Also worth noting that the SAI calculation treats these situations differently than the old EFC formula did. I've noticed that students with parents without SSNs often have higher SAI scores under the new system unless the income documentation is extremely thorough and properly categorized. Make sure your student understands how their SAI is calculated and what it means for their aid eligibility.

I actually co-wrote a guide for Virginia advisors on this exact topic after seeing so many issues with the new system. I'd be happy to email it to you - it includes sample forms, calculation examples, and a timeline of what to expect. Just DM me your professional email address.

Sometimes browser issues can cause the "in progress" status to get stuck. Try clearing your cache and cookies, then log back in. Also, try using a different browser altogether - I've had better luck with Chrome than Safari for FAFSA stuff. The new 2025-2026 FAFSA is particularly buggy with its "in progress" vs "submitted" statuses. If you've actually completed everything, sometimes it takes 24-48 hours for the status to update to "submitted" on its own.

Just checking back in - did you figure it out? Were you able to get both FAFSAs submitted?

Another thing to consider - if your daughter does enlist and then decides to use her military education benefits later, having FAFSA on file can actually help! Many veterans use both GI Bill AND traditional financial aid. My nephew is doing this now and gets way more support than his battle buddies who only use GI Bill.

Thank you all for the advice! I'm definitely going to complete the FAFSA now just to be safe. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. We'll plan to submit as soon as it opens in December so we don't miss any priority deadlines if she does end up going to college instead of the Air Force.

The whole setup is BACKWARDS. Schools expect you to commit before you know if you can actually afford to attend. Then they act shocked when students back out or have to take massive loans. I honestly think schools delay aid packages on purpose to force families to commit, knowing some won't back out even if the aid is terrible. Just another symptom of how broken the entire higher education financing system is.

To directly answer your original questions: 1. FAFSA processing (to get your SAI) typically takes 3-7 days, but can take up to 2-3 weeks during peak periods (which we're in right now for 2026-2027 applications). 2. After FAFSA processing, schools need time to create aid packages, which can take anywhere from 1-8 weeks depending on the school. 3. Whether to enroll before seeing aid packages depends on several factors: - How certain you are that you can make it work financially - Whether the enrollment deposit is refundable - If it's your daughter's absolute first choice regardless of aid - If the school allows enrollment deadline extensions I recommend contacting each school's financial aid office directly - they deal with this situation regularly and often have procedures to help families in your position.

@OP - University of Michigan typically has a very reliable financial aid process, but they're also known to run out of certain institutional grant funds later in the season. Definitely contact them ASAP and express your concerns. If you're an in-state student, their aid tends to be more generous than for out-of-state. One option some families use: commit with the deposit to secure the spot, but continue to work with financial aid and be prepared to withdraw if the package makes attendance impossible. Yes, you might lose the deposit, but it protects your son's spot while you wait for the official numbers.

@OP Most schools process aid packages as they receive FAFSA information and will notify you as soon as your package is determined. However, some schools do batch their notifications, especially for incoming freshmen. The best approach is to call Michigan's financial aid office directly and ask about their specific notification timeline. One more thing to consider: If your son's SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) is already available on studentaid.gov, you could share that number with Michigan's financial aid office. Sometimes they can provide a rough estimate based on that figure, even if they haven't processed your full package yet.