I work in a college financial aid office, and I can tell you this happens frequently. The good news is that once the signature issue is resolved, these applications are usually processed within 3-5 days. Most colleges understand these FAFSA processing delays and will work with you if you document your attempts to resolve the issue. I recommend: 1. Call FSA directly at 1-800-433-3243 2. Ask for the "signature resolution department" 3. Take notes during your call (get the rep's ID number) 4. Request they send you an email confirmation once the issue is resolved 5. Forward that confirmation to your son's college financial aid office Many schools have contingency plans for these FAFSA delays and may still consider him for priority aid if you document the signature issue was beyond your control.

Yes, I would definitely recommend contacting the financial aid office at each school your son applied to. Send them a brief email explaining the signature issue, that you're actively working with FSA to resolve it, and ask if this will affect his priority deadline consideration. Many schools will make a note in his file and may extend the deadline for his specific situation. Just be sure to follow up once the signature issue is actually resolved with proof from FSA.

UPDATE: The Department of Education just announced they've identified the issues causing the website crashes and are implementing fixes tonight. They expect the system to be more stable by tomorrow morning, though they're still recommending accessing the site during off-peak hours if possible. They've also extended the processing time for schools to account for these technical difficulties, so most financial aid packages shouldn't be significantly delayed.

UPDATE: It worked! I finally got through the entire application this morning. For anyone still struggling, here's what ultimately worked for me: 1. Logged in early (6am) before traffic increased 2. Used Edge browser in InPrivate mode as someone suggested 3. Entered all information without using decimal points 4. Saved after EACH section rather than trying to complete multiple sections at once My SAI came out lower than I expected too, so maybe this new formula really is better? Now just waiting on confirmation email. Thanks everyone for your help and commiseration!

We did net price calculators for all 6 of my sons schools and they were WAY OFF what we actually got offered. One was off by almost $10k! Don't trust those calculators too much.

To summarize what others have said: 1. You need to submit applications first, then get acceptances, before receiving official aid packages 2. Check for college-specific financial aid deadlines 3. Look at net price calculators for estimates (imperfect but helpful) 4. Consider calling financial aid offices directly for preliminary guidance 5. Don't forget about CSS Profile for private schools 6. Remember that merit scholarships can significantly change the equation Hope your son gets some good options with affordable prices!

I want to add one important point that hasn't been mentioned yet: with a -1500 SAI, your daughter should also be eligible for maximum consideration for subsidized federal loans, which don't accrue interest while she's in school. These are much better than unsubsidized loans. Also, make sure to check if her schools require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA - many private colleges use this for determining institutional aid, and it has a different formula than the FAFSA.

To answer your follow-up question - CSS Profile and FAFSA are separate systems. Schools that require both use the CSS Profile to determine institutional aid and the FAFSA for federal aid eligibility. The CSS Profile typically collects more detailed financial information and may consider assets that FAFSA doesn't (like home equity). Your daughter's -1500 SAI guarantees federal aid eligibility but the CSS Profile will generate its own separate calculation for institutional aid. This is why packages can vary dramatically between schools even with the same FAFSA result.

idk why everyone's so worked up about this. filling out the fafsa took me like 30 min this year. way easier than before. just have your tax stuff ready and it's pretty straightforward

Important tip: The 2025-2026 FAFSA will use your 2023 tax information, but if your financial situation has changed significantly since then (job loss, major income decrease, etc.), you'll need to complete the FAFSA with the 2023 info first, then contact each school's financial aid office to request a professional judgment review. Also, don't pay anyone to fill out the FAFSA for you. There are plenty of free resources: - Your daughter's high school probably has FAFSA completion events - Many states have free FAFSA help hotlines - The Federal Student Aid Information Center: 1-800-433-3243 The only thing worth paying for might be something to help you actually reach a human at the FSA office if you run into problems, since their phone lines get overwhelmingly busy during peak season.