dont 4get to look at scholarship options too!! my daughter got $2000 from a local business scholarship that she applied for. every little bit helps!!

To follow up on your question about what happens if she doesn't find a Work-Study job - unfortunately, those funds don't automatically convert to other types of aid. If she doesn't use the Work-Study allocation, those funds remain unused. That's why it's important to start looking for positions as soon as possible after receiving the award. Some schools might be able to offer an adjustment if a student can't find a Work-Study position, but that's not guaranteed and depends on the school's policies and available funding.

Their probably just confusing their own internal policies with FAFSA requirements. I mean the financial aid office and admissions don't always talk to each other that well lol. Your brother passed the DOT physical so he's cleared to drive according to federal transportation guidelines. FAFSA only cares about $$$$ not medical stuff. The delay in processing is normal this time of year - my SAI score took almost a month to come through and I applied in February too.

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your help! My brother called the Federal Student Aid Information Center directly and they confirmed his FAFSA application is processing normally with no issues or missing documentation. When he asked about any medical forms being required, the rep was confused and said they don't request that kind of documentation. He then went back to the school with this information, and after some back and forth, found out they were actually talking about a school-specific scholarship program for students with disabilities that requires additional documentation - NOT a FAFSA requirement! Just like some of you suggested! The miscommunication happened because he was talking to an admissions person who didn't understand financial aid very well. When he spoke with the actual financial aid office, they cleared everything up. His federal aid is processing normally and should be available soon. Such a relief!

my niece goes to penn state and she said a lot of people dont know that u can appeal for more summer aid. but you gotta do it quick b4 the term starts!!!! did u try that??

One important detail no one has mentioned: Your 23-24 FAFSA technically covers Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024. If your son received full Pell for Fall and Spring, that would explain the reduced summer amount (hitting that 150% cap others mentioned). For the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year, make sure you've completed the new FAFSA (the simplified one that just launched). If you maintain a 0 SAI (formerly EFC), your son should be eligible for maximum Pell Grant amounts for the regular terms. And definitely check with Penn State about possible summer scholarship options - many schools have specific funds just for summer study that aren't automatically applied.

I remember when i did my first fafsa my dog actually ate my w-2 form (not kidding lol) and i had to call my employer for a new copy which took forever and i almost missed the priority deadline. Make sure you have ALL your documents ready before you start! Also the most confusing part for me was the asset questions because i have a small inheritance from my grandma in a special account and wasn't sure if i needed to include it. Ended up having to call financial aid office at my school to figure it out.

One important thing to remember about your parent needing to be there: technically no, they don't need to be physically present when you complete the FAFSA. However, they DO need to: 1. Have their own FSA ID (which they should create themselves) 2. Provide you with their financial information OR log in themselves to complete the parent portion 3. Electronically sign the FAFSA with their FSA ID Since you mentioned your mom isn't tech-savvy and your dad travels, you have options: - Schedule a specific time to complete it when your chosen parent is available, even if just by phone - Have your parent create their FSA ID in advance, then provide you with the necessary information - Some parents give their child the FSA ID login to complete everything, though this isn't technically allowed since electronic signatures verify that the actual person is signing Most importantly, don't wait until the deadline! The earlier you submit, the better your chances for certain aid programs with limited funding.

did u check if ur phone has the email maybe?? sometimes i miss important stuff cuz it goes to my phone but not my computer for some weird reason

UPDATE: Success! My son deleted the original invitation and resent it to my alternate email address. It showed up within minutes! Already completed my section and now his FAFSA is fully submitted. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! For anyone else having this issue, definitely try using a different email address if the resend doesn't work with your primary email.