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this whole fafsa system is a JOKE this year!! my brothers SAI randomly went UP by $2k and now he doesnt qualify for some grants he was counting on! nobody at the school can explain WHY and we cant get thru to FAFSA on the phone 😡
Good news - I've worked with several students this year who had automatic SAI corrections, and in every case, their scholarships were adjusted when they provided the updated information. Just make sure you follow up persistently. Email the scholarship coordinator weekly until you get confirmation they've received and processed your updated SAI. The most important thing is to make sure your school's financial aid office has the correct number. If they've already packaged your aid with the old SAI, ask them specifically to repackage based on the new SAI. Get the name of everyone you speak with and follow up with emails summarizing your conversations.
This is so reassuring! I just sent emails to all the scholarship committees with screenshots of my updated SAI. I've also scheduled an appointment with my financial aid advisor for tomorrow to make sure they have the updated information. Thanks for sharing your experience with other students!
last week when i was filling out mine i found out you can actually email documents directly to fafsa!! they dont make it obvious but if your upload isnt working call them and ask for the direct document email. they verified my identity and then gave me a secure email to send my docs to!! way easier than the stupid upload system
Update: Tried desktop mode on my phone like some of you suggested, and it ALMOST worked but then crashed when processing my W-2 image. Went to my local library today but their computers don't allow file uploads for security reasons (so frustrating). My cousin is letting me borrow her laptop tomorrow. Thanks everyone for the suggestions!
Good plan! One more tip: when you get on the laptop, after you log in, go to the "Check Status" section first before trying to continue your application. Sometimes the system needs to synchronize your progress between devices. If you see anything looking incorrect in your profile or saved information, call FSA before proceeding so you don't accidentally create duplicate applications (which can really delay your aid).
my cousin works in financial aid at a state university and she says this happens ALL THE TIME. dont stress too much, they see this mistake constantly and its usually not a big deal to fix!
Update: I successfully submitted the correction and added all our financial information! The confirmation page says it should be processed within 3-5 days, so fingers crossed. I also emailed the financial aid office at her top choice school to let them know about the correction. Thanks everyone for your help and advice - this community is amazing!
Great job taking immediate action! One last tip - after the 3-5 day processing window, log back in to verify that your SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) has been recalculated. You should see a number rather than the special code that appears when "parents unwilling" is selected. This will confirm that the correction was fully processed and your daughter is now being considered for all aid types she's eligible for.
Update: I finally got through to FSA! I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed there was a verification flag on our application that wasn't showing up in our portal. Apparently our income information had a small discrepancy with the IRS data. The agent was able to clear the flag since the difference was minimal, and said our SAI should calculate within 3-5 business days. I also reached out to my son's school financial aid office who said they'll put a note on his file about the FAFSA delay. Thank you all for your help!
That's great news! Glad you got it sorted out!
I'm glad you got this resolved! For anyone else experiencing this issue, here's a quick summary of the solution path: 1. Contact your school's financial aid office to notify them of the delay 2. Use a service like Claimyr to reach FSA quickly or be prepared for long hold times 3. Ask the FSA agent specifically about "hidden verification flags" or "calculation errors" 4. Request that they manually review your application 5. Get a case number or reference number for the conversation 6. Follow up with your school again after the SAI is calculated The new FAFSA system is improving but still has these technical issues that require human intervention to solve. Always document your conversations and follow-ups.
Aisha Mahmood
wait so if im starting college this fall and will be filling out my first FAFSA, will this affect me too? im so confused about all this loan stuff
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Ethan Clark
•No, this won't affect you now. This issue only happens later when people consolidate already-existing federal loans. Just focus on completing your FAFSA accurately to qualify for grants first (free money), then subsidized loans (government pays interest while you're in school), and only take unsubsidized loans if absolutely necessary.
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Ethan Clark
One important thing to add - if you're concerned about the interest capitalization that happened during consolidation, you might want to make small extra payments (even $20-50/month) that go directly to principal once you start working toward PSLF. This can help reduce the overall size of your loan despite the capitalization. Also, keep an eye on the PSLF waiver programs. The Biden administration has been regularly extending and modifying these waivers to help more borrowers qualify, and there might be further adjustments that could benefit your situation.
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Nia Wilson
•That's a great tip about making small extra payments. I didn't realize I could do that while on PSLF. And yes, I'll definitely keep an eye on any new waiver programs or policy changes!
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