


Ask the community...
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I've bookmarked the Federal Student Aid Estimator link and will try it out tonight. I'll also follow the advice about contacting financial aid offices directly about my dad's job situation. This community is amazing!
When I was trying to estimate my aid last year I ended up using three different calculators and then averaged the results lol. Not sure if that's the right approach but it got me in the ballpark! The finaid.org one was also helpful.
my financial aid office told me to take screenshots of everything too just in case! the whole system is weird
wait I just remembered something - check your email! I got a PDF copy emailed to me like 2 days after my FAFSA was processed
Not to scare you but don't MAIL ANYTHING!!! My neighbor did that last year and her son's SSN got stolen when the mail was intercepted!!! I would NEVER mail financial info, especially with all the mail theft happening lately. Keep calling until you get someone competent who can help you fix it online!!!
Financial aid advisor here again - I want to clarify that when mailing the signature page, you're NOT sending your full SSN or financial details. The signature page only contains name, date of birth, and a partial SSN (last 4 digits). While mail theft is a concern for any document, the signature page alone poses minimal risk for identity theft.
Just following up - were you able to get this resolved? I'm curious if any of the suggestions worked for you.
My daughter applied to 6 schools and got completely different experiences with each one. The ENTIRE system is broken!! Half required stupid extra forms beyond FAFSA, two wanted the CSS Profile (which costs $$$), one made her verify every single detail even though FAFSA already verified it, and one still hasn't sent ANYTHING even though it's been 2 months!!! The worst part is you can NEVER reach anyone at FSA to get straight answers - just automated messages and endless hold times. This whole process is DESIGNED to confuse families and make kids give up on college!!!!
While I understand your frustration, I want to clarify a few things: 1) The CSS Profile is used by private schools to assess need for institutional (non-federal) aid 2) Verification is randomly selected by the Department of Education, not chosen by schools 3) Different timelines are often due to varying resources and staffing at financial aid offices That said, communication could certainly be improved, and the recent FAFSA Simplification rollout has created additional challenges this year.
UPDATE: I called University B this morning and asked to speak with a financial aid supervisor. I explained that I already had an offer from another school and knew my FAFSA was fully processed. The supervisor admitted they're behind on processing aid packages due to staffing issues but insisted I need to register first "to confirm my enrollment status" before they'll create my package. When I pushed back, they eventually said they could make an exception but it would take 2-3 weeks longer to get my package if I don't register first. This feels like a pressure tactic, so I'm probably going with University A since they've been transparent throughout the process. Thanks everyone for your help!
Good for you for advocating for yourself! Their response confirms this is indeed an enrollment pressure tactic. The "2-3 weeks longer" threat is almost certainly fabricated - aid packages are processed based on when your FAFSA data was received, not your registration status. I think you're making a wise choice by going with the more transparent institution.
Mei Chen
wait so does processed mean they got the SAI score or just that they submitted it correctly? i thought the SAI is what tells you how much money youll get?
0 coins
Zoe Papadakis
•Good question! "Processed" means that the Federal Student Aid office has completed their review of the FAFSA application and calculated the SAI (Student Aid Index) score. The SAI score is what colleges use to determine financial aid eligibility, but it doesn't directly tell you how much aid you'll receive. Here's the sequence: 1. You submit the FAFSA 2. The application is processed and an SAI is calculated 3. This information is sent to the colleges you listed 4. Each college creates a financial aid package based on your SAI, their available funds, and their specific financial aid policies 5. Colleges send financial aid award letters showing what you'll actually receive So "processed" is a crucial step because it means your information is now available to colleges, but you'll still need to wait for each school to create their individual aid offers.
0 coins
Aisha Mohammed
Update: I just heard back from the financial aid office at my son's college, and they confirmed they received his processed FAFSA yesterday! Apparently the chat agent was right and the emails were wrong. They said we should expect to see an aid package within 2-3 weeks. Thanks everyone for your help and advice! I'm still annoyed at how confusing the system is, but at least we know where we stand now.
0 coins
Yuki Watanabe
•That's great news! And yes, the communication issues with the FAFSA system this year have been particularly challenging. For anyone else reading this thread who's experiencing similar problems, always verify directly with your school's financial aid office - they have the most accurate information about what they've actually received.
0 coins