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OMG I just realized I dont think anyone mentioned the HBCU schlarships!!! Norfolk State is an HBCU so theres special scholarships just for those schools. Check out the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) website and the Thurgood Marshall scholarship. My nephew got almost full tuition from combining a few of those!
This is incredibly helpful! I had no idea there were specific scholarships just for HBCUs. I'll check out both the UNCF and Thurgood Marshall scholarship right away. Thank you so much for sharing this information!
With an SAI of 4320 as you mentioned in a comment, you should absolutely qualify for some need-based aid. Here's what I'd do immediately: 1. File a FAFSA correction to fix the parent/contributor issue 2. Contact Norfolk State's financial aid office directly (email AND phone) 3. Ask specifically about the Access Grant and VGAP as someone mentioned 4. Look into HBCU-specific scholarships through UNCF 5. Request an aid appeal based on special circumstances if you've had any recent financial changes Don't let the initial SAI discourage you. Many families successfully navigate this with some persistence.
Thank you for these concrete steps! I've already started on the FAFSA correction this morning. We did have a job change last year that reduced our income - would that count as a special circumstance for an appeal? I'll be calling Norfolk State today.
btw if ur fixing tax stuff do u know which form they need? my daughters corrction was for the w2 vs tax return numbers not matching and we had to figure out which one they wanted us to use
UPDATE: I logged in with my parent FSA ID and was able to access the correction screen! It showed exactly what needed to be fixed - just a transposed number in our AGI. I corrected it and submitted the changes. The site said it would take 3-5 days to process, but we actually got a confirmation email the next day saying the corrections were accepted. Thanks everyone for your help!
Great to hear! That's a perfect example of how small errors can cause verification issues. Glad you were able to fix it quickly. Now your son's SAI calculation should be accurate which will give you the correct aid eligibility.
BE CAREFUL!!! My roommate finished her program 6 weeks early and the school reported it as a WITHDRAWAL instead of a completion!! She had to fight with them for MONTHS to get it fixed and almost had her transcript held!!! Make sure you get WRITTEN confirmation about how early completion works BEFORE you finish!!
When I was doing my online certification last year I was on track to finish like 8 weeks early but then my financial aid advisor told me that if I submitted my final project before the official end date they'd have to recalculate my aid. So I just waited and submitted everything on the official last day even though I was done early. Might be an option if you're worried about having to pay anything back.
This is actually a smart approach if your school treats early completion as a withdrawal. However, not all schools allow you to sit on completed work - some programs automatically mark you as complete when all requirements are fulfilled. Always check with your specific program's policies.
Is one of ur kids a dependent and the other independent? That would make a HUGE difference in what gets asked. Or maybe one is getting grants and the other just loans? The requirements are totally different for differnt types of aid!!!
In my experience working with financial aid offices, this is completely normal. The Department of Education uses what's called "targeted verification" to reduce paperwork burden. Prior to 2022, they verified about 30% of all FAFSA applications randomly, but now they're more selective and focus on applications where the student's income might significantly impact the aid calculation. That's why there's that approximately $4,200 threshold others have mentioned. Your son was just above it, your daughter just below. One important note: make sure you keep all tax documents for BOTH children readily available. Sometimes they request additional verification later in the process, especially if there are any corrections made to the application.
Oliver Becker
As a financial aid advisor, I can clarify a few things: 1) You cannot delete a FAFSA yourself once it's been created 2) Having duplicate FAFSAs won't affect your SAI calculation, but it can cause processing delays 3) The best approach is two-pronged: - Contact Federal Student Aid to have one application marked as void - Reach out to your school's financial aid office to alert them to the situation This is a common issue this year with the new FAFSA implementation. The system should recognize duplicate applications by your FSA ID, but with all the technical issues they've been having, it's best to be proactive. Make sure to have your FSA ID, confirmation numbers from both applications, and the date you submitted each one when you call. This information will help them resolve the issue more quickly.
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Zainab Yusuf
•Thank you for this detailed explanation! I'll gather all that information before calling. One more question - will this affect my aid package timing? My school has a May 1 priority deadline for continuing students.
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Oliver Becker
•As long as you submitted at least one complete FAFSA before your school's priority deadline, you should be fine. However, I'd recommend getting this resolved within the next week if possible. When you contact your school's financial aid office, specifically mention the May 1 priority deadline concern, and they can make notes in your file to ensure you're still considered for all aid programs. The most important thing is making sure they know which application has your correct and final information.
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Connor O'Reilly
wait why cant they just make a delete button?? stupid government websites always making things complicated 🙄
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