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Am I the only one who thinks its INSANE that we're all just casually talking about going into tens of thousands of dollars of debt for EDUCATION?? The whole system is predatory. In most developed countries college is free or nearly free. Sorry but I had to say it.
To answer your follow-up question about finding the best private loan options for the remaining $8,750: 1. Compare rates from multiple lenders (Sallie Mae, Discover, CommonBond, SoFi, etc.) 2. Look beyond interest rates - examine fees, repayment options, and hardship policies 3. Consider whether you'll co-sign (this typically gets a better rate but makes you legally responsible) 4. Check if there are any state-specific education loan programs where you live 5. Ask if the lender offers interest rate reductions for automatic payments 6. Look for lenders that offer grace periods after graduation And definitely check with the school about payment plans as another commenter suggested - that can reduce how much you need to borrow!
i accepted my loans last semester but then got a scholarship later and didnt need them, financial aid office said i could just decline them after accepting no problem. but different schools probly have different policies
About your work-study question - typically these positions are reserved exclusively for students with work-study awards, so yes, there is preference built into the system. You'll likely need to provide your financial aid award letter or some verification when applying. Many departments hire work-study students because the federal government subsidizes a portion of your wages (usually around 75%), making it cheaper for the department to hire you compared to regular student workers. This is why these positions are specifically reserved for work-study eligible students.
Another thing to try - ask the financial aid office specifically which FAFSA year they're looking for. With the academic calendar crossing years, sometimes they look at the wrong aid year. Make sure they're checking for the 2025-2026 FAFSA and not 2024-2025.
just went thru this nightmare!! turns out my sons social security number was entered with a typo on his college application but correct on fafsa. school couldn't match them up. worth checking if any info is slightly different between systems.
I'm having the exact same issue with my son's account right now! Been locked out for about 10 days. What worked for me was calling the FSA technical support line (not the main number) at 1-800-433-3243, option 7. Got through after only 20 minutes and they confirmed there was an "account verification hold" that wasn't visible to me but was blocking login. They manually removed it and I could log in immediately after. Definitely mention your daughter is a student athlete with an urgent scholarship timeline. They prioritized my son's case when I mentioned his music scholarship had a deadline.
THANK YOU for the specific number and option! I just called and although I was on hold for 45 minutes, I finally got through to someone who confirmed exactly what you said - there was a verification hold on our account. They removed it and I was able to log in right after the call ended! Now I can send the SAI to my daughter's school. You literally saved her summer housing situation!
Hassan Khoury
Did anyone check if the CSS Profile is required by the school? Some private colleges require BOTH the FAFSA and CSS Profile to award institutional aid. If you only filled out FAFSA, you might be missing out on school-specific grants and scholarships that could reduce what you need to borrow!!!
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Lucy Lam
•Oh no... I think we might have missed this. I vaguely remember seeing CSS Profile mentioned somewhere but thought it was just another name for FAFSA. We definitely didn't fill out a separate form. I'm going to check the school's financial aid website right now. Thank you for pointing this out!
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Aidan Hudson
One more thing to consider: your student can accept LESS than the full loan amount offered in the aid package. Many students make the mistake of taking all loans offered even if they don't need the full amount. Calculate exactly what you need after: 1. Any scholarships/grants 2. Your manageable contribution 3. Student work-study/job income 4. Payment plans Then only accept the minimum federal loans needed to cover the gap. You can always request the additional offered amount later in the semester if needed. This approach can save thousands in unnecessary interest later!
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Lucy Lam
•That's excellent advice! We definitely need to sit down and calculate exactly what we need rather than just accepting everything offered. And I didn't realize we could request additional amounts later if needed - that's good to know as a safety net. Thank you to everyone who replied! I feel so much better informed now. We're going to: 1. Appeal our SAI based on medical expenses and income change 2. Check if we need to complete the CSS Profile 3. Look into Parent PLUS loans for any remaining gap 4. See if the school offers a payment plan This forum has been incredibly helpful!
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