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did u try looking at work study options?? sometimes they have last minute openings and that money goes directly to tuition. also my kid got a resident assistant position in second yr and that covered housing completely!!
Based on your responses, I think you have several options to explore simultaneously: 1. Request the Professional Judgment review based on medical expenses 2. Look into private loans with a co-signer other than yourself 3. Contact FSA to verify your FAFSA is properly processed (using that callback service someone mentioned if needed) 4. Ask specifically about emergency retention grants (many schools have these for students in good standing who might otherwise have to withdraw) 5. See if your daughter can pick up a part-time job to contribute With a 3.8 GPA, your daughter is clearly succeeding academically. Make sure the financial aid office knows this is a student they want to retain. Sometimes being very direct about the fact that your daughter may have to withdraw without additional aid can motivate them to find solutions.
Does anyone know if there's a way to check if your kid actually submitted their part? My daughter SWORE she submitted last month but turns out she never clicked the final button. Kids these days lol
UPDATE: Just wanted to follow up in case anyone has the same issue. My daughter checked her submission status and it turns out she DID complete everything correctly. I finally got the email this morning - almost 48 hours after she submitted it! The subject line was different than last year which is why I might have missed it if it came earlier. Instead of "FAFSA Signature Required" it said "Action Required: 2025-2026 FAFSA form." Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
Thanks for the update! This is really helpful information. The new FAFSA system has changed many aspects of the notification process, including those email subject lines. I'm glad it finally came through for you. Make sure to submit your signature promptly as there can sometimes be additional processing delays after the parent signature is added as well.
same thing happened with css profile too btw. couldn't add schools for like a week in january. whole systems broken this year
The CSS Profile and FAFSA issues are actually unrelated, though the timing coincidence is unfortunate. The CSS Profile had scheduled maintenance in January that ran longer than expected, while the FAFSA issues stem from the major redesign they implemented this year. But you're right that it's been an extremely challenging financial aid season for students!
it worked!!!! cleared my cache and now i can add schools! adding all 10 right now before something else breaks lol
Statiia Aarssizan
I just wanted to follow up on my earlier post. After your daughter's SAI is calculated, the college will create her financial aid package, which may include: - Federal Pell Grants (if eligible based on SAI) - Federal Work-Study opportunities - Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans - State grants (varies by state) - Institutional scholarships/grants Even if her FAFSA is still processing, the college's financial aid office can often begin packaging some aid or provide estimates. They may also have emergency procedures for students caught in the FAFSA backlog. Once your daughter receives her aid package, carefully review all offers before accepting, especially loans. Remember that subsidized loans don't accrue interest while she's in school, but unsubsidized loans do.
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Vince Eh
•Thank you for this detailed explanation! It helps to understand what's coming next in the process. We'll be very careful about which loans we accept - I definitely prefer the subsidized ones if possible.
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Ezra Beard
After I posted earlier I checked with my sister who just went through this - she said if you have a complex tax situation (like self-employment income, foreign income, or amended returns) it could delay processing by months. Did you have any unusual tax situations last year?
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Vince Eh
•Actually, yes! My husband (her stepdad) is self-employed and we did have to file an amended return last year. That could definitely be contributing to the delay. This whole system seems designed to punish people with anything other than the simplest tax situations.
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