I work in college admissions (not financial aid specifically) but just wanted to say - make sure you carefully review all communications from your schools. Having a 0 SAI is great, but each school has their own additional requirements. Some might need the CSS Profile as mentioned above, others might have institutional forms, and many will select students for verification. Missing a deadline for any supplemental information can result in reduced aid regardless of your SAI.

Congrats on the 0 SAI! That's amazing news. Just wanted to add - if you haven't already, create a spreadsheet to track all your schools' requirements and deadlines. Include columns for FAFSA completion date, CSS Profile requirements, institutional forms, verification status, and aid package received dates. With 4 schools, it's easy to miss something important. I made this mistake and almost lost aid at one school because I didn't realize they had a separate scholarship application with an earlier deadline. Having everything organized in one place will save you so much stress over the next few months! Also, don't be afraid to negotiate! Once you get all your aid packages, if there's a big difference between schools, you can often appeal to your preferred school and ask them to match or come closer to a better offer from a comparable institution.

Just to add some more clarification for the 2024-2025 FAFSA regarding Medicaid and the Simplified Needs Test: 1. Medicaid qualification + income below $46,000 = Simplified Needs Test (no asset questions) 2. Medicaid qualification + income below $29,000 = Potential Auto-Zero EFC/SAI calculation 3. Either way, you STILL need to provide tax and income information With your mother's income at $29,000, you're in a good position to receive substantial aid, possibly including maximum Pell Grant eligibility. Make sure to have her 2022 tax return information ready (that's the tax year used for 2024-2025 FAFSA).

Hey Chloe! I just went through this exact same situation last year with my daughter. We're on Medicaid too and I was so confused about what it meant for the FAFSA. Here's what I learned from our experience: The Medicaid box does help, but it's not a magic "skip everything" button like some people think. You'll definitely still need your mom's tax information - have her 2022 tax return ready since that's what the 2024-2025 FAFSA uses. With your mom making $29k, you should qualify for both the Simplified Needs Test (which skips asset questions) AND potentially the Auto-Zero calculation, which is amazing for aid eligibility. My daughter ended up getting the full Pell Grant because of this. One tip: make sure you answer the Medicaid question accurately and double-check your income entries. The system can be picky about qualifying for these simplified calculations. Good luck with your application!

One more thing: if this is your first year receiving federal aid, the Department of Education normally requires schools to delay disbursement of your first loan (not Pell Grant, but loans) for 30 days after the start of classes. This won't affect your Pell, but might impact your overall refund timeline if you're also receiving loans.

Pro tip: Many schools also offer "emergency loans" or "short-term loans" specifically for textbook purchases while you're waiting for financial aid to disburse. These are usually interest-free and get automatically paid back when your Pell refund comes through. I used one last semester for about $400 in books and it was a lifesaver! Ask the financial aid office about their emergency loan program too when you go in person tomorrow.

After calling both schools and updating the FAFSA, could you please come back and update us on what you found out? I'll be in a similar situation next summer and would love to know how it works out for you!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation with my daughter who wants to take summer classes at a community college while attending her 4-year university. From reading all these responses, it sounds like the key steps are: 1) Update the FAFSA immediately to add the summer school, 2) Contact both financial aid offices to understand how summer aid works and any deadlines, 3) Verify credit transfer requirements, and 4) Check enrollment minimums for aid eligibility. The point about summer terms potentially counting toward the previous academic year's aid was really eye-opening - I never would have thought of that! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences.

After helping dozens of families with this exact issue, here's my advice: 1. First, double-check your FAFSA for errors - especially home equity inclusion, business valuation, or retirement distributions 2. Contact each college's financial aid office directly (not FSA) to request their Professional Judgment/Special Circumstances form 3. Document EVERYTHING - the retirement withdrawal, home repair costs, multiple students in college, any medical expenses, etc. 4. Be specific in your appeal about what changed in your situation vs. what formula changes unfairly impacted you 5. Follow up weekly - financial aid offices are swamped right now Colleges have discretion to adjust your SAI even when the federal formula doesn't work in your favor. They WANT to help, but you need to make a strong case.

I'm seeing this same pattern with so many families this year - you're definitely not alone! The combination of that $15k retirement withdrawal plus having 2 kids in college under the new formula is likely what caused your SAI to double. The new FAFSA barely gives any benefit for multiple students anymore (it used to cut your contribution roughly in half), and retirement distributions are now counted as full income regardless of the reason. I'd recommend appealing to both schools with documentation of the emergency home repairs and emphasizing that this was a one-time withdrawal. Many financial aid offices are being understanding about these formula issues, but you need to proactively reach out with your documentation.