You're mixing up the tax years. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they'll use 2023 tax information. For the 2024-2025 FAFSA (the current application cycle), they use 2022 tax information. The OP is dealing with the current application cycle.

ohhh that makes sense!! i get so confused with all these different years lol

That's excellent news! This is exactly why proactive communication with the financial aid office is so important. They deal with these situations regularly and usually have established procedures. Glad to hear your son's work-study position shouldn't be affected.

Good for you! Wish we'd done the same instead of waiting for them to contact us. You probably saved yourself MONTHS of stress!!!

Many students don't need to report scholarships as income because they use the funds entirely for qualified educational expenses. Your roommate might be referring to a different situation. If you're concerned, you could consult with a tax professional, but this is actually a common misunderstanding. Focus on answering the FAFSA question accurately based on what was ACTUALLY reported on your tax return, not what might have been reported.

That's super helpful! I checked my tax return last night and there's nothing about scholarships on my Schedule 1 or anywhere else. So I'm going with $0. Thank you all for your help with this question!

This is unfortunately common with many performing arts programs, especially private conservatories. Their institutional funds are often more limited than larger universities. I always recommend students apply to a mix of public and private institutions for this reason. Public universities with strong arts programs often provide better overall value. Have you tried appealing the offer? Many schools have special appeal processes specifically for arts students where they can review your financial situation again.

Pending" verification means your FAFSA was selected for verification, which is like an audit of the information you provided. About 25-30% of all applications get selected randomly each year. The school will request additional (documentation typically tax transcripts, W-2s, or household size)verification . Once you submit those documents,'they ll review and complete your financial aid package. This will add some time to your process - typically 2-3 weeks after you submit all requested documents. I recommend uploading any requested verification documents as soon as possible to minimizedelays.

The 2025-26 FAFSA uses a completely revised formula called the Student Aid Index (SAI) rather than the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The new calculation places different weights on income thresholds, asset protection allowances, and family size adjustments. Even small income increases can create disproportionate changes in the final index number. If you believe there's a specific calculation error rather than just the new formula producing different results, you should request an SAI recalculation review directly with your financial aid office.

thats awesome!! fingers crossed we get the same result. still waiting on our final calculation 😬

I TRIED THIS!!! Emailed everyone I could find and got NOTHING but form responses!!! They keep saying "we're processing as fast as we can" but my daughter's deposit is due in TWO WEEKS and we STILL don't know what aid she'll get!! This system is BROKEN!!

Alphabetical order?! I've never heard of that approach before. That seems incredibly unfair to students with last names at the end of the alphabet. I wonder if that's even allowed under Department of Education guidelines? Maybe someone with more knowledge about financial aid regulations can weigh in on whether schools can prioritize alphabetically or if they need to use other criteria like financial need or application date.