I'm new to this community and going through the exact same stressful situation! My son's FAFSA shows he's eligible for $6,385 in Pell Grant funding, but when I called his community college last week, they said they have "no record of any federal aid being processed" and couldn't give me any timeline. I was starting to think we had made some major error in our application or missed a critical deadline. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening and reassuring - I had no idea that the FAFSA website only shows what you're ELIGIBLE for, not what has actually been processed by the school! The whole verification and aid packaging process that everyone has explained makes so much more sense now. I'm going to check his student portal immediately for any verification requests we might have overlooked, and definitely going to follow the advice about checking spam folders too. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it's such a relief to know this disconnect between federal eligibility and school processing is completely normal, even though it creates so much anxiety when you're trying to plan for upcoming semester expenses!

I'm a newcomer to this community and experiencing this exact same frustrating situation! My daughter's FAFSA shows she's eligible for $6,270 in Pell Grant funding, but when I contacted her college's financial aid office yesterday, they told me they "don't have any information about federal aid yet" and basically brushed me off. I was starting to panic thinking we had made some terrible mistake or missed a crucial step in the process. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - I had absolutely no idea that what appears on the FAFSA website is just eligibility determination, not actual money that's been processed by the school! The explanations about verification requirements and the school's separate processing timeline make so much more sense now. I'm definitely going to check her student portal tonight for any verification documents we might have missed, and I'm taking everyone's advice about checking spam folders too. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's such a huge relief to know this disconnect between the federal FAFSA system and individual schools is completely normal, even though it creates incredible stress when you're trying to plan financially for the upcoming semester!

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! So it sounds like I don't need to worry about this job affecting my current financial aid since FAFSA uses previous tax years. I'll keep my W-2 for future FAFSA applications and stay under that $7,600 threshold if possible. I'm also going to check with my school's financial aid office about any additional limitations for my institutional scholarships. This has been super helpful!

Great summary Danielle! You've got the right understanding. Just one additional tip - consider opening a savings account specifically for setting aside money for taxes, even if you might not owe any. It's a good habit to start early, and if you do end up owing anything, you'll be prepared. Also, keep all your pay stubs organized throughout the year - they'll help you track your earnings and verify the W-2 your employer gives you. Good luck with the new job!

As someone who went through this exact situation two years ago, I want to reassure you that an SAI of 58,017 doesn't mean your son won't get any financial assistance! My family had a similar income level and SAI, and while we didn't qualify for federal Pell Grants, we were still able to make college affordable through a combination of strategies. Here's what worked for us: 1) Applied for every veteran-dependent scholarship we could find (there are hundreds!), 2) Contacted each college's financial aid office directly to explain our veteran status - many schools have separate funds for military families that aren't tied to your FAFSA SAI, 3) Used the Chapter 35 DEA benefits which provided about $1,400/month, and 4) Found that several schools offered merit-based aid that had nothing to do with our financial situation. Don't give up hope - there are definitely paths forward for veteran families like ours, even with higher SAI scores. The key is being proactive and not just relying on the FAFSA results.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed advice shared here! I'm in a very similar situation - my spouse is a disabled veteran and we're just starting the college process with our eldest. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both eye-opening and reassuring. I had no idea about Chapter 35 benefits or that colleges have separate veteran affairs offices beyond just financial aid. The suggestion about professional judgment reviews is particularly interesting. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread and planning to follow the step-by-step advice from @Kristin Frank and @Katherine Shultz. It's clear that the FAFSA SAI is just the starting point, not the end of the road. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and helping families like ours navigate this complex process!

As another newcomer to this community and first-time college parent, I'm so grateful I found this thread! We're literally in the exact same boat - just got approved for a $28K Parent PLUS loan and have been completely confused about the repayment timeline. Our school's financial aid presentation made it sound like we wouldn't pay anything until after graduation, but then we got paperwork suggesting payments start immediately. The stress of not knowing whether to budget for $300+ monthly payments starting next month versus having 4+ years to prepare has been keeping me up at night! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been more educational than anything we've received officially. The fact that deferment isn't automatic and you have to specifically REQUEST it is shocking - why isn't this made crystal clear during the application process? I'm definitely planning to: 1. Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center first thing tomorrow 2. Request deferment through our loan servicer 3. Set up voluntary interest-only payments (~$190/month) to prevent the balance from ballooning The real-world examples of interest accumulation have been eye-opening. Seeing that $29K could become $38K+ without any payments really puts things in perspective. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - you've probably saved our family from making costly mistakes! This community is incredible and I'm so glad to have found such knowledgeable and helpful people going through the same challenges.

As a newcomer to this community and also facing my first Parent PLUS loan experience, I can't express how grateful I am for this incredibly detailed discussion! We just received approval for a $31K Parent PLUS loan and I was completely panicked about when payments would start. Like so many others here, we got conflicting information - the financial aid presentation at orientation suggested we wouldn't pay until after graduation, but then we received documents mentioning 60-day payment timelines. The uncertainty has been causing major budget anxiety for our family. After reading through all these responses, I now understand that: 1. Deferment is NOT automatic and must be specifically requested 2. We can request deferment but still make voluntary interest payments to prevent balance growth 3. The Federal Student Aid Information Center (1-800-4-FED-AID) is the best resource for accurate information I'm planning to call tomorrow to request deferment, then set up voluntary interest-only payments of around $200/month. The math showing how $31K could grow to $40K+ over 4 years without any payments is definitely motivating us to at least cover the interest! It's honestly frustrating that we had to find this information through a community forum rather than having it clearly explained during the application process. Thank you to everyone who shared their real-world experiences - you've probably saved our family thousands of dollars and a lot of unnecessary stress!

I'm dealing with something similar right now - trying to correct my birthdate on my FAFSA and running into the same verification issues. @Emma Taylor, when you uploaded your Social Security card photo, did they accept a phone photo or did it need to be scanned? Also, did the agent stay on the line while you uploaded it, or did you have to call back after uploading? I'm hoping to get this sorted out before my school's deadline too. Thanks for sharing your experience - it gives me hope that there's actually a solution that works!

Hey everyone! I just want to add that I've been following this thread because I'm dealing with a similar SSN issue on my FAFSA. @Emma Taylor, your success story is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been putting off calling because I assumed the wait times would be horrible, but knowing that 8pm has shorter waits is a game changer. For those asking about photo requirements - I actually work at my college's financial aid office (student worker), and I can confirm that phone photos of documents are generally acceptable as long as they're clear and all four corners of the document are visible. The agents are pretty understanding about students not having access to scanners. One thing I'd add is that if you're still having trouble getting through by phone, you can also reach out to your school's financial aid office. They can't fix the SSN directly, but they can put notes in your file about the correction being in progress so it doesn't hurt your aid consideration. Some schools will even help you navigate the FAFSA phone system if you come in person. Good luck to everyone dealing with this frustrating issue - sounds like there are definitely working solutions if you know the right approach!