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tbh this happens to so many families. my brother couldnt go to his first choice bc of $$. it sucked but he went to state school and is doing great now. sometimes you gotta be realistic about what u can afford
I know you're right, and we do have her second choice as a backup (much cheaper state school). Just trying to explore all options before we give up on her dream school.
One last thing to consider - now that you've been denied for the PLUS loan, ask the financial aid office if they offer any kind of Parent PLUS Loan Alternative. Some schools have institutional loan programs specifically for families who can't qualify for PLUS but don't want their students taking on too much debt. These programs often have more flexible credit requirements. Also, with your SAI of 7850, double-check that you received all the federal and state grants you're eligible for. That SAI should typically qualify for some Pell Grant funding, and many states have their own grants based on FAFSA info.
Thank you so much for mentioning this! Her package does include a $3,900 Pell Grant and a $2,100 state grant, but I'll definitely ask about PLUS alternatives. You've all been so helpful - feeling much more prepared to advocate for my daughter now.
Update: Mystery solved! I just heard back from my stepson. Turns out his school has a March 15th priority deadline for submitting the CSS Profile for institutional scholarships for 2024-2025. That's what his mom was freaking out about. And she had the year wrong too. Thank you everyone for your help! The panic has subsided. 😅
That makes perfect sense! The CSS Profile is indeed different from FAFSA and many private schools use it to determine institutional aid. Those deadlines are often much earlier than federal deadlines. Glad you got it sorted out!
Just to add a helpful tip since this confusion is so common: I recommend creating a simple spreadsheet with columns for: - Form type (FAFSA, CSS Profile, school-specific forms) - Academic year it applies to - Opening date for submission - Deadline date (both priority and final) - Renewal requirements This has saved my family so much stress over the years as we've gone through this process with three kids!
That's brilliant! I'm definitely going to create this spreadsheet and share it with both households. Maybe it will prevent the next financial aid panic attack. 😅
Update: I followed the advice here and downloaded my SAR. It does show the SAI score, so I think we're good! I also called my daughter's top choice school and they confirmed they can see her FAFSA data in their system. So it looks like this is just a display error on the website. Thanks everyone for your help!
Great news! This is exactly what I'd expect based on the symptoms you described. The SAI calculation is the last step in processing, so if that's completed, you're all set. The colleges having access is the ultimate confirmation. Glad it worked out!
has anyone actually gotten the site to ever show the correct status after getting the SAI email? mine still shows wrong status a month later lol
Freya Collins
Thank you all for these helpful suggestions! I made a list of everything mentioned and my daughter and I will start researching this weekend. She's interested in nursing, so we'll look for healthcare-specific scholarships too. I'm going to check both the CSS Profile and our state education website today. It's such a relief to have a clearer path forward!
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Liv Park
•Nursing is an excellent choice for scholarship opportunities! Many hospitals offer tuition assistance in exchange for work commitments after graduation. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) also offers nursing scholarships through their Nursing Corps Scholarship Program. Additionally, check with your state nursing association - many have foundation scholarships specifically for nursing students.
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Leeann Blackstein
nobody mentioned this but some colleges have special scholarships just for international students or first generation immigrants!! my cousin got one that covered half her tuition just for being from vietnam with good grades. def check if the colleges have anything like that
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Freya Collins
•That's wonderful to know! We are from Vietnam originally too! I will definitely ask colleges about immigrant-specific scholarships. Thank you for this tip!
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