Update: I tried downloading the PDF as suggested, but the SAI still isn't there. I'm going to give it a few more days as someone suggested. If it's still not showing up by Friday, I'll try reaching out to them directly. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

SUCCESS! I found it on the confirmation page! Thank you all so much for your help. For anyone else looking, the SAI number wasn't on the main dashboard or even in the downloaded PDF of the SAR, but it was on the confirmation page under "View Submitted Applications" as suggested. It's labeled very clearly there as "Student Aid Index (SAI): [number]". What a relief!

I just wanna say i applied for sm scholarship in high school and like never heard from most!! its super normal dont worry lol. they only tell u if u win something its crazy but thats how it works good luck!!!

While you're waiting to hear back about these scholarships, I recommend reviewing your son's current financial aid package from his chosen school(s). With the higher-than-expected SAI score, you may want to submit a Professional Judgment appeal (sometimes called a Special Circumstances review) to the financial aid office. If your financial situation has changed since the tax year used for FAFSA calculations, or if you have unusual expenses not captured by the FAFSA, this process might help increase his institutional aid offer regardless of these outside scholarships.

Great to hear you got it working! Just a heads-up - make sure you check back after the verification processing completes. Sometimes the verification results can affect other parts of your application that might need updating.

thx for posting what worked! gonna bookmark this for when mine inevitably breaks again lol

Quick update: I checked with my son, and what finally worked for us was having the financial aid office submit a case to FSA's "Application Processing Division" - not just regular support. Apparently they can do this through a special school portal. Maybe ask your financial aid office if they can submit a processing case for your daughter specifically about the signature issue?

One other technical troubleshooting step: Make sure your daughter's name, DOB, and SSN are EXACTLY the same between her FSA ID account and the FAFSA application. Even a single missing hyphen or middle initial can cause these signature verification loops. This is especially true with the new FAFSA system rollout for 2024-2025.

@profile7 Yes, COVID-related income impacts are still being considered by many institutions through professional judgment reviews. The key is documenting the impact clearly: 1. Provide tax returns or profit/loss statements showing the decline 2. Include information about the recovery (current pay stubs, updated profit/loss) 3. Explain specifically how COVID affected the business 4. Note any COVID relief funds received Most schools have specific COVID impact forms or sections in their appeal process. While the acute phase of the pandemic has passed, the ongoing economic impacts are still valid grounds for appeal at many institutions.

@profile5 We were actually considering a gap year too because of all this chaos! But after talking with several admissions counselors, we decided that might create even more problems. Transfer students often receive less institutional aid than first-year students, and gap years can sometimes affect scholarship eligibility. Instead, we're planning to commit to the school that seems most flexible with their financial aid process, even if it's not our daughter's absolute first choice. The admissions counselor we spoke with yesterday said they're creating a special mid-year review for families affected by the FAFSA delays, where they'll reevaluate aid packages in January once everything has stabilized.