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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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i'm confused abt somethin else - does the SAI even matter for merit scholarships??? i thought merit was JUST based on ur grades/test scores and had nothing to do with financial need or SAI numbers????
You're correct that merit scholarships are primarily based on academic achievements, not financial need. They're awarded regardless of your SAI. But when schools calculate your total financial aid package, they may factor in merit scholarships you've received when determining how much need-based aid to provide. That's what creates the confusion for many families.
Thanks everyone for the responses! For what it's worth, I called two schools today and they both handle merit aid differently. One school reduces need-based aid dollar-for-dollar when you get merit scholarships (so it doesn't really help much financially). The other school applies merit ON TOP of need-based aid, which is obviously much better. Definitely worth asking each school directly!
That's exactly why these forums are so helpful! Each school has their own policies that aren't always clear from their websites. Great job being proactive and calling them directly. When you get all your aid packages, you might want to try negotiating with your top choice if another school offered better terms.
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when this happened to my roommate he just stared a new fafsa application using a different email address for his fsa id. got approved faster than dealing with customer service
This is absolutely NOT recommended and could cause serious problems. Creating multiple FSA IDs or submitting multiple FAFSAs is flagged in the system and can trigger a fraud investigation. Always work through the official correction process.
UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at Federal Student Aid! Had to call super early (6:30am) to avoid the wait times. They explained my mom accidentally submitted the FAFSA as if she were a single parent household, but they're unlocking the application so both parents' information can be included. Should be fixed within 3-5 business days. They said this happens ALL THE TIME with the new FAFSA format. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions!
Great news! Glad you got it resolved. When the correction processes, your school should receive the updated information automatically, but I'd still follow up with your financial aid office in about a week to make sure they have the correct SAI calculation.
Will do! They told me the corrected SAI should be available within 5 days after the processing completes. Fingers crossed this doesn't affect my aid package too much!
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One more IMPORTANT thing - the 2025-2026 FAFSA will use the updated SAI (Student Aid Index) instead of the old EFC calculation. This affects how they calculate need. With your income increase, make sure you understand how this might impact your daughter's aid package. The SAI treats some assets and income differently. Check if Penn State has any institutional scholarships with separate deadlines too!
I didn't realize they changed the calculation method too. Is there any way to estimate our SAI before submitting? I want to be prepared for potential changes to her aid package.
Yes, there are SAI calculators online that can help you estimate your daughter's index score before you submit. Just search for "FAFSA SAI calculator 2025-2026" and you'll find several options. Keep in mind that an $8K income increase might change your SAI by approximately $1,600-$2,400 depending on your overall financial situation. Also, since your daughter is already in college, check if Penn State requires the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA - some schools use both for determining institutional aid. The timeline for CSS Profile submission might differ from FAFSA deadlines.
This is super helpful - thank you! I'll look up those calculators and double-check Penn State's requirements for the CSS Profile too. I appreciate everyone's advice on navigating year two of this process!
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Something nobody mentioned yet - make sure you both have your Social Security numbers, tax information (2023 taxes for the 2025-26 FAFSA), and bank/investment information ready before December 1. The new FAFSA is supposedly easier, but you still need all your financial documents. They calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) from this information which determines aid eligibility.
That's really helpful too! I'll start gathering all that information now so we're prepared. Is there a checklist somewhere of everything we'll need?
Yes, studentaid.gov has a checklist under "Applying for Aid" section. You'll need 2023 tax returns, W-2s, current bank statements, investment records (except retirement accounts), and records of untaxed income. The new FAFSA directly imports tax data from the IRS if you consent, which simplifies things considerably.
Just wait until you actually try to fill it out. My daughter's 2024-25 FAFSA was a COMPLETE DISASTER. Multiple crashes, lost information, and the new simplified SAI calculation actually gave us LESS aid than the old EFC system. And don't get me started on the CSS Profile some private schools require ON TOP of FAFSA. Absolute nightmare.
Oh no, that sounds awful! I'm getting more nervous now. I hope they've fixed some of those issues for this year's application!
The Federal Student Aid office has actually made several system improvements for the 2025-26 cycle based on feedback from last year's problems. They've expanded server capacity and simplified some of the more problematic sections. While no system is perfect, there should be fewer technical glitches this time around.
Demi Lagos
I remember when the SAI was called the EFC (Expected Family Contribution). Does anyone know if they calculate these differently now? My daughter's SAI seems way higher than what we expected based on our income.
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Dallas Villalobos
•Yes, there are some differences between the old EFC and the new SAI calculation. The SAI can actually go as low as -1500 (which wasn't possible with EFC), but they also adjusted some of the protection allowances and assessment rates. In general, middle-income families might see a higher SAI than they would have had with the EFC, while some lower-income families might benefit from the changes. If yours seems significantly off, there might be an error in the application data.
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Pedro Sawyer
Update: We used Claimyr to get through to an FSA agent this morning, and they confirmed we need to submit the missing W-2 form. Apparently, when there's a discrepancy between reported income and tax documents, they hold the SAI calculation. The agent told us to upload the document through the portal and that it should be processed within 3-5 business days. We've also contacted our daughter's top choice schools to let them know about the delay. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Mae Bennett
•Great news! Glad you got it sorted out. Definitely follow up if you don't see the SAI within a week. Sometimes you need to be persistent with these things.
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Reina Salazar
•Awesome! Glad you were able to get through and get clear instructions. The 3-5 business days timeframe is usually accurate in my experience.
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