I've been trying to help my son make a correction on his FAFSA application for over a month, and we're completely stuck. Every time he tries to make the correction online, the system throws some weird error code (E-407 I think?) and completely locks him out. We've called the FSA helpline at least 5 times, waiting on hold for hours each time. The last agent we spoke with (about 4 weeks ago) told us they would mail us a paper FAFSA Submission Summary that we could use to make corrections and mail back. They promised it would arrive by mid-October, but we've received absolutely nothing. His college's financial aid deadline is coming up fast, and without this correction, his SAI calculation will be completely wrong. Has anyone actually received one of these paper correction forms recently? Do they even exist anymore? I'm starting to think the agent just told us that to get us off the phone.

Just had a shocking Zoom meeting with my daughter's financial aid counselor at a state university in Florida. She's drowning with 3,200+ students just in HER caseload alone and hasn't received ANY processed FAFSA applications for her students who applied after mid-February! The counselor told us FAFSA originally promised all forms would be processed by end of March, but now they're saying end of April. This is stressing me out because fall semester deposits are due soon! Our biggest concern: After my daughter's $5,500 unsubsidized loans per year, we're still short about $7,200 annually ($3,600/semester). We don't qualify for Pell Grants based on our initial SAI calculation. I'm curious - for those with remaining balances after financial aid packages, how are you planning to cover the gap? Private loans like Sallie Mae? Payment plans? Personal savings? Would love to hear others' strategies while we wait in this FAFSA limbo.

Super confused about Pell Grants right now... I was under the impression that if you qualify for a Pell Grant, ALL schools you apply to would award it? We got a $740 Pell Grant in our financial aid package from NJIT, but looking at Monmouth University's offer, there's no Pell Grant listed anywhere. Instead, they gave us something called a "Green Lawn Grant" for $5100 annually on top of the merit scholarship. Could the Pell be hidden inside this Green Lawn Grant somehow? The difference in aid packages between schools is making my head spin. Does anyone know if schools can just decide not to award Pell Grants even if FAFSA says you qualify? Any insights appreciated!

Has anyone heard if colleges are starting to get the FAFSA data now that the system is supposedly unfrozen? My daughter applied back in January, and her application has been stuck on 'processed' for nearly 2 months, but her SAI still hasn't been sent to any of her schools according to studentaid.gov. She's trying to make a decision by May 1st, but none of her financial aid packages have come through because the schools claim they haven't received her FAFSA data. I've called the Federal Student Aid hotline twice but got disconnected both times after waiting for over an hour. Just wondering if other families are seeing movement or if financial aid officers have insight on when colleges are actually receiving student records?

My daughter is a junior in high school and will be starting college Fall 2025. I want to get ahead of the FAFSA game so we're not scrambling next year. What documents and financial records should I start collecting now for the 2025-2026 FAFSA application? I've heard they're using 'prior-prior year' tax info, so would that be our 2023 taxes? Also, does having a 529 plan hurt our chances? My sister said it counts heavily against us but my neighbor swears it doesn't impact the SAI calculation much. Any advice from parents who've gone through this recently would be super helpful!