Yes, corrections are definitely open now for the 2025-26 FAFSA cycle, but the system is still having intermittent issues. Some users report being able to make corrections only during certain hours (typically early morning seems to work better). If you're getting an error, try logging in between 6-8am Eastern time when server traffic is lower. Also, make sure you're using the correct pathway - you need to select "Make FAFSA Correction" from the main dashboard, not through the original application link.

That's great news! Thanks for updating us. I'm still waiting on my son's correction to process, but your timeline gives me hope it should be any day now.

Excellent! This is exactly why I always recommend contacting the schools directly. Most financial aid offices truly want to help students get maximum aid eligibility and will work with you through these system issues. Glad it worked out for your daughter!

That's a really good point I hadn't thought about. TCNJ is already asking for a housing deposit by May 1st, which is before we'll have loans in place. I guess we'll need to pay that out of pocket and then use the loans for the main tuition bill.

You raise a valid point. For borrowers with excellent credit, private loans sometimes offer lower interest rates than Parent PLUS loans. However, there's more to consider than just the rate. Parent PLUS loans offer income-contingent repayment options, potential loan forgiveness paths, deferment/forbearance options during hardship, and death/disability discharge protections that most private loans don't provide. That said, if you've found a private loan with significantly better terms and are confident in your ability to make the payments regardless of future circumstances, it can be the better financial choice for some families.

That's brilliant! She does have specific admissions counselors' contact info for about half the schools. I'll have her draft emails tonight emphasizing her strong interest but need for financial information. Did your son include specific details about the competing offers, or just mention he had other options?

He mentioned having competitive offers from specific schools (naming them) but didn't share dollar amounts. His email was something like: "I've received generous offers from X University and Y College, but [This School] remains one of my top choices. However, I need to compare financial packages before making my final decision. Is there any way to expedite my financial aid award letter?" Keep it professional but create that sense that they might lose a great candidate to another school. Works wonders!

Congratulations on getting all your packages! That's so reassuring to hear. I'm going to implement all these strategies immediately. For the appeals, did you need to provide additional documentation beyond what was in the FAFSA? My daughter has a unique financial situation (recent parental job change) that wasn't reflected in the tax returns used for FAFSA.

Yes, for appeals we provided documentation of the changed circumstances (in our case, medical expenses that weren't reflected in the tax return year). For a job change, get a letter from the new employer stating current salary, or if it's a job loss, documentation of unemployment benefits. Schools have special circumstance forms specifically for situations like yours! They're usually more flexible than you'd expect when there's a significant change after the tax year used for FAFSA.

The online calculators were primarily based on the old EFC formula, not the new SAI calculation method. The 2024-2025 FAFSA introduced significant formula changes that most online tools haven't fully updated for. Some key differences include how retirement contributions are counted, how multiple student households are calculated, and how business income is assessed. This is why many people are seeing very different numbers than expected. If you're concerned about a significant discrepancy, you might want to contact your school's financial aid office for clarification.

Great news! Yes, a lower SAI generally means more aid eligibility, so that's definitely good. Glad you were able to find everything and confirm it's all correct. The waiting for school processing is definitely the hardest part, but you've done everything right on your end.

Question: If the application is just showing as "processing" does that mean the tax information hasn't been received yet? My daughter's has been like that for weeks.

That's really helpful information, thank you! Did they say if manually entering the tax information would cause any issues or delays with processing? I'm wondering if I should just do that instead of waiting longer.

They said manually entering shouldn't cause any additional delays, but you have to be SUPER careful to enter everything exactly as it appears on your tax forms. If there are any discrepancies it could trigger verification which adds MORE delays. But at this point it might be worth the risk rather than waiting indefinitely for the transfer to happen!