

This thread has been absolutely incredible! As someone who's completely new to the student loan process, I had no idea there were so many variables to consider with excess funds. The distinction between refunds vs credit balance returns, the importance of checking which parent receives Parent PLUS refunds, the 120-day return window to avoid interest - all of this is information I never would have known to ask about. I'm especially grateful for the warnings about schools trying to keep funds as "credits" or pushing those branded debit cards with hidden fees. It's clear that being informed and asking very specific questions is crucial to avoiding getting taken advantage of. I'm definitely going to create that tracking spreadsheet and make sure I understand our school's exact processes before any disbursements happen. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that makes all the difference!

This thread has been such a goldmine of information! I'm dealing with a similar situation where we borrowed more than needed for this semester. Reading through everyone's experiences has made me realize I need to be much more organized about tracking everything. I'm definitely going to start that spreadsheet system someone mentioned - it sounds like having detailed records is crucial not just for tax purposes but also for keeping track of return deadlines and servicer contacts. One question I haven't seen addressed - does anyone know if there are any restrictions on HOW you can use excess loan funds while you have them? I mean, obviously the smart move is to return what you don't need within 120 days, but if we do temporarily hold onto some excess funds for potential unexpected expenses, are there any rules about what counts as legitimate education expenses? I want to make sure we don't accidentally violate any terms if we end up using some of the money for things like transportation to campus or a laptop for coursework.

Hi Chloe! I just completed my FAFSA last week and had the exact same confusion about the Medicaid checkbox. Everyone here has given you fantastic advice, and I wanted to add my fresh perspective since I literally just went through this! With your mom making $29k and having Medicaid, you're in an amazing position! You should definitely qualify for both the Simplified Needs Test (skipping those confusing asset questions) AND the Auto-Zero EFC calculation, which means maximum Pell Grant eligibility. Here's what actually happened when I filled mine out: The FAFSA clearly showed me on screen when sections were being skipped due to my qualifications, which was super reassuring. I still needed my mom's 2022 tax return and W-2 info, but the whole asset section just disappeared after I answered the Medicaid question. One thing that really helped me: I used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when it was available - it automatically pulled in our tax info and saved so much time! Also, don't forget to look into your state's financial aid programs too, as many offer additional grants for students in your income bracket. You're asking all the right questions and being so smart about preparing ahead of time. I ended up qualifying for the full Pell Grant with a similar situation, so you should be in excellent shape! The process was way less scary than I thought it would be once I actually started. You've totally got this!

Hi Chloe! I just went through this exact same situation with my younger sister's FAFSA application a couple months ago, so I totally understand your confusion about the Medicaid checkbox! The great news is that with your mom's income at $29k and having Medicaid, you're in an excellent position for financial aid! You should definitely qualify for both the Simplified Needs Test (which skips all those complicated asset questions about savings and investments) AND the Auto-Zero EFC calculation - which basically puts you in the best possible category for maximum aid. You'll still need your mom's 2022 tax return ready though (that's the tax year the 2024-2025 FAFSA uses for income verification). The Medicaid checkbox is super helpful, but it's more like a "skip the really complicated financial stuff" button rather than eliminating all financial questions entirely. My sister ended up getting the full Pell Grant with almost identical circumstances to yours - $28k family income and Medicaid. One practical tip: gather all your documents before you even start the application and create your FSA ID first. The FAFSA website can be slow and sometimes glitchy, so having everything organized ahead of time makes the whole process much smoother. You're being really smart by asking these questions upfront instead of just guessing your way through it. With your family's financial situation, you should qualify for substantial federal aid. Don't stress too much - you're positioned really well for this! Good luck with your application!

This entire thread has been such a godsend! I'm dealing with this exact situation right now - my daughter's first semester bill came in showing the full $17,300 with zero financial aid reflected, despite having everything completed since April. I was convinced we'd somehow lost her aid package! It's honestly shocking that this is such a widespread issue yet schools continue to send out these panic-inducing bills without any explanation. The fact that financial aid offices get "hundreds of calls" about this every year but haven't implemented a simple solution like adding "pending aid not reflected" to the bill is just inexcusable. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines - it's given me so much peace of mind knowing this is normal (even though it shouldn't be). Definitely going to use the checklist approach and screenshot everything just to be safe. Here's hoping our collective stress leads to some colleges finally fixing their communication between billing and financial aid departments!

This whole thread has been such a relief to read! I'm a newcomer to this community and going through my first college billing cycle with my son. Just got his bill yesterday showing the full $15,850 tuition with absolutely no financial aid showing, even though his FAFSA was completed in February and we have the award letter with Pell Grant and loans approved. I was up all night worried we'd somehow lost his financial aid! It's incredible that this is such a universal experience yet schools haven't fixed this basic communication problem. The fact that they know they get hundreds of panicked calls every year but still don't add a simple note about pending aid on the bills is just unacceptable. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - knowing this is "normal" (even though it shouldn't be) has given me so much peace of mind. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about keeping screenshots and setting calendar reminders!

I'm also a newcomer dealing with this exact situation! My son commuted freshman year but wants to live on campus for sophomore year. Reading through all these responses has been so enlightening - I had no idea the FAFSA doesn't handle housing information and that it could make such a big difference in aid (sounds like $3,000-5,000+ based on everyone's experiences). I'm taking notes on all the advice here, especially using the phrase "Cost of Attendance adjustment for housing status change" when I call financial aid, and making sure to get everything in writing. It's both reassuring and concerning to see how common this confusion is - clearly the schools need to do a better job communicating how housing changes affect financial aid! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and creating such a helpful resource thread.

I'm a new community member and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My daughter is also transitioning from commuting freshman year to living in dorms for sophomore year, and I was equally confused about why I couldn't find housing questions on the FAFSA. Reading everyone's experiences has given me a clear action plan: 1) Contact housing office to confirm dorm status is properly recorded, 2) Call financial aid using the specific phrase "Cost of Attendance adjustment for housing status change" to ensure her COA reflects the higher dorm costs, and 3) Get everything documented in writing. The consistent $3,000-5,000+ aid differences people are reporting really emphasizes how important it is to get this right. Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences - it's reassuring to know this confusion is common and there are proven steps to resolve it!